USA Africa Dialogue Series - The Coronation Ceremony of the Oba of Benin as a Celebration of the Male Physique With Additions of the Female Presence: An Image Feast from Facebook and the Internet

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The Coronation Ceremonies of the Oba of Benin as a Celebration of the Male Physique


                                                                                                                         

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    With Additions of the Female Presence


                                                                                                                    

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An Image Feast from Facebook and the Internet
                                                                               

                                                                                                                                     

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  Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

                                                                                                                                                

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   Compcros

                                                                                                                       

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Comparative Cognitive Processes and Systems

                                                                                                       

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    "Exploring Every Corner of the Cosmos in Search of Knowledge"

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                        
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                                                                           Chief Victor Ekhator, then commissioner in Edo state, right, and Chief Osasere Ogiemwense, left, in conversation

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                                                                                      Chief Victor Ekhator,  left,  Chief Osasere Ogiemwense, right, and another chief in the middle

                                                                                            
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  The Oba, crowned and bedecked in his heavily symbolic clothing, holds aloft a chicken, over the head of a chief assisting him, as he crosses the  symbolic  Bridge of Transformation

                                                                                                                                    Picture by Akintunde Akinleye​                                                                                                  
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The Crown Prince, shown wearing a read cap in the centre of the picture, before his crowning as Oba, possibly in the process of setting forth from his palace at Uselu, attended by Uselu chiefs and

                                                                           a crowd of well wishers, crossing over into the heart of Benin in a sequence climaxing in the coronation

                                                                                                                 
                                                                      
                                                                                                         
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  The Oba, in full coronation regalia, loaded with magical and symbolic objects, evoking the characterization of the Oba as 'the Anthill ', an image of complex unity and power emerging from the

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synergy of diverse elements, as Joseph Nevadomy's description in "Kingship Succession Rituals in Benin. 3: The Coronation of the Oba", may be elaborated,  attended by chiefs and watched by a crowd, on his way across the symbolic Bridge of Transformation

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                                                                                                                        Picture by Akintunde Akinleye

                                                                                         
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                                                               Chief Osuan, preparing to receive the Crown Prince from the Uselu chiefs and escort him into Benin

                                                                                      
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                                                                                                                                       Dancers wait in readiness

                                                                                                                        Picture by Pius Utomi Ekpei at Getty Images



                                                                                                       
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Ambrose Osuan : "Chief Eribo performing the handing over of the Crown Prince to Chief Osuan and Chief Osa at the boundary of Uselu and Benin for the final stages of the coronation of the Oba of

                                                                                                               Benin. Oba gha tor kpere ise"

 

 

                                                                             
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"The Priest of Holy Aruosa [ a syncretism of classical Benin religion and Portuguese introduced Christianity] [ and attendants] blesses the way before the Crown Prince begins his coronation journey"

                                                                                    -Uto Tom in "The Unique Culture and People of the Great Benin Empire"

                                                                                                                 Picture by Omoregie Osakpolor

                                                                                  

                                                            
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The Crown Prince Escorted into Benin by Chiefs Osuan and Osa and other chiefs and well wishers, as an accompanying chief performs the controversial action of consulting  his mobile phone, inspiring the following discussion on Facebook : Nosa Ekpenede Idubor :  "I dont.know if it was proper for him to check his text msg". Francisca Aihevba : " Maybe not, but I love how that simple act gives the picture a whole new meaning...."




                                                                          
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                                                                                         The Crown Prince in procession, aided by chiefs

                                                                                                    Picture by Omoregie Osakpolor

                                                            

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​                                                                                        The Oba's Stool of Office, held  aloft by chiefs

                                        
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 The Crown Prince, in red cap, backing the camera, standing opposite the Edign N'Use, dressed in white, his hands on the red coral beads on his chest, as they both play the Akhue game,   one of the black seeds through which the game is played visible on the ground, through which the Crown Prince will arrive at the coronation name by which he will  be known as Oba,   as chiefs and other eager faces look on in excited attention
                                                                           
                                                                                                   

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Picture by Chief Victor Ekhator

                                                                                   
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                                                                                                                     Chief Osuan

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                                              The Oba in procession, assisted and accompanied by determined and proud chiefs and other calmly excited people

                                                
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                                                        Chief  Osasere Ogiemwense, in a different ceremony, holding aloft the Benin ceremonial sword

                                                            
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                                                                   Chief Osuan and Chief Osa wait to escort the Crown Prince into Benin

                                        




                                               
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                                                                                 The Crossing of the Bridge of Transformation

​                                                                                   Picture by Pius Utomi Ekpei at Getty Images



                                           

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                                                                                                          Beauties bursting with life

                                                   
                                                 
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                                                                                                          A rain of joy

                                                                                 Picture by Pius Utomi Ekpei at Getty Images




                                                

                                                                                                                 Beauties fair and dark

                                                                                                  Picture by Pius Utomi Ekpei at Getty Images

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