Ketu (Benin) Ketu Is a Historical Region in What Is Now the Republic of Benin, in the Area of the Town of Kétou

Ketu (Benin) Ketu is a historical region in what is now the Republic of Benin, in the area of the town of Kétou (Ketu). It is one of the oldest capitals of the Yoruba speaking people, tracing its establishment to a settlement founded by a daughter of Oduduwa, also known as Odudua, Oòdua and Eleduwa. The regents of the town were traditionally styled "Alaketu", and are believed to be related to the Egba sub-group of the Yoruba people in present-day Nigeria. Ketu is considered one of the seven original kingdoms established by the children of Oduduwa in Oyo mythic history, though this ancient pedigree has been somewhat neglected in contemporary Yoruba historical research, which tends to focus on communities within Nigeria. The exact status of Ketu within the Oyo empire however is contested. Oyo sources claim Ketu as a dependency with claims that the Ketu paid an annual tribute and that its ruler attended the Bere festival in Oyo. In any case, there is no doubt that Ketu and Oyo maintained friendly relations largely due to their historical, linguistic, cultural and ethnic ties.[1] The kingdom was one of the main enemies of the ascendant kingdom of Dahomey, often fighting against Dahomeans as part of Oyo's imperial forces, but ultimately succumbing to the Fon in the 1880s as the kingdom was ravaged. A large number of Ketu's citizens were sold into slavery during these raids, which accounts for the kingdom's importance in Brazilian Candomblé. Ketu is often known as Queto in Portuguese orthography. Ewe connection Ewe traditions refer to Ketu as Amedzofe ("origin of humanity") or Mawufe ("home of the Supreme Being"). It is believed that the inhabitants of Ketu originally belonged to the Oyo people of Nigeria and were pressed westward by a series of wars between the 10th and the 13th centuries. In Ketu, the ancestors of the Gbe speaking peoples Ewe,(Fon, Aja, etc.) separated themselves from other refugees and began to establish their own identity, but were pressed even further westward by the Yoruba during the 14th and 15th centuries. c.1500 - Yoruba state moved its capital to Ketu. 1886 - Conquered by Dahomey. 1893 - Restored by France under protectorate. References Parrinder, E.G. The Story of Ketu: An ancient Yoruba kingdom. Ibadan, Nigeria, Ibadan University Press, 1956. 1. ^ Law, R 1977, The Oyo Empire, Clarendon Press, Oxford, p.141 Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ketu_(Benin)&oldid=501109444" .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Oja Representational Objects in Yewaland, Ogun State, Nigeria Ayedun Matthew Kolawole Ab
African Scholar VOL. 18 NO. 6 Publications & ISSN: 2110-2086 Research SEPTEMBER, 2020 International African Scholar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (JHSS-6) Study of Forms and Functions of Esu – Oja Representational Objects in Yewaland, Ogun State, Nigeria Ayedun Matthew Kolawole Fine and Applied Arts Department, School of Vocational and Technical Education, Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu – Ijebu Abstract The representational images such as pots, rattles, bracelets, stones, cutlasses, wooden combs, staffs, mortals, brooms, etc. are religious and its significance for the worshippers were that they had faith in it. The denominator in the worship of all gods and spirits everywhere is faith. The power of an image was believed to be more real than that of a living being. The Yoruba appear to be satisfied with the gods with whom they are in immediate touch because they believe that when the Orisa have been worshipped, they will transmit what is necessary to Olodumare. This paper examines the traditional practices of the people of Yewa and discovers why Esu is market appellate. It focuses on the classifications of the forms and functions of Esu-Oja representational objects in selected towns in Yewaland. Keywords: appellate, classifications, divinities, fragment, forms, images, libations, mystical powers, Olodumare, representational, sacred, sacrifices, shrine, spirit archetype, transmission and transformation. Introduction Yewa which was formally called there are issues of intra-regional “Egbado” is located on Nigeria’s border conflicts that call for urgent attention. with the Republic of Benin. Yewa claim The popular decision to change the common origin from Ile-Ife, Oyo, ketu, Egbado name according to Asiwaju and Benin.
[Show full text]
Land Accessibility Characteristics Among Migrants in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria
Asian Research Journal of Arts & Social Sciences 2(1): 1-12, 2017; Article no.ARJASS.30086 SCIENCEDOMAIN international www.sciencedomain.org Land Accessibility Characteristics among Migrants in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria Gbenga John Oladehinde 1* , Kehinde Popoola 1, Afolabi Fatusin 2 and Gideon Adeyeni 1 1Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State Nigeria. 2Department of Geography and Planning Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out collaboratively by all authors. Author GJO designed the study and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors KP and AF supervised the preparation of the first draft of the manuscript and managed the literature searches while author GA led and managed the data analyses. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/ARJASS/2017/30086 Editor(s): (1) Raffaela Giovagnoli, Pontifical Lateran University, Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano 4, Rome, Italy. (2) Sheying Chen, Social Policy and Administration, Pace University, New York, USA. Reviewers: (1) F. Famuyiwa, University of Lagos, Nigeria. (2) Lusugga Kironde, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/17570 Received 16 th October 2016 Accepted 14 th January 2017 Original Research Article st Published 21 January 2017 ABSTRACT Aim: The study investigated challenges of land accessibility among migrants in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Methodology: Data were obtained through questionnaire administration on a Migrant household head. Multistage sampling technique was used for selection of 161 respondents for the study.
[Show full text]
KETU MYTHS and the STATUS of WOMEN: a Structural Interpretation
NEXUS 8:1 (1990) 47 KETU MYTHS AND THE STATUS OF WOMEN: A Structural Interpretation Emmanuel Babatunde University of Lagos, Nigeria ABSTRACT Modern literature on the status of Yoruba women of South Western Nigeria has corrected the view that Yoruba women were suppressed, by throwing into relief areas of their prominence. B. Awe has drawn attention to the prominent part women like Iyalode played in traditional Yoruba politics (1977, 1979). J.A. Atanda (1979) and S.O. Babayemi (1979) have stressed the significant roles of women in the palace organization of Oyo. N. Sudarka (1973) and Karanja (1980) have explored the interesting area of Yoruba market women, showing that the economic strength which such economic enterprises confer made Yoruba women not only prominent but independent. Karanja, on the other hand, accepted that although economic enterprise brought a considerable measure of strength and prominence to the Yoruba woman, her relationship with her husband may not be interpreted as one marked with complete independence. In drawing attention to the role of women as mothers and as occupiers of the innermost and sacrosanct space within Yoruba domains, H. Callaway has demonstrated the importance of Yoruba women to central features of Yoruba society (1978). In this present work I discuss some Yoruba myths in order to throw into relief the prominence of women. RESUME La literature recente concernant I'etat des femmes Yoruba au sud ouest du Niger a corrige I'impression que les femmes Yoruba sont suppressees, en iIIuminant leur proeminence dans plusieurs aspects sociaux. B. Awe a demontre I'importance des femmes telle que Iyalode dans Ie domaine politique traditionnel (1977, 1979).
[Show full text]
African Concepts of Energy and Their Manifestations Through Art
AFRICAN CONCEPTS OF ENERGY AND THEIR MANIFESTATIONS THROUGH ART A thesis submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Renée B. Waite August, 2016 Thesis written by Renée B. Waite B.A., Ohio University, 2012 M.A., Kent State University, 2016 Approved by ____________________________________________________ Fred Smith, Ph.D., Advisor ____________________________________________________ Michael Loderstedt, M.F.A., Interim Director, School of Art ____________________________________________________ John R. Crawford-Spinelli, D.Ed., Dean, College of the Arts TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………….. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS …………………………………… vi CHAPTERS I. Introduction ………………………………………………… 1 II. Terms and Art ……………………………………………... 4 III. Myths of Origin …………………………………………. 11 IV. Social Structure …………………………………………. 20 V. Divination Arts …………………………………………... 30 VI. Women as Vessels of Energy …………………………… 42 VII. Conclusion ……………………………………….…...... 56 VIII. Images ………………………………………………… 60 IX. Bibliography …………………………………………….. 84 X. Further Reading ………………………………………….. 86 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Porogun Quarter, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, 1992, Photograph by John Pemberton III http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/cosmos/models.html. ……………………………………… 60 Figure 2: Yoruba Ifa Divination Tapper (Iroke Ifa) Nigeria; Ivory. 12in, Baltimore Museum of Art http://www.artbma.org/. ……………………………………………… 61 Figure 3.; Yoruba Opon Ifa (Divination Tray), Nigerian; carved wood 3/4 x 12 7/8 x 16 in. Smith College Museum of Art, http://www.smith.edu/artmuseum/. ………………….. 62 Figure 4. Ifa Divination Vessel; Female Caryatid (Agere Ifa); Ivory, wood or coconut shell inlay. Nigeria, Guinea Coast The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org. ……………………… 63 Figure 5. Beaded Crown of a Yoruba King. Nigerian; L.15 (crown), L.15 (fringe) in.
[Show full text]
Yoruba Culture of Nigeria: Creating Space for an Endangered Specie
ISSN 1712-8358[Print] Cross-Cultural Communication ISSN 1923-6700[Online] Vol. 9, No. 4, 2013, pp. 23-29 www.cscanada.net DOI:10.3968/j.ccc.1923670020130904.2598 www.cscanada.org Yoruba Culture of Nigeria: Creating Space for an Endangered Specie Adepeju Oti[a],*; Oyebola Ayeni[b] [a]Ph.D, Née Aderogba. Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. [b] INTRODUCTION Ph.D. Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. *Corresponding author. Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, Received 16 March 2013; accepted 11 July 2013 hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects Abstract and possessions acquired by a group of people in the The history of colonisation dates back to the 19th course of generations through individual and group Century. Africa and indeed Nigeria could not exercise striving (Hofstede, 1997). It is a collective programming her sovereignty during this period. In fact, the experience of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group of colonisation was a bitter sweet experience for the or category of people from another. The position that continent of Africa and indeed Nigeria, this is because the ideas, meanings, beliefs and values people learn as the same colonialist and explorers who exploited the members of society determines human nature. People are African and Nigerian economy; using it to develop theirs, what they learn, therefore, culture ultimately determine the quality in a person or society that arises from a were the same people who brought western education, concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, modern health care, writing and recently technology.
[Show full text]
(West) Africa: the Yoruba of Nigeria and Benin in Perspective
Durham E-Theses Implications of Colonially Determined Boundaries in (West) Africa: the Yoruba of Nigeria and Benin in Perspective KEHINDE, MICHAEL,OLUJIMI How to cite: KEHINDE, MICHAEL,OLUJIMI (2010) Implications of Colonially Determined Boundaries in (West) Africa: the Yoruba of Nigeria and Benin in Perspective, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/496/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 IMPLICATIONS OF COLONIALLY DETERMINED BOUNDARIES IN (WEST) AFRICA: THE YORUBA OF NIGERIA AND BENIN IN PERSPECTIVE MICHAEL OLUJIMI KEHINDE PHD THESIS 2010 1 2 IMPLICATIONS OF COLONIALLY DETERMINED BOUNDARIES IN (WEST) AFRICA: THE YORUBA OF NIGERIA AND BENIN IN PERSPECTIVE Kehinde, Michael Olujimi A Thesis in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Durham School of Government and International Affairs 2010 3 ABSTRACT This study analyses the Nigeria – Benin international boundary, around the Yoruba geo-cultural space.
[Show full text]
The Origins and Brief History of the Ewe People
THE ORIGINS AND BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EWE PEOPLE Narrated By Dr. A. Kobla Dotse© Published in 2011 ©XXXX Publications Disclaimer The material we present here is provided to you mainly for educational and information purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for a true history book on Ewes. Please consult any book on Ewes, your historian or any appropriate history book dealing with Ewes for deeper understanding of Ewes and their history. Publications, websites and the author shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, sickness or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this article and a subsequent book to be published. Ewe Country Boundaries The boundaries of the new African nations are those of the old British, Belgian, French, German, and Portuguese colonies. They are essentially artificial in the sense that some of them do not correspond with any well-marked ethnic divisions. Because of this the Ewes, like some other ethnic groups, have remained fragmented under the three different flags, just as they were divided among the three colonial powers after the Berlin Conference of 1844 that partitioned Africa. A portion of the Ewes went to Britain, another to Germany, and a small section in Benin (Dahomey) went to France. After World War I, the League of Nations gave the Germans- occupied areas to Britain and France as mandated territories. Those who were under the British are now the Ghanaian Ewes, those under the French are Togo, and Benin (Dahomey) Ewes, respectively.
[Show full text]
A Synchronic Lexical Study of the Ede Language Continuum of West Africa: the Effects of Different Similarity Judgment Criteria1
Afrikanistik online (2007), http://www.afrikanistik-online.de/archiv/2007/1328 A synchronic lexical study of the Ede language continuum of West Africa: The effects of different similarity judgment criteria1 Angela Kluge, SIL International Summary In the context of a synchronic lexical study of the Ede varieties of West Africa, this paper investigates whether the use of different criteria sets to judge the similarity of lexical features in different language varieties yields matching conclusions regarding the relative relationships and clustering of the investigated varieties and thus compatible recommendations for further sociolinguistic research. Word lists elicited in 28 Ede varieties were analyzed with the inspection method. To explore the effects of different similarity judgment criteria, two different similarity judgment criteria sets were applied to the elicited data to identify similar lexical items. The quantification of these similarity decisions lead to the computation of two similarity matrices which were subsequently analyzed by means of correlation analysis and multidimensional scaling. The analysis findings suggest compatible conclusions regarding the relative relationships and clustering of the investigated Ede varieties. However, the matching clustering results do not necessarily lead to the same recommendations for more in-depth sociolinguistic research, when interpreted in terms of an absolute lexical similarity threshold. The indicated ambiguities suggest the usefulness of focusing on the relative, rather than absolute in establishing recommendations for further sociolinguistic research. Zusammenfassung Im Rahmen eines synchronen lexikalischen Forschungsprojekts der Varianten des Ede in Westafrika, unter- sucht der Aufsatz, ob die Anwendung unterschiedlicher Sets von Kriterien zu entsprechenden Ergebnissen in Bezug auf die verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen und Gruppierung der betroffenen Varianten liefert.
[Show full text]
The Birth of the Yoruba Hegemony in Post-Abolition Candomblé
Journal de la société des américanistes 91-1 | 2005 tome 91, n° 1 The birth of the Yoruba hegemony in post- abolition candomblé Luis Nicolau Parés Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/jsa/2873 DOI: 10.4000/jsa.2873 ISSN: 1957-7842 Publisher Société des américanistes Printed version Date of publication: 5 January 2005 Number of pages: 139-159 ISSN: 0037-9174 Electronic reference Luis Nicolau Parés, « The birth of the Yoruba hegemony in post-abolition candomblé », Journal de la société des américanistes [Online], 91-1 | 2005, Online since 10 January 2010, connection on 14 November 2019. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/jsa/2873 ; DOI : 10.4000/jsa.2873 © Société des Américanistes THE BIRTH OF THE YORUBA HEGEMONY IN POST-ABOLITION CANDOMBLÉ Luis Nicolau PARÉS * Historical data indicates that critical Jeje and Nagô religious practices of West African origin were already well consolidated in Salvador {Ilahia, Brazil) in the 1860s, sugges ting thcir rooting in the period of the slave-trade. White the Yoruba ethnogenesis and the racial and cultural nationalism of the« Lagosian Renaissance» in the 1890s may have indirectly contributed to the late 19th-century Bahian « Nagôization » of can domblé, the paper suggests that the increasing religious predominancc of the Nagô « nation » was mainly the result of competitive local Creole micro-poli tics. [Key words: candomblé, Nagô, ethnic-religious identities, Bahia, 19th century.] La naissance de l'hégé111011ie yoruba dans le ca11do111blé depuis l'abolition de l'esc!amge. Les données historiques montrent que des pratiques religieuses jeje et nagô, originaires d'Afrique occidentale, étaient déjà implantées à Salvador (Bahia, Brésil) dans les années 1860, ce qui laisse supposer qu'elles remontent à la période de la Traite.
[Show full text]
Historical Figures
Historical Figures Generation after generation, Yoruba has always had individuals or group whose contribution to events during the time they live helped shape the course of history. From pre-history there were several of such men and women, and to date, there are still many of such individuals, whose contribution to the growth and development of Yoruba nation cannot be forgotten; while we may not list every individual, at least some will be mentioned and their contributions. Historical Figures Yoruba Heroes/Heroines Contributions to Yoruba Nation Oduduwa He was the progenitor of Yoruba race, the son of Lamurudu, a native of Arabian peninsula; he left east and traveled thousands of miles to the west before he finally settled at Ile-Ifẹ. He had seven sons and many daughters; sons were very strong, displayed bravery, and powerful individuals, their military adventures created several Yoruba kingdoms. Prominent were: Ọyọ, Ketu, Popo, Isabẹ, Owu. Oduduwa died in Ile-Ifẹ. Ọranmiyan He was the last son of Oduduwa, a powerful, knowledgeable individual, whose military strength had no equal. He established Ọyọ Empire, before then, he served briefly as Ọba in Bini {Benin}. He moved north ward and created a new town-Ọyọ, and by 17th century, it had become one of the most successful Sudanese kingdoms. He married Torosi a (Tapa princess), had two sons: Ajaka-Oko and Ṣango. After a long sojourn, he left the new kingdom to his two sons, and went back to Otu-Ifẹ, before he died. Oranmiyan made history, as the only individual who ruled in three different communities: Bini, Oyo and Ile-Ife.
[Show full text]
Oral Tradition and the Slave Trade in Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin Alaba Simpson Covenant University, [email protected]
African Diaspora Archaeology Newsletter Volume 10 Article 9 Issue 1 March 2007 3-1-2007 Oral Tradition and the Slave Trade in Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin Alaba Simpson Covenant University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/adan Recommended Citation Simpson, Alaba (2007) "Oral Tradition and the Slave Trade in Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin," African Diaspora Archaeology Newsletter: Vol. 10 : Iss. 1 , Article 9. Available at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/adan/vol10/iss1/9 This Articles, Essays, and Reports is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in African Diaspora Archaeology Newsletter by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Simpson: Oral Tradition and the Slave Trade in Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin Oral tradition and slave trade in Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Published by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst, 2007 1 UNESCO African Diaspora Archaeology Newsletter, Vol. 10 [2007], Iss. 1, Art. 9 Oral tradition relating to slavery and slave trade in Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Editor Dr. Alaba Simpson UNESCO https://scholarworks.umass.edu/adan/vol10/iss1/9 2 Simpson: Oral Tradition and the Slave Trade in Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UNESCO. The designations employed and the presentation of material throghout the publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO con- cerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authori- ties, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
[Show full text]
The Politics of Commercial Transition: Factional Conflict in Dahomey in the Context of the Ending of the Atlantic Slave Trade
Journal of African History, (), pp. –. Printed in the United Kingdom # Cambridge University Press THE POLITICS OF COMMERCIAL TRANSITION: FACTIONAL CONFLICT IN DAHOMEY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ENDING OF THE ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE University of Stirling}York University, Ontario* I , after a reign of forty years, King Gezo of Dahomey died and was succeeded by one of his sons called Badahun, who took the royal name of Glele by which he is more generally known. Badahun had been Gezo’s designated heir apparent for at least nine years prior to this but his accession to the throne was nevertheless challenged. The name Glele which he adopted alludes to these challenges, being according to Dahomian tradition ab- breviated from the aphorism Glelile ma nh oh nze, ‘You cannot take away a farm [gle]’, meaning that he would not allow anyone to appropriate the fruits of his labours, which is explained as expressing ‘his contempt for the attacks to which he had been exposed as heir apparent’." The fact that the succession to the throne was disputed on this occasion was, in itself, nothing unusual. Almost all royal successions in Dahomian history were contested among rival princes claiming the throne. Although the succession passed in principle to the king’s eldest son, this rule of primogeniture was qualiﬁed in two ways. First, the king might choose to set aside the claims of his eldest son if he was considered in any way unﬁt for the throne and designate as heir apparent another of his sons instead – as, indeed, had occurred in the case of Badahun himself.
[Show full text]