Queen Mothers IN EDO KINGDOM

Pendant Mask: Iyoba, 16th century Nigeria; Edo peoples, court of Benin Ivory, iron, copper (?); H. 9 3/8 in. (23.8 cm) The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1972 (1978.412.323) Queen Mothers were not established in the kingdom of Benin until the end of the Fifteenth century when a great conflict between two sons over the ascension to the throne threatened to destroy the empire. Oba (king) Ozula died and left the throne open to his two sons, Arhuaran, who controlled the city of Udo, and Esigie, who controlled Benin City. It is said that the mother Idia used her magical powers to help Esigie win a war against his brother and also the neighboring Igala people, who wished to take advantage of the Benin kingdom’s state of weakness and attack them. From then on, the mothers of the kings were honored and given powers and prestige in the government of the kingdom. From the story, several of the traditions that surround the Queen Mother can be derived. Prior to the reign of Esigie, it was customary to behead the mothers of the kings to prevent them from threatening the kingdom by using their magical powers to either initiate a rebellion and take over the throne, or harm the people in some way through the use of witchcraft. Esigie asked the Edo people (the people of Benin) to let his mother live so that she could help him defeat his brother and save the kingdom, and they agreed to let him establish her as queen mother only if he was to never see his mother again. This eliminated direct contact between the king and the queen mother and resulted in the removal of the queen mother to her own palace outside of the capital city in a village called Uselu. (1) This ivory pendant mask pictured here is actually an image of Idia, the first queen mother. It was usually worn by the king during ceremonial occasions. The mask is hollowed out in the back, making it a perfect container for holding medicines that can protect the king while worn around his neck. The material used and the ornamental images carved around the face all represent the elegance and wealth of Benin royalty. The symbols of the Portuguese boast of the wealth of the Benin kingdom, and also of their good relations with foreigners and with ancestor spirits, because the Portuguese were thought to come from the world of the dead, as they crossed a body of water and had white skin. Also the symbols of the mudfish, which were thought to be very powerful and spiritual because of their ability to both swim in water and “walk” on land, decorate the mask, and associate the royalty of the Benin kingship and power of the queen mother with that of the spirit world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The position of Iyoba of Uselu In Uselu which is the official residence of Edaiken who is the eldest son of the reigning Oba and the heir apparent to the throne, there is Egua-Iyoba {Iyoba Palace}, where the reigning Oba’s mother officially residence. As is customary in Benin kingdom, reigning monarch normally confers the Iyoba title on his mother. When this title is confirmed by the oba, the Iyoba moves to her residence at lower Uselu where Eguae-lyoba is established. Oba Esigie started this tradition probably to forestall the conflict that would have arisen between his mother and himself over the exercise of political power. An almost independent domain of the Queen mother was therefore carved out for her. Thus it has become strongly -established in Benin tradition that a year or two after the coronation of every Oba, he invests his mother with the title, lyoba (Queen mother) and sends her to reside at lower Uselu in Eguae-lyoba (Palace of the Queen mother). If it happens that the mother dies before the coronation of the son, the body is preserved for a year or two after the coronation to enable the Oba confer the title lyoba on her and later bury her at Eguae-lyoba. More often than not, the oba’s mother {or Queen mother} moves to her residence at uselu before the title is conferred and confirmed on her. In this are of uselu, there are various residence occupied at one time or the other by various Iyobas. What really happens is that each Oba builds a residence for his mother within the area of Uselu generally referred as Eguae-Iyoba. To assist the Iyoba to officiate in her Eguae {or palace}, the Oba grants her a privilege of recommending to the oba people who she wishes to be conferred with specific titles peculiar to her palace. When approved these titles are then conferred on the incumbents. At the demise of an Oba’s mother {queen mother}, the Iyoba palace becomes her last resting place hence all over the area called Egua-Iyoba there are sepulchers which have been more or less converted to shrines in memory of the various Iyoba who have so far been buried at Uselu....