Lifestyle
Emotan; The Benin Heroine (PHOTOS)
Throughout history, in every culture around the world, extraordinary women have pushed society to think bigger, move forward and create.
Emotan is a glowing example of boundless courage and world-changing ingenuity.
Emotan a market woman, single-handedly raised an army and overthrew the illegal regime of Oba Uwaifiokun who usurped his brother and conspired with his chief to kill King Ewuare.
She protected Oba Ewuare in her hut and showed him kindness when he was trying to reclaim his throne back.
Emotan helped install Oba Ewuare the Great, who was the most outstanding Oba in the ancient Benin Kingdom around 1440AD.
Eventually, when Oba Ewuare regained his throne, Emotan became the King’s favourite citizen.
Moreso, her kindness wasn’t restricted to the Oba alone, history tells us that Emotan converted her hut to a crèche to help nursing mothers who patronized her or came to the market for other things.
At that time, her daycare centre was popular in Benin and it can be said authoritatively that she started the first-day care centre in Benin.
After her death, her body was buried at the Oba market at the exact spot where she sold her goods. A tree was planted on her grave and she is being worshipped as the mother of love and kindness
Source: Benin achive
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