Centuries of a proud tradition was on display over the weekend in the ancient city of Benin as the Edaiken is finally installed at Uselu
The Benin Crowned Prince, Eheneden Erediauwa, was on Saturday in Benin formally installed as the Edaiken of Uselu after the successful completion of the mandatory traditional rites. Erediauwa is expected to go through some traditional rites before he assumed the traditional stool of Edaiken of Uselu.
As the Edaiken of Uselu, the heir apparent to the Benin traditional stool is expected to be in Uselu, which will become his temporal place for 90 days.
The Edaiken is the heir apparent to the throne of Benin kingdom. The title first came into existence during Oba Ewuare’s reign in 1440. The first Edaiken was Prince Kuoboyuwa. As the eldest son of the Oba and as he is heir apparent to the Benin. Before the Edaiken is invested with all the powers of his office, he must be initiated to the royal palace society of Iwobo where he would be conferred with the title of Ukoniwebo. Thereafter he must be invested as Edaiken before he proceeds to live at Uselu his official residence.
Edaiken is once of the Uzama who belong generally to the group of Chiefs usually referred to as kingmakers but in actual sense they officiate at the crowning ceremony of a new Oba. In Benin parlance, kings are born and not made.
When an old king passes away, the Edaiken remains in his position until the royal funeral ceremonies are over and he is proclaimed as king and crowned. The royal funeral rites of departed and the coronation ceremonies of the new Oba that immediately follows the King’s demise last about three months.
