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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
As the controversy and tension over the introduction of the concept of Iyaloja into Benin market continue to rise, the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), yesterday, warned that any deviation from the age-old cultural system of Iyeki might lead to breach of peace.
The Council, in a statement issued on behalf of the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II and by six top Palace chiefs said it was yet to know the aim of Iyaloja concept being introduced to Edo State.
The BTC while querying whether an Edo woman could be made the Iyaloja of Lagos or of Nigeria, said if it were a national thing, then IYALOJA of Lagos (or Nigeria) must extend the concept to the other states in Nigeria before it could believe its authenticity and motive.
“Can this concept of Iyaloja be extended to Aba, Owerri Keffi, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and other parts of Nigeria?”, the Council further queried and said it would have advised the Edo State government on salient tradition if it were consulted much earlier on the Iyeki (market leader) title.
The statement condemned the use of trade associations to run open markets and play partisan politics, saying the twin factors were antithetical as well as inimical to the essence of market tradition in Benin culture.
The BTC while expressing reservations about the tendency of market women allowing themselves be used as political pawns in the political field under the aegis of Market Associations in Edo State, appealed ‘to the market women and the politicians behind them to eschew dragging the sanctity of the name of the Oba into their partisan political affairs.’
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“The Palace feels that if we were duly consulted about what the tradition says about IYEKI ROLE in Benin tradition all the ensuing controversy or tension would have been avoided.
“Benin Traditional Council wishes to reiterate that in Benin, there is nothing like Iyeki general, which this lyaloja concept seems to imply. In Benin culture, lyeki emerges among the market women.
After being chosen by the market women, she is brought to the Palace for confirmation. Once confirmed, they are told to go ahead and install her as the lyeki of the market. The Palace never chooses anybody as lyeki. It is the market women that do that. Every lyeki is independent of each other. Every lyeki is culturally, spiritually and religiously tied to the Palace.
“There is a direct functional relationship between lyeki and the Palace. Just as there is no honorary chieftaincy title in Benin culture, so also there is no honorary lyeki title in Benin culture. Every lyeki has a spiritual function she performs for the Palace and for the well-being of the market. We strongly advise that the function of lyeki should not be politicized.
“We hope the market women headed by their Iyekis would have learned their lesson now and know their traditional connection with the Palace and what is expected of them. And learn to watch the mood of the Palace and go with it.
“The Palace feels that if we were duly consulted about what the tradition says about Iyeki role in Benin tradition all the ensuing controversy or tension would have been avoided
“We do not know the aim of this Iyaloja concept being introduced to Edo State. We hope if it is a national thing then Iyaloja of Lagos (or Nigeria) must extend this concept to the other states in Nigeria before we can believe its authenticity and motive. We also have a question: Can an Edo woman be made the Iyaloja of Lagos or of Nigeria? Can this concept of Iyaloja be extended to Aba, Owerri, Keffi, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and other parts of Nigeria?”, the statement said.
