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“The Marginalization of Women in Governance in Edo State Nigeria International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 “The Marginalization Of Women In Governance In Edo State Nigeria, With A Focus On The Coronation Ceremony Of An Oba In The Benin Kingdom” Etim Ekpenyong Mfon Etim Ekpenyong Mfon.: Part-time Lecturer, Department of Fine Art, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos. Department of Fine Art, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba Lagos. Email : [email protected] Abstract Coronation is a complex and sacred ritual, a History is a scribe who chronologically process that warrants an assemblage of both documents events in order to empower man physical and spiritual components. It with the information needed to build a involves a set of rites performed by a select healthier and more sustainable society. And few; hence, parts of it are not public history has it that though women are often knowledge. Women have also been exempted times regarded the weaker vessels, they have or restricted from partaking in some been pivotal to the success of great activities during the coronation of an Oba kingdoms the world over. Even in Africa because of actual or potential ritual where most traditions seem not to favour pollution occasioned by their monthly flow. women, women have been seen playing Many African cultures have relegated “manly” roles—delivering people and women to the background for this reason. kingdoms from annihilation. The great Even in present day politics in Nigeria and Benin Kingdom is no exception. The great indeed Africa, women are still being Emotan of today was just a peasant woman marginalized in the political arena at all who sold condiments at Oba’s market in levels. However, women have been pivotal Benin City. However, when the need came to the success of many great kingdoms and for the heroine in her to be activated, nations. In Benin’s rich historical traditions, Emotan became an internationally acclaimed women such as Queen Idia and Emotan (www.edoworld.com). So also did Queen rendered selfless services towards the peace, Idia stand out amongst other queens and progress, and sustainability of the Kingdom. King’s mothers in Benin because of her This paper seeks to highlight the roles great exploits. She played a significant role women play in the coronation of an Oba in in the rise and reign of her son. She was a Benin Kingdom despite their gender-based warrior who fought relentlessly before and marginalization. during her son’s reign as the Oba. It is Introduction pertinent to note that if a woman had led the Benin army to war, then it can be presumed that other women who were loyal to Idia Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 947 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 would have gone with her to fight against (2016), raises the question as to whether the enemy of their queen, shedding their there any significant roles played by women blood for the resuscitation and sustainability in the Coronation, since women like Queen of the great Benin Kingdom. Despite this Idia and Emotan are part of the success story acts of heroism and patriotism, women are of the great Benin kingdom. Moses (2016), being marginalized because of their explains further that menstrual flow. Idumwonyi (2011 ; p.3) the Uselu chiefs in the procession take leave writes that the conception of power as a of the Edaiken and return to Uselu while the resource of social function is currently Edaiken is thereafter escorted into the City unequally distributed amongst women and by Oredo Chiefs. Are there female chiefs men in Benin kingdom and there is no doubt among this grand procession? If not, was it a that cultural beliefs and practices have design by Mother Nature or man (through helped in sustaining the unequalness. customs and tradition) that disqualifies Exclusion based on women’s physiological women from being active partakers of such makeup is a good example as women are historic events, or was it both? declared “unclean” being judged incapable of fulfilling the esoteric need of the cosmic It is pertinent to note that sourcing for and spiritual that guide human affairs. The information during the course of carrying politics of rituals and taboos are tied to out this research was indeed a challenge, as women’s menstrual flow and ancestral most people who seem to be well informed veneration; an important component of on the coronation rites of the Benin kingdom religion/culture used as a tool to control, would not divulge information. As Nevadomsky (1993; p. 68) rightfully says: construct and order the society to continually sustain its patriarchal stance. “Throughout the period of fieldwork I was This tradition thus illuminates the frustrated in my efforts to collect even the consequences ritual components have on the most mundane information. The Bini adage, broader spectrum of social, institutional and ’When you reach Benin, Benin is still very structural contexts which shape individual far away,’ surely refers not only to the relations to power. unique elaboration of ritual symbolism and court complexity but also to the difficulty of an outsider getting past the door.” Nevadomsky (1993) defines coronations as a rite of passage: a set of Theoretical Framework rituals that mark the transformation of the social person from one status to another. This study is based on the theory of The coronation of an Oba in the Benin the marginalization and relegation of women kingdom is a ten day process of sacred to the political periphery in the Benin ceremonies. Jim Rex-Lawson Moses of Kingdom. Osukwu (2016) states that in very Vanguard online News paper Nigeria, many respects, African communities see Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 948 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 women as unequal with men; and that in royal beads as recognition for heroic community meetings, traditional settings, services performed by women (Idahosa, marriage negotiations, rights to the positions 2016). Kennedy Eweka (2016), a lecturer in of leadership/rulership, rights to child the ceramics unit of the Department of Fine ownership, headship of families, and so on, and Applied Arts, University of Benin, and a women often do not share the same spaces member of Benin royal family by birth with men. She further states that with corroborates that women are not installed as patriarchy in operation, women have always chiefs as women’s natural order of monthly been relegated to the background. cycles prohibits them from performing Leadership occurs within a given indigenous important traditional roles. However, he configuration of power, authority and noted that the Iye-oba n’uselu is a legitimacy. Moreover, she asserts that in chieftaincy title given to the mother of the leadership, women are inconsequential Oba. Hence, in that respect, women are simply because the configuration is shaped given titles. Nevadomsky (1993) also writes by culture, institutions, history, goals and that during Erediauwa’s coronation, he context, all inconsonance with a patriarchal created chieftaincy titles for his wives.… set up that male politicians aim to (P.69) perpetuate. This despite the facts that in pre- colonial times and during the colonial period, some women exerted political Eweka (2016) further states that influence and power, leading armies to the concept of women as second class battle, and engaging in statecraft. In Edo citizens is not correct, giving Queen Idia, State, the homeland of the Benin Kingdom, and Emotan as examples of women the political scene is characterised by honoured by the entire Benin kingdom for inadequate representation of women. their heroic exploits. Moreover, according to Irrespective of women mobilization of Eweka, the Iyoba at Uselu is one of the three voters, the contributions of women are often principal authorities in Benin along with the trivialized. Oba and the Crown Prince. She is also vested with the authority to confer chieftaincy titles on deserving citizen and Chieftaincy Titles and Women of Benin make laws. When asked if the laws made by Kingdom the Iyoba are meant only for women, Eweka said the Iyeoba confers chieftaincy titles on There are speculations that no men, hence, the laws she makes are binding chieftaincy title is conferred on any woman on both the men and women of Benin in the Benin kingdom because of the Kingdom. potential ritual pollution occasioned by their monthly flow. Women are not given titles in Heroines of Benin Kingdom the Benin kingdom, but the Oba can give Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 949 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 According to Oronsaye-Salami from his adversary. When Prince Ogun (2005), eventually regained the throne and was subsequently crowned as the real Oba of women are marginal to national politics, Benin, he took the name Oba Ewuare the and more generally, to the public and Great {1440AD-1473AD}. He did not private life of our nation. One of the forget the pivotal role played by this simple greatest challenges of the Edo woman market woman Emotan who saved him from today, as with all Nigerian women, is her glaring dangers during his exile years exclusion from the political space and her (www.edoworld.net). invisibility in political affairs. In situations of wars, conflict and extreme oppression, many women have risen to deliver their lands.
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