As part of the burial rites of the late Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), has announced a ban on all forms of cooking with fire in the entire Benin kingdom on Sunday. ‎The ban was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Secretary of the Council, Frank Irabor.

The statement said; “There shall be no cooking with fire in every household in Benin Kingdom on Sunday June 5th 2016.

“This is the day of Edenagberen-mwiwu in the royal funeral rites programme. All Benins as well as non-indigenes are expected to observe this rite.”

The last time this scenario was observed in the kingdom was in 1979 during the funeral rites of Oba Akenzua, the father of Oba Erediuwa.

The latest order has however elicited divergent reactions among residents in Benin, with many seeing it as a compulsory all day fasting, while others see it as not too much to do in honour of the late Oba Erediauwa.