Libation ceremony in Abomey: The ”YEMADJE” rejuvenate, Dah Totchémè CHETAN crowned

 Annually organized by the lines of "Zanmankou YEMADJE", ancestor of the Collectivity ”YEMADJE” d’Abomey, the July libation ceremony 2021 will have lived. In a friendly and fraternal atmosphere, the sons, girls and other descendants of the community gathered around their leader, Dah Kannoumanbou YEMADJE to show their gratitude to their ancestors and parents who joined the beyond. This is a double event since on this same occasion, the installation of ”Dah Totchémè CHETAN YEMADJE”, lineage leader ”Amadou CHETAN YEMADJE”.

From one thing to another, their devotions to perpetuate the works left by their ancestors, resist the bad clichés put in the past by some contemporaries. The ”YEMADJE” of Abomey have not forgotten the ancestral doctrines of their genealogy. The individual organization having been tidied up for a few years, all the threads, girls, grandsons and granddaughters of Benin and the diaspora, designated ”YEMADJE”, have combined for more than ten years, their energies to recharge their batteries by honoring their ancestors, gasoline ”BECAME” to its different roots. ”AHAN BIBA”, literally translated into French, ”LIBATION” is a tradition that aims to ”Give food and drink to all who are in hell”. This ceremony was effective Sunday 18 July 2021 in Houndjroto (Dota), near the museum ”Singbodji”, location offered by the King ”Agonglo ” to the ancestor ”BECAME” and which serves as the headquarters of the "ZANMANKOU YEMADJE" community. For the first time, the ”ADO XÔ”, place dedicated to the incarnation of all the disappeared of the community ”ZANMANKOU YEMADJE” where said ceremony takes place was cramped to contain the world that made the trip to Abomey. Rice, beans prepared with red oil, cassava, the dough well gravy with crincrin, pancake, donuts, peanuts, the candies, the fruits, the biscuits, the traditional drink ”Sodabi ” and other liqueurs from the West, poultry, sheep, Short, everything that is eaten in the living world is offered to all the parents who are on the other side of the curtain (The dead). 

Under the auspices of the Head of the Collectivity ”YEMADJE”, Dah ”KANNOUMANBOU YEMADJE” the different stages of the ceremony were performed with care and skill. Le ‘’BABA’’, Head of the Community ”BABAKPIKPA ” whose essential role in these kinds of circumstances is to consult the ancestors on the basis of a jet of colas on their acceptance or not of the offerings of each line or son, girls and other descendants of the community ”ZANMANKOU YEMADJE” and to immolate the poultry and sheep will have successfully passed with the priestess of the community known as ”TANGNINON”. With the ”TANGNINON ” the ”BABA ” consults and interprets ancestors' responses to offerings made by their descendants. Signs of prejudice might emerge from consultations sometimes in the event that ancestors do not agree to offerings from a family member for one reason or another.. Consultations therefore make it possible to resolve such a situation in order to re-establish the links between the living and their(s) descendant(s). So sums up the importance of such a ceremony.. As tradition demands, the rest of the offerings commonly called ”HLIN” has been shared with all who are present at this ceremony. According to ”Dah BOMASSOUGBEZAN YEMADJE”, one of the heads of the lineage ”ZANMANKOU YEMADJE”, these meals, even after delayed consumption does not cause any gastric problem. "They are a force, a spiritual alliance that descendants obtain from their ancestors ”, he indicated.

 The succession of Amadou Chétan YEMADJE appointed !

The libation ceremony 2021 of the community ”ZANMANKOU YEMADJE” was simultaneously organized with the induction of the new head of the family ”CHETAN YEMADJE”. The new boss of the line ”AMADOU CHETAN YEMADJE” was crowned under a strong atmosphere of the great days. Under the name ”DAH TOTCHEME CHETAN”, he takes over from ”AMADOU CHETAN YEMADJE”. For more than forty years, this estate had remained vacant. From this Sunday, line ”AMADOU CHETAN YEMADJE” to his new boss. Parents, friends and other relatives of the community ”ZANMANKOU YEMADJE” participated in this ceremony. The particularity, it is the presence of ”DAH TOKOUDAGBA” who enhanced the event. All together, crowned heads anointed the new head of the family ”AMADOU CHETAN YEMADJE” blessings to secure the succession. "There will be no harm, neither tears nor tears with this consecration. You will succeed ! You will not slip ! », wished the new head of the lineage CHETAN YEMADJE, DAH KANNOUMANBOU YEMADJE, head of the community ”ZANMANKOU YEMADJE”.

The new chef, ”DAH TOTCHEME CHETAN YEMADJE” placed his reign under the seal of happiness, peace to his sons, girls and the community, good governance, equity, solidarity, Development. "In the name of the spirits of our ancestors, we will not disappoint. I will lead the ship to a safe harbor. My enthronement constitutes a regeneration desired by the ancestors. Ensemble, we are going to build the positive future ”, he indicated. After the coronation and other related ceremonies, place has been made for great celebrations and feasts. Note that this consecration comes six (6) years after that of HEMADOU YEMADJE, one of the bloodlines very close to AMADOU CHETAN YEMADJE.

Etienne YEMADJE (Coll)