YABOL BANEN
π¬πππ’π πππ‘ππ‘ πππ π¬πππ’π π (π€π¨πππ‘π¦ π’π π§ππ πππ‘π)
The wives of the king and chiefs of the land played a very vital role in the kingship and chieftainship of the land of Idomi. "Yabol Banen", which is Yakurr dialectical word for βWives of Kings or Chiefsβ are those ladies who can be said to be the wives of the king of the land or the wife/wives of those with chieftainship, in the land.
These women of inestimable value, play a very vital role in the land. For example, the wife of the Obol Lopon of Idomi, Obol Yanen, is personally and specifically endowed with so much qualities, as the first lady of the land, and is with the responsibility of managing some affairs in the palace, both social and traditional.
Socially, the wife of the king of the land play a pivotal role in the palace, as she automatically serves as the palace maker in terms of keeping the house warm with delicacies and locally made sauce with our native delicacy, called Okana, which can be anglicized as African Salad. The unavoidable and inviolable role of the queen of the land (Obol Yanen) extends to receptiveness.
Suffice to say that the queen of the land doesn't or isn't only saddled with the responsibility of warming the King's Palace with delectable and invigorative delicacies, she also serve as a point of contact to the king of the land, on feminine issues that serve as a burden, to the land. She takes lead, whenever or wherever she's gathered with other Yabol Banen (The wives of other traditional prime ministers).
It is noteworthy that the traditional prime ministerial positions, hierarchically ranges from Obol Lopon (The King, Himself), Okpebili (The first traditional prime minister and the second in command, after the king), Onun Ekoh (Minister of Defence and third in command, after The King and Okpebili), Omenka (The Master King Maker) down to Atalikumi of Kekomkukuli.
The same way the prime ministers of the land are arranged in a chronological order, is the same way their queens (Yabol Banen) are hierarchically arranged. This arrangement does not only stop at which one precedes who, it extends to other factors like law making and administration in the Kingship circle.
For example, when there is a feminine matter to judge in the King's palace or rather Ekpantoh, the wife of The Okpebiri regulates and presides over the jury, before the wife of the king comes onboard. But in the case where the wife of Okpebiri is absent, the wife of the King Himself does the job, or the wife of the prime minister in charge of defense (Onun Ekoh) takes charge as the chairperson cum president of the jury.
More so, when there's a town council meeting in the land that has to do with the queens, the president is usually the wife of the Obol Lopon, followed by the wife of Okpebiri; but before the meeting starts, the wife of Okpebiri usually comes up with a monologue. She's saddled with the responsibility of opening the floor with briefings, even before the wife of the King steps in to make any speech.
Another salient role of Yabol Banen, especially the first three or two, in persons of the King of the land, his second in command, and the third (Onun Ekoh) is their receptive nature, towards their husbands, during the New Yam Festival. As the festival is ongoing, there's a traditional and spiritual rite that is being carried out by the wife.
Though this rite is unlimited to the wife/wives of the prime ministers, the eldest of the men of their maternal lineage can perform these rites. The rite entails the pouring of water on the rooftop of the building, when the prime minister is going to the playground (Lukpal) and when he's coming back from the festival. The rite is dialectically called βWofai/Mfawaβ which can be anglicized as βPeace/Cleansingβ.
The essence of that rite is to call on our forebears to guide, guard and protect their outgoing and their incoming. The king and Royal Highnesses or the traditional prime ministers of the land usually meets a whole lot of people while on the festival outing and as such, this rite prevents them from being caught up with uncertainties and irregularities.
The queens would pour a mug of water on the rooftop as earlier stated, and the prime minister would walk past it, in a bid to fare them well and also do same when they're returning, in a bid to welcome them back to the house. Suffice to say that while the king/prime minister is out, the queen (obol yanen or yabol banen) would wait behind, with their friends, who would be cheering them up and keeping the palace warm with songs.
In conclusion, the Yabol Banen of the land of Idomi play an important role in the Kingship and chieftainship of Idomi town. As vast, arduous, dire and complex as their status quo is, they ensure their duties are carried out at all times without an inch of adulteration. They serve as the spiritual mothers of the people of Idomi, as they help their men, the king and prime ministers, make laws that govern the good and hospitable people of the land of Idomi. πͺ
#IDOMI #PearlsFacts #Culture #Yakurr_to_the_world
