Benin > The King of Ketou

As I step onto the bus, Abass is already waiting at the door. As every morning, we exchange a handshake. He has taught me the protocol, but I still struggle a bit with the final finger snap. In my best French, I ask him how he is doing, and he says he isn’t feeling very well. He may have contracted malaria. He sinks into his seat at the front of the bus. We head east again, passing Cové once more. This time, we continue all the way to Ketou. The town of Ketou lies near the border with Nigeria. In Ketou, we have a meeting with the King of Ketou. At exactly 10:30, we arrive at his palace. The king is not ready yet, so we wait patiently at the entrance. From the nearby kindergarten, children call out to us. Some spontaneously run outside to greet us, and each child shakes our hand politely. Eventually, the teacher comes out with the remaining children, and together they sing a song for us.

Benin - The King of Ketou receives us on his throne

Meanwhile, the king is ready to receive us. Draped in a purple-and-white robe, the king sits high on his throne. He looks somewhat disinterested but explains that his territory has over 200,000 inhabitants. He answers our questions about kingship. After a photo session, we politely say our goodbyes. I approach the king and bow as I was instructed. With his staff, the king gently taps my shoulder in acknowledgment. I then walk back outside. In the typical roadside town of Peda, we have lunch at a restaurant. As usual, Toto takes care of the lunch from the restaurant kitchen. When I go to the toilet, it proves to be quite a challenge. Through a small courtyard, I reach a tiny stall with, as usual, just a hole in the ground. I have encountered many dirty toilets on this trip, but this one takes the crown. I walk around the stall and opt for the open air instead. As I continue walking through Peda, I mostly see small shops and market stalls. Along the sandy roads, people are busy making or repairing things. Sometimes they glance up and greet me as I pass. We then set course for the capital, Porto Novo. Traffic slowly becomes more intense, especially with the increasing number of speed bumps. The bus has to slow almost to a stop for each one. Along the roadside, many sellers display gasoline in large bottles for potential buyers. Many gas stations are out of fuel. The street-sold gasoline is smuggled from neighboring Nigeria. Charcoal is also sold in large sacks, and they sell ‘Gari,’ a type of flour. As we get closer to Porto Novo, the number of police checkpoints increases. Less than two kilometers from the previous stop, the whistle blows again. Anani steps out with the passenger list and, likely, some cash. Eventually, we reach Porto Novo. It is the official capital of Benin but, with 250,000 inhabitants, not the largest city. Cotonou, with one million residents, is the economic center.

Benin - The spice and herb market of Porto Novo

The city center is neat and well maintained. The wide roads have separate lanes with a broad grassy strip in the middle. Here too, the motorbike remains by far the most efficient means of transport. At the herb market on the outskirts of Porto Novo, we get out. Various natural products are sold here. I walk among the simple stalls, greeting the people who look surprised. At the back of the market, there is a small area dedicated to voodoo. I can already recognize the distinctive scent of the voodoo market from a distance. I buy two small voodoo dolls after the seller assures me they have no negative effect on me. Later in the city, we visit the Museum of Ethnography. Isabella guides us through the collection of Yoruba masks and the history of the city and Benin. Her explanation helps me better understand yesterday’s Guèlèdè mask dance. Finally, we drive to the hotel. The hotel, with a terrace overlooking the lagoon, looks luxurious but also shows signs of faded glory. The garden leading to the lagoon is completely neglected and taken over by stray dogs. On the terrace, I order a beer and decide that this is a fine place to stay.