Have you ever had the best unplanned day? Let me tell you how I had one of my best days in Ouidah.
Every tourist/traveller has an itinerary mapped out for each day of their tour. From visiting a beach to taking a walk down the streets to a quick stop by the market to sightseeing at the proposed historical or cultural site or just a little time off relaxing at the pool. Well, mine was not any different as I would be spending 3 days in Ouidah, Benin Republic, for the Vodun Days festival; a celebration of African Spirituality, Art and Culture by the Beniniose.
Vodun Days is an annual festival where tourist from all around the world flock in thousands in Ouidah to watch and enjoy the rich African spirituality persevered by the people of Benin Republic usually held in Ouidah, the headquarters of Voodoo in the country. You would see people of different races, colours and nationality both as spectators and as media personnel.
I had enjoyed the beautiful dance, rhythmic sound from gongs and voices, harmonious matrimony between dance and trance, Egungun displaying their martial art as well as Zangbeto, Keeper of the Night.
10th January, I woke up with a detailed plan for the day ahead. It was the final day for the Vodun Days. The last 2 days I had missed the Egungun show so I thought of devoting this final day to watch Egungun masquerade performance before I would think of going to other places where other dances would take place to wrap up the experience.
8am, I picked a bike popularly called keke in Benin, headed straight to Place Maro, a 10mins ride from my lodge, where the Egungun dance had been taking place. I knew the event was slated to commence 9am but, well, there was no harm in arriving early especially for us who knew what we came for after all, what did they say about early birds? The earlier you go, the lesser the crowd, the good position you get for a better view/coverage.
While I had my plans mapped out fate had other plans in store waiting to deliver on my arrival and truly, it didn’t disappoint. My bike rode a little into the venue for the Egungun dance at Place Maro and just a little ride passed the gate, these young men sitting by the right side of the entrance greeted me from my bike.
“bonjour”
I alighted from the bike, paid the bikeman censa (500cfa) and he rode off.
The gentlemen earlier greeted me again and beckoned on me to come sit with them. Well, looking afar at the venue everywhere was still scanty because I had arrived 30mins early. I made a turn headed towards their direction as they offered me a seat.
One spoke to me in French but noticed I couldn’t respond.
“oh, you no French” he asked swinging his hands with the NO signs.
“no, no French. Engle. I’m a Nigerian”
Stretching his hands with a small glass cup in it, the other one offered me a gin said to have been locally produced by the industrious Beniniose. It was a common thing among them starting their day with a drink like the Whites would start their day with a cup of coffee.
“oh, thank you. I’m sorry I wont be able to drink else I will get knocked out before the event begin”. they persuaded more so I had to openly tell them I actually do not take alcohol. I am better off with water or juice.
The language barrier would have posed a big challenge but thankfully, among the gentlemen was Bethel, the eldest among them, a businessman who shuttles between Nigeria and Benin. He speaks Yoruba, Hausa and English fluently. I wondered how long he must have spent in Nigeria to be able to gain mastery of those languages. He should be in his early 40s or very late 30s, by looks.
Most of the conversations we had that day was between Bethel and I as the others could barely communicate in English.
Few minutes later, a woman carrying a basket of freshly baked baguette (French bread) was walking on the other side. They beckoned on her and that was how I had my breakfast next they gave me some banana.
When you go on a tour with or without a tourguide, everyone you meet is potential guide. They have something to offer to your travel experience.
Past 9am, there was no sign of any event happening at the venue which is unlike the Beniniose, who seems to be very strict with time. More waiting and it was getting obvious the event is most likely not to hold after Bethel had put a call through to someone. Since it was the third and last day, the performances were said to have been assembled at the mini stadium by the beachside for an exclusive show to those who had a pass while the evening show would be an open concert at the concert venue still at the beach.
Disappointed I sat not knowing where my next move should be.
Bethel saw the disappointing look on my face and assured me he would make it up to me more like trying to redeem his people. And that was how my next 9hrs adventure with a total stranger began.
We got on his bike and rode off. I had shown him a picture of the GATE OF NO RETURN I would like to visit but it seems the structure had been removed due to the ongoing construction there but there was a new structure erected in that regards. The new erected GATE OF NO RETURN is said to be the point where slaves were shipped through the Atlantic Ocean to America where they would be sold off and made to work in a sugar plantation. Any slave who arrives at that point was said never to return hence the name GATE OF NO RETURN. There are also similar gates in Badagry and Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom (Nigeria).
From the Gate of No Return, we stopped at Djegbaji Village which was just by the roadside leading to the venue of the previous site. Djegbaji is a village in Ouidah where salt is produced from the water there. This is just one of the many places in Ouidah where salt are locally produced. I had a taste of the water and it was highly concentrated with salt. As at the time of my visit, I wasn’t fortunate to meet the women at work because of the ongoing Vodun day’s festival. I look forward to revisiting when the women would be at work.
We rode back to Place Maro, walked down to the venue where Zangbeto were dancing. Zangbeto is said to be the KEEPER OF THE NIGHT. They are the community’s “watchmen” like the modern day police. They are said to watch over the community at night warding off evil and people with evil intentions. It is very common to see a statue of Zangbeto at almost every entrance of a community. Some people also have them built at the entrance of their compound. Zangbeto dance is a very colorful performance to watch. The big hut-like masquerades were assembled from different communities with each having a name tag of their villages. The first time I watched Zangbeto dance was on my first visit to Ouidah where I was privileged to watch an exclusive performance in Aido village. I watched in awe as the people unveiled the mysterious movement behind the huge hut-like masquerade who dances on their own with no one being inside controlling it.
Satisfied with watching the Zangbeto dance, we trekked back to Place Maro which wasn’t a far distance from the venue. It was already 1pm, we had started our waka since 9am. On arriving our starting point, we met with another of his brother who, a soldier, said he knew the exact place where the old GATE OF NO RETURN was located and he would take us there. So, we hopped on the bike_three of us on one bike_ and headed back to the beach. On our way, we made a brief stop at a roadside restaurant to refill our stomach which I would later got to know that the food, a staple swallow with peppered sauce as soup and a tiny full chicken cost 15k if converted to Naira. To me, it wasn’t really worth the price.
We arrived at the beach after riding minutes looking for the spot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t there anymore. Disappointed for the second time that day, we made to leave when Bethel showed me some seashells handing the ones he had picked to me. Wow! It’s actually my first time seeing seashells by the sea. I picked a handful and poured them inside my tote bag wishing I could wait and pick more. White beautiful seashells.
4pm.
I wasn’t interested in waiting by the beach to watch the grand performance because I didn’t have access for the exclusive show and the concert was not my thing. The whole place had already been crowded. So, we headed back to God knows where. Bethel asked him to ride us to his own family compound so he could greet one or two persons he hadn’t seen in years. When we were done with the courtesy visit, we landed at our final destination_their family house_and there I met with all the gentlemen I had met with earlier that day about 8 of them put together. I was the only lady among 10men who I was meeting for the first time that day. They offered me a seat to join them on the mat where they were having a good time drinking. I politely declined the drink again because I don’t take alcohol. I didn’t know whether to feel safe or unsafe with too many stories of ladies being a victim and here was I in the midst of total strangers who barely communicate in English. Worst still, absolutely NO ONE knew my whereabouts.
After spending almost 2hrs enjoying their company, I told them I would like to take my leave as my supposed guide had already started calling to know where I was. It was both a mixed feeling of sadness and joy to them. They were happy to have met a free-spirited stranger from Nigeria and had promised their brother, Bethel, would keep in touch with me. I bide them goodbye as Bethel rode me to the Python Temple where my supposed tourguide had asked me to meet with him. It was already the early minutes of 7pm.
Retiring back to my lodge, I realized that sometimes the best moments in life are the ones that are unplanned. Spending time with a total stranger turned out to be one of the most memorable days in Ouidah. It taught me the beauty of spontaneity and the magic of human connection__trust on first HELLO.
By Favour Udoh
