The Legacy of Emotan: Benin’s Beloved Peacemaker and Trader.
The history of the Kingdom of Benin is often told through the exploits of its powerful warrior-kings, the Obas. However, no figure embodies the moral heart and spiritual resilience of the Edo people quite like Emotan (meaning, “one who stays with the fire”). A simple market woman and petty trader in the 15th century, Emotan…