Benin Kingdom to Commence New Yam Eating After Palace Ceremony

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, has announced that the Benin Kingdom will commence eating new yams after a palace ceremony scheduled for September 30.

According to a statement by Frank Irabor, Secretary of the Benin Traditional Council, the indoor ceremony aims to usher in the new yam, locally known as “Emorho,” into the palace.

Following the ceremony, all sons and daughters of the Benin Kingdom, as well as indigenes and non-indigenes living in Edo who participated in the recent two-week fasting and prayer exercise, will be allowed to eat the new yam.

The fasting and prayer period, which commenced on September 15 and ended on September 28, was declared for peace, progress, and to usher in the new yams.

The Oba expressed appreciation to all participants in the fasting and prayer exercise, praying for peace and happiness in individual homes.

This year’s celebration is significant, as it marks a period of spiritual preparation and thanksgiving for the new yam harvest.

The Emorho festival, revived by Oba Ewuare II, holds great cultural significance in Benin tradition. It showcases the kingdom’s rich heritage, with ancestral altars playing a vital role in honoring the deceased and maintaining communication between the living and the dead.