Queen Idia: The First Iy’Ọba of Benin Kingdom

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Historical FigureTitles and RanksBenin Kingdom Context

She speaks about Queen Idia as the wife of Ọba Ọzolua and the mother of Ọba Ẹsigie. She says it was not surprising to see that the warrior mindset of Ọba Ọzolua rubbed off on his wife, Idia N’Iye Ẹsigie. Dr. Abbe’s stage performance on this character was done on the request of the Ọba of Benin, Ọba Ẹwuare II. She says that Queen Idia had to join her son in the war because the honour of the kingdom was threatened by the attack from the Igala people. The defeat or conquest of the Igala was the only way to protect the kingdom for Ọba Ẹsigie. In Benin Kingdom, the memory of the queen has been immortalized starting from the ivory mask, the Ida Renaissance, the title of Iy’Ọba, the naming of children as Idia and a school in Benin City.

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