What is Okuku?

According to Pa Aikpitanyi, Okuku is a symbol of beauty and cultural pride for the Benin people. It became popular in Benin Kingdom during the reign of Ọba Ẹwuare I. The Okuku style of hairdo was the property of a very famous Benin woman called Ekobe. She adorned her hair with the Okuku hairdo like no other women before her – this was the secret of her treasure and riches. The pretty Ekobe used cotton buds to decorate her hair and concealed the secret of her wealth and beauty inside it. Pa Aikpitanyi says that Ọba Ẹwuare I met Ekobe during one of his war campaigns. It is probable that Ọba Ẹwuare I wanted to enter into a romantic relationship with this pretty and wealthy citizen so that he could uncover the secret of her wealth. But when this scheme failed, Ọba Ẹwuare I had her beheaded, after which the king introduced her hairstyle into the kingdom. The Okuku has Uguekun (this is the beaded band around its base), Osele, Aha and Igholoye (the piece of bronze Ada and Ẹben exclusively reserved for the harem or queens). He said that the (other) different types of traditional hairdos among Benin women are Ukpokhokho, Ogbuma, Aha, Isaba and Uleko.