My presence on this occasion was at the invitation of King Tupi Kalpio III and with the blessing of his priests and can not officially participate and overcome barriers and strict protocols without getting blessed ...

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Every year the kings of the Iwi gather in their historic capital city of Notici to celebrate the great migration and remember the diamonds and tribulations of their ancestors, and to seek the satisfaction of their gods and the souls of their early ancestors until the harvest season is blessed.

All kings come from Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana to celebrate the occasion accompanied by priests, witches and dance groups to perform their traditional performances and rituals as stipulated by the Voodoo religion.These performances last three days and then conclude with the blessing of the king of their kings.

Legend has it that all the peoples of Africa trace their roots to a great kingdom that flourished at the Nile basin and after a massive flood followed by great wars dispersed into kingdoms spread throughout the continent ...

The first men migrated from Ethiopia through what is now the Sahara to the mouth of the Niger River. Before reaching Nigeria, one of the tribes settled on the Gold Coast between the Benin Highlands and the Volta River in Ghana.

The legend also says that King Agokoli, after being able to subdue the kingdoms and tribes of the Ewe, ordered to put everyone inside the great walls of his capital, which he built with sand mixed with sacrificial blood and human offerings and then put on talismans and talismans, using his priests and charm for all who try to escape or invade the city. .

Life inside the walls was difficult and cruel.Except for the hunters, no one was allowed to leave, and the penalty of anyone who violated those orders was murder, then he cursed his soul and prevented it from descending into the promised ancestral land after death.

The years of catastrophe and famine continued for a long time until the wall was destroyed by a trick by Hakim Anyi, who repeatedly pointed out the pouring of waste water to be drained on one side of the fence.

Although the king and his soldiers tried to trace the fugitives, he failed to do so after resorting to a signal from the wise to spread corn grains behind them to be picked up by the pigeons.

After many years of siege, the Iwi people finally recovered their ancient kingdoms.

 PHOTO BY MEHDI BELHADJ