Between 1380 and 1400, Emotan was born in the village of Eyaen along the Benin-Auchi Road, not far from the current location of the Aduwawa cattle market. Her parents gave her the first name Uwaraye.
Emotan’s history is incredibly fascinating. She married Chief Azama of the Ihogbe district twice when she was a young woman. Her inability to cook and have children led her husband to label her as sluggish. Arabe, her husband’s first spouse, took care of household duties and gave birth to all of the family’s children. Uwaraye, however, earned the moniker “Emotan,” which translates to “lazy bones,” because of her incapacity.
But she did have one saving grace—she was good at raising the family’s children. Emotan started taking these and some herbal products to sell at a stall in the city market, which is the present-day Oba market, as a means of subsistence. Emotan could make evbarie, a soup seasoning condiment made from fermented melon seeds. He could also spin thread from cotton balls.
She had nowhere to go when her husband passed away because her parents had already passed away from old age. She then constructed a hut for herself not far from her shop, which is located across from the market. As the situation developed, her hut quickly gained popularity as a makeshift nursery for the kids of shoppers’ families. Without asking for payment, Emotan selflessly attended to the children’s medical needs as well as their other needs.
Giv en the foregoing, some historians believe that Emotan of Benin, whose real name was Uwaraye, was a trader or market woman who looked after young children while their mothers were away buying and selling their wares in oba market. She was recognized as the person who founded Benin City’s first “DAY-CARE CENTRE.”.
During that time, Prince Uwaifiokun had seized the throne of the Benin kingdom by force, depriving his older brother, Prince Ogun (Oba Ewuare I), of his honorable right.
A brief history of Prince Ogun (Oba Ewuare I).
During those trying times, Prince Ogun would travel from his exile location to Benin in secret and at night. Prince Ogun (Oba Ewuare I), who had been deposed by his younger brother, made his way to the residence of this lovely woman, Emotan, which was located across from the city’s market. The strong, mystic, and childless Emotan.
Emotan agreed to host Prince Ogun as her guest and, more importantly, to assist him in regaining his throne because of her loving nature, bravery, and generosity. In addition, the villagers kept cautioning Ogun of impending dangers and advised him to avoid interacting with some duplicitous chiefs who might reveal his whereabouts to his younger brother due to the numerous difficulties that Ogun faced at the hands of his younger brother.
Emotan once managed to conceal Prince Ogun from the army of Oba Uwaifiokun. When the army switched their search from the hut to other areas nearby, she made sure he snuck out as soon as possible. Prince Ogun went to the palace to kill his usurper and power-crazed brother, Oba Uwaifiokun, to avoid being pursued by the army.
Ordinary Benin Kingdom citizens backed his action, arguing that Ogun had a right to reclaim his throne. As the tragedies of the recent past came to an end, the populace expressed their happiness.
While she continued the spiritual work from her home, Emotan sent word to Ogun to remain in the palace and solidify his control. It is impossible to overstate her affection, generosity, and empathy for Prince Ogun.
After Ogun’s quick return, the Edion’isen quickly rallied to his cause and eventually crowned Ogun as the Omo N’ Oba Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare. Some people in the village even questioned his choice of divination title, “Oworuare,” believing it could not have been more appropriate given that it denotes the cooling effect of rain after a hot day.
The passing of Emotan.
Emotan was chosen by Oba Ewuare to serve as the Iyeki (the head of the authorized Ekpate guard), who is responsible for market security and enforcing market regulations. Emotan passed away not too long after Ewuare succeeded his forefathers on the throne.
She should be interred in her hut, the Oba ruled. She was later deified as the conscience of justice, and the king ordered that an Uruhe tree be planted to mark her grave.
Every festive rite in Benin honors the location of her grave. About 300 years passed before the first Uruhe tree (marker) died. About 150 years passed after the replacement Uruhe tree was planted before an Iroko tree was planted to support it. Both trees were later brought down by a storm.
A life-size bronze statue of Emotan of Benin as a young woman was commissioned in 1950 by Oba Akenzua II in honor of her influence during her lifetime with the help of the British Colonial authorities.
