THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN BENIN KINGDOM: ARO IDEN AS A CASE STUDY

This study examines the role of women in Benin Kingdom using Aro Iden as a case study. This has become necessary because inspite of the tremendous sacrifice made by Queen Iden towards the survival of Benin kingdom, no scholarly study has been done in this regard. The research employed historical method. Oral interviews and personal observation, books, journals, published and unpublished articles and internet sources were also consulted as part of secondary sources of information. The study discovers that Queen Iden’s sacrifice helped shape Benin Kingdom. She was the queen during the reign of Oba Ewuape in about 1700 AD. She is known to have volunteered herself as a sacrificial lamb for the welfare of her husband and that of the entire kingdom.