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THE SECULARIZATION OF AFRICAN RITUAL DANCE:  

 OHOGHO DANCE OF THE BENIN PEOPLE AS A 

PARADIGM 

 

Abbe, Josephine Ebiuwa  
Department of Theatre Arts, 

University of Benin, Benin City 

jossyeabbe@gmail.com 

 

Abstract 

Change as a dynamic phenomenon is constant in reflecting the 

present situation of things. It either alters an existing form or brings 

about a fresh one. When the latter is the case, the former may either 

go into extinction as it becomes (in most cases) an outdated form 

which appeals mostly to the generation that experienced it. But 

when change is an alteration of an existing form, it tends to revive 

and sustain it by appealing to the sensibilities of both the old and 

new generations. Most traditional African dances have experienced 

a lot of changes due to interactions with other cultures which 

result(mostly) from colonization, and have consequently gone into 

extinction for lack of constant performance. The ritual dances are 

the most endangered form due to context criteria, newfound 

religions and lack of adequate documentation. The best method of 

documenting African dances lies in constant performance. Thus, 

the need to secularize some of these ritualized dances to save and 

preserve them for posterity. This approach however does not 

prevent the dances from serving their original ritual purposes when 

the need arises. This paper examines the Ohogho ritual dance as a 

form that can be secularized for entertainment to ensure its 

preservation and continuity. 

Introduction 

Dance as a non-verbal form of expression is a common 

feature in all societies both traditional and modern, occurring in 

most celebrations to serve one purpose or the other. It thus follows 

mailto:jossyeabbe@gmail.com


AMA: Journal of Theatre and Cultural Studies 

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that dance is a universal art form. “Its origin might be lost in 

antiquity”(Royce 3)but this may justify the fact that it is the oldest 

form of all arts as the movement of the human body in time and 

space has always been a portrayal and manifestation of man and 

his activities thereby reflecting the total of the doings of a people. 

This line of thought perhaps prompted Lange to state that man in 

expressing his innermost thoughts to his supreme creator resorted 

to the nonverbal means of codification - dance. Hence he sums up 

dance as “the art of expressing the sentiments of the mind, or 

passions….”(5).  

Does dance in present society serve such purposes as 

before? Is it still a manifestation of life? Of course, dance in 

modern society, especially in Africa, does not occur in the nature 

it did during precolonial times, but it is still employed in today’s 

society to portray man and his activities hence its occurrence at 

both social and sacred ceremonies just like the old times. The 

difference between both societies’ usage of dance lies mostly in the 

focus of life in each of these epochs. In precolonial times, emphasis 

was on a sacred form of life where man was more conscious of 

supernatural forces. 

Dance therefore as a means of expression and 

communication is realized through the human body (the only 

instrument) and movement thus becomes its language of 

expression which carries the intention of the dancer (Abbe 6). 

Bakare reacting to the fact that dance is calculated motions of the 

body states that it is the"rhythmic movement of the human body in 

time and space to make a statement" (2). The indication of Bakare’s 

statement is that dance exists solely in performance, codifying the 

norms and values of a people in and through movements. 

Explaining the significance of African Dance, Ediri (122) 

refers to it as a "well from which various shades of historical 

experiences can be drawn."It is a cultural product that captures the 

essence of a people. Hence dance transcends what meets the eye as 

its meaning goes beyond the general one, too, in most cases, having 



Abbe: The Secularization of African Ritual Dance: Ohogho Dance of the Benin… 

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specific meanings. This is because every dance has a focus and 

function. And Mcfee notes that the understanding of a particular 

dance presupposes the understanding of the traditions from which 

it emanates (112). 

Determining the nature of dance therefore will require the 

understanding of the purpose of such dance, for a dance is the aim 

and focus which determine a large extent the physical efforts put 

into the realization of the dance. Ugolo calls this notion the 

"attitudes and intentions that underlie African dance” (127). The 

purpose (intention), he reiterates, gives birth to the attitude that is 

manipulated to give birth to a new form. The nature of dance 

implicates its essence, the examination of its characteristics and 

qualities. Dance as a non-verbal means of communication is 

transient leaving its audience with a spectacular impression. This 

ephemeral nature calls for the need to constantly and continuously 

perform it. 

Dance thus far is established as the movement of the human 

body, a channel of communication, an expression and act of life 

that projects the human body, the movement it makes, the music it 

responds to and the meaning it conveys which, Ugolo (1998) 

opined, needs clarity and precision." And Bakare (2019) sees it as 

a medium of communication that easily lends itself to mobilization 

efforts through awareness creation and dissemination of 

information (64) and it can only be expressed through the act of 

dancing Ojuade (2) which is performance. 

Dance serves the different needs of individuals and 

communities. These needs could be culture and individual-based 

attesting to the fact that the purpose of dance varies for different 

cultures. The purpose is the intention and motivation behind the 

movements created and the ordering of the movement, 

arrangement of dancers in space (floor pattern), employment of 

songs and instrumentation as well as the general organization of 

the dance. Dance is thus a deliberate and conscious effort. 



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The purpose of dance as noted by Monyeh could be for 

entertainment, enlightenment or religious reasons. The various 

functions notwithstanding every dance serves two basic functions 

of sacred and secular forms in African societies. The sacred dances 

are religious and ritualistic. They are a means of worship employed 

by man to reverence and relate with supernatural forces. These are 

found in various festivals and ritual ceremonies honouring and 

imploring one god or the other to bequeath their blessings on the 

land and the people. 

Sacred dances are serious, having specific participants; 

specific simple, stylized and symbolic steps; specific rhythm and 

pattern, performed for religious worship, burial ceremonies, 

ancestral deification etc. That is, they are not performed outside 

their specified contexts. Also, there are other sacred dances whose 

movements are very fast and sometimes complex. Their secluded 

nature makes it impossible for a larger audience to watch or know 

the importance of such dances.  

The secular dances on the other hand are social and 

entertainment-based, they are performed mostly for larger 

audiences in marriages, birth/naming ceremonies, coronations, 

installations, and festivals, although sacred dances can still occur 

as part of ritual procedures in the above-listed. Social dances as 

cultural activities may involve every member of the family, set or 

community; they are less serious in content and form, having a 

celebratory nature. The dances are free in style and rhythm having 

neither fixed form nor format in terms of the movements involved 

and the patterns unlike the sacred danceswhich movements, 

patterns, costumes and makeup can be altered or enhanced to 

heighten entertainment need any time. 

History and Performance of Ohogho Dance   



Abbe: The Secularization of African Ritual Dance: Ohogho Dance of the Benin… 

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Plate 1: Ohogho dancers (University Students) at the Theatre Hall, University 

of Benin in 2017. Courtesy: The Researcher 

 

The Benin people are a major ethnic group in Edo State of 

Nigeria, situated in the Southern part of the country. The state has 

distinct ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups whose ancestry is 

traced to the ancient Benin Kingdom. These people form the Great 

Benin Empire which has waned and succumbed to social changes 

that have affected all nations of the world. The Benin Empire 

spanned several centuries and recorded great achievements in 

religious, cultural and socio-political (governmental) spheres that 

it was likened to a major European city (Osagie, 13). 

The Benins have a strong cultural identification base which 

has survived various upheavals the people have experienced. A 

most prominent cultural heritage by which the people are known is 

the Benin arts and crafts (Benin bronzes), lots of ceremonial 

activities like festivals, dances and songs commemorating past 

memorable events.  These patterns of learned behaviour are 

transmitted from one generation to the other distinguishing them 

from other people’s culture.  

The origin of the Ohogho dance is lost in antiquity. The 

accounts that abound in tradition seem to contradict each other to 

some extent. The first source holds that the dance originated during 

the reign of Oba Ewuare the Great c1440-1473AD when a certain 



AMA: Journal of Theatre and Cultural Studies 

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witchdoctor (Eriase) from Ugboko-Numagbae in Orhionmwon 

Local Government of Edo State was said to have gone to the bush 

on Eken day to acquire more spiritual powers. Eken Day in Benin 

is a rest day for human beings and a day of activity for the spirits. 

No one in the kingdom goes to the farm or market on this day and 

returns the same. 

As Eriase wanders in the thick forest, he came across spirits 

performing some rites of which the Ohogho dance was one. He hid 

in a corner to prevent being seen while he watched the fascinating 

dance performance. The spirits soon perceived the presence of a 

human being in their midst (agbonwiakpuma). They searched 

around them and soon found Eriase and brought him to their midst. 

He was taught the dance and was asked to go home and teach his 

fellow human beings after which he would return to the spirit world 

in three months. On getting home, he narrated his experience in the 

bush to his people and taught them the dance. His people were 

amazed at the discovery and encounter Eriase had in the bush. 

Three months later, Eriase died. The second version states that the 

dance originated during the reign of Oba Orhogbua c1550-1578AD 

through a hunter who encountered some spirits singing and dancing 

while performing rites in the bush. He was caught and detained by 

them (spirits) in the forest for seven days before he was released to 

go back to his people and teach them the dance. 

Whatever the origin, Ohogho dance exists among the Benin 

people as a religious cult dance belonging to physicians (ebo or obo 

group). It consists of strong senior members of the Eroghae and the 

Eghele age groups. The Eroghae in traditional Benin society is 

strong and energetic male youths in the community who are 

between the ages of 15-30 years. They perform menial jobs for the 

community. On the other hand, the Eghele (30-50 years old) are 

soldiers of the community in charge of the general security of the 

villages and towns. They also specialized in building, farming, 

hunting and trading for the community (Aisien 136). The age grade 

system in Benin was very organized and formidable before 



Abbe: The Secularization of African Ritual Dance: Ohogho Dance of the Benin… 

147 

 

colonization. But, Benin’s interaction with the British, like in most 

parts of Nigeria, has left a most debilitating dislocation in a once 

organized society.   

Ohogho dance is a protective dance meant to ward off evil, 

epidemics, wars as well as general calamities from the land. It is 

traditionally a male dance which, according to some opinions, is 

performed to worship the Ovia god (the Ovia River). It is also 

sometimes performed during second burial ceremonies and at the 

Eho festival (Aisien 86). An eho festival is a yearly event where 

the ancestors of the Benins are feasted (Aisien 183). The dance is 

performed by the Ogba community in Oredo Local Government 

Area and the people of Ugboko-Numagbae in Orhionmwon Local 

Government Areas of Edo State (Aisien 167). 

Dancers in the Ohogho dance are called Igbohogho. In its 

original context, the dancers, prior to performance, are said to 

undergo fortification and sanctification rituals (a common 

occurrence with ritual ceremonies) to ensure a successful 

performance. Ohogho performance often begins with the entrance 

of the dancers as led by the lead dancer who carries a wooden 

receptacle (Ukpabo) containing ritual objects and burning leaves 

on his head. He dances straight to the centre of the performance 

area and drops the burning receptacle on the ground, thereafter he 

joins the dancers who have formed a circle around the object in the 

middle. 

Movements in the dance are strong, energetic and warlike 

typifying the nature of warriors and the native doctors that prepare 

them for war. It thus requires agility, strength and vigour. In the 

revolving circular floor pattern, dancers perform various 

movements ranging from stepping, stamping, sharp and 

spontaneous turns, kneeling, bending, hopping, jumping, spinning, 

and forward and backward movements. There is a general 

uniformity of motion, and the mood is intense having the aura of 

worship and team spirit. 



AMA: Journal of Theatre and Cultural Studies 

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Each movement is associated with a particular song that is 

repeated, and there are several brief lyric songs in the dance. There 

is an entrance as well as an exit song in the dance. The songs and 

movements of the dance are intertwined and the music and 

instrumentation are supplied by dancers while dancing. The 

instruments are made up of voice, gong and gourd rattles, no 

drums. The duration of the dance could be between 5 and 20 

minutes depending on the enthusiasm, strength and vigour of the 

dancers and the choreography.  At the end of the performance, the 

carrier (Omukpabo) again leads out bearing the receptacle on his 

head. This description is practically the same as the secularized 

form except that the receptacle containing the ritual object is not 

included in its performance. Also, females can dance in its secular 

form as opposed to the "all-male affair" of the ritualized form. 

 

Songs in Ohogho dance are not limited to the list below: 

a. Igbohogho ni re    Ohogho dancers have come 

Ima mie nor ma mwon ode   None to show me the way 

Ito bo mwen hen ode owa I know the way to my house by 

myself 

Erhinmwin ghi bi bio de  Spirits do not miss their way 

 

 

b. Aiyo, eee, aiyo ebo o,   You do not dare, you do not dare 

     charm 

Aiyo eee, eee o, eee o e  You do not dare. 

 

 

c. Akha mwen n’owina o   My Akha of Owina (Guild) 

Ugha mwan mwen ghi vbo  Where is my axe 

Ghe he vbe zierhan   look at it at the base of a tree 

Ugha ya so ne rie gumwen o when you have finished tearing 

with it, return it to me 

Ugha mwan mwen ghi vbo  Where is my axe 

Ghe he vbe zierhan   Look at it at the base of a tree 

Ughe re 3x    Look at it 3x 

 



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d. Ugbe kogho,     In kogho farm 

Obokpa erhinmwin gbe ghe Spirit dance dance in one 

direction 

E e e, obokpa erhinmwin gbe ghe  Spirit dance dance in one 

direction 

 

 

e. Ima mie no tio khue mwen gu mwen ko     I cannot find anyone to    

  call my okhue for me 

E e e okhue ri’Udo   Ohhh, Okhue has gone to  

 Udo 

 

 

f. Irio Ologho ooo    I am going to Ologhooo 

Ogho gho’ren gbo de o ehi o Brand of firewood with 

fire blocks the way, my 

guardian angel 

Ogbo de, ogbo de, ehi o 4x It has blocked the way, it 

has blocked the way, my  

guardian angel 

 

 

g. Oghe mwen     Whoever is looking at  

me  

 

 

h. Lele mwen gha rie, oghe mwen  Should follow me home,  
whoever 

 

Ohogho costume is red skirt and top (ebuluku vbo vbi’ewu). While 

the major prop is Ukhunmwun, a small wooden bowl meant to 

ward off evil, others are musical instruments used as hand props. 

 

 

Secularization of Ohogho Ritual Dances 



AMA: Journal of Theatre and Cultural Studies 

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Plate 2: Some members of Secularized Ohogho dancers during the Oba 

Ewuare II Coronation Procession in 2016. Courtesy: The researcher. 

 

Secularization is the act of converting something, 

especially from religious use to secular (general) use. Dance 

secularization in this context refers to the transformation of dance 

from its ritual to social context. Kafewo in the year 2006 had 

expressed fear over the erosion of African and indeed Nigerian cult 

dances when he stated that “…in the next few years, the next 

generations may only read about our dance performances” (273). 

This statement was made from his observation of how the various 

cult (ritual) dances in Nigeria using the northern part of the country 

as an example were being downplayed due to the influence of 

Christianity and Islam on African indigenous religions. Also, 

Bakare in the same year, noted that for any Nigerian traditional 

dance to survive it has to be “adapted to the new changes 

occasioned by contacts with other parts of the world, otherwise it 

risk(sic) abandonment and consequently death” (71). 

The above statements by Ojo Rasaki Bakare, a dance and 

theatre scholar, dancer and choreographer of no mean repute and 



Abbe: The Secularization of African Ritual Dance: Ohogho Dance of the Benin… 

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late Kafewo, a Theatre Arts Scholar (in Nigeria) were made 

seventeen years ago. The import of their comments is the need to 

secularise traditional African dances to preserve them against 

extinction.  Obviously, any form that refuses to submit to the 

whims and caprices of change will certainly meet its Waterloo in 

oblivion. In proffering a solution to the above concerns, 

Bakarerecommends context criteria as a determinant factor to state 

under what circumstances a traditional dance can be altered and 

what traditional dance should be altered  (65).  The inability to 

distinguish these two contexts, he stressed, could cause a rift. He 

argued further that it would be a dream to think of a continuous 

existence of original traditional dances in a fast-changing Nigeria. 

He stressed the above line of thought in the detailed quotation 

below: 

 
Perhaps we should ask: In Nigeria where foreign religions are 

gaining converts daily and the majority of those who refuse to be 

converted are not ready to give their attention to some gods that 

demand (sic) kola nuts, palm oil and blood, how many 

worshippers of the traditional religion to which most of our 

traditional dances are central will remain in the twenty-second 

century? With the rate at which Nigerians are abandoning rural 

life in preference for the cities where they get integrated into a 

'new' culture for political, economic and social reasons, how 

much of these dances will a Nigerian born in the twenty-second 

century know in their original forms? With the desire to acquire 

modern technology at all costs, how many of our traditional 

instruments which are, of course, very essential to our traditional 

dance will Nigerians of the twenty-second century still be 

playing? If we are therefore realistic about preserving our 

traditional dances for the future generation, we must be sensitive 

to the dynamic nature of our modern society and then accept that 

the only realistic method of preservation is by making these 

dances to be always relevant to the temperament and sensibilities 

of the contemporary society through adaptations, recreations and 



AMA: Journal of Theatre and Cultural Studies 

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hybridization of the techniques presently used by most 

contemporary Nigerian choreographers (72-73) 

From the above explanation, the secularization of African 

ritual dance is quite apt and requires the efforts of the contemporary 

choreographer who is a creative artist, bridging the gap between 

two worlds (old/new) by harnessing traditional materials as raw 

materials to evolve new forms. This will not only ensure survival, 

but it will also as well encourage continuity by the constant 

performance of the form. This is culture – a progressional 

phenomenon; a way of life of a people in any given time and place 

organized out of past experiences and adapted to present 

circumstances (72). Culture, he stressed, changes as people strive 

to meet new challenges of living. Although we are born into it, it is 

not static, it responds to time. Culture may not necessarily be a 

return to the custom of the past but it could be the custom of the 

present being given birth to by the customs of the past. This is to 

meet with a present challenge as well as give birth to its own for 

future use. It is thus expedient and natural for dance to change as 

the people's ways of life alter, or else it becomes irrelevant to the 

people. Dance is a reflection and reaction to people's ways of life. 

As earlier noted, Ohogho ritual dance is a cult dance 

performed only by initiates. The songs, movements, and chants are 

sacred to the ceremony. Although the need for secularization has 

downplayed the sacredness of the form, the content of the form 

such as songs, chants and movements still holds its aura of intense 

worship among the dancers. Ohogho dance maintains a strict 

revolving circle when performed in a ritual context. This can be 

expanded to include more intricate patterns associated with secular 

forms of dance. The major alteration the dance has outside its ritual 

context is the removal of the receptacle containing the burning 

ritual objects, and the variation of floor patterns from the strictly 

circular form to other intricate patterns. The movements remain the 

same depending on the choice of the choreographer, the pattern to 



Abbe: The Secularization of African Ritual Dance: Ohogho Dance of the Benin… 

153 

 

a large extent is still much circular, except for a few serpentine 

patterns which are often infused at the point of exit. 

When secularized as it gradually is, it can still serve both 

sacred and entertainment needs depending on the context of the 

performance. When serving a sacred function, it can maintain its 

standard of keeping strictly to the rule. On the other hand, the 

entertainment function of the dance makes room for innovation in 

terms of varying the movements, floor patterns and the costume 

involved. In any case, dance occurs in present-day society as a form 

of entertainment but retains its usual nature of having the receptacle 

at the centre of the performance. 

 

 

Plate 3: Some members of Secularized Ohogho dancers (dressed in red) with 

the researcher during Oba Ewuare II Coronation in 2016.  

Courtesy: The researcher 

 

Conclusion 

Dance is a significant and enduring cultural heritage. Apart 

from serving as a means of documentation and preservation of 

history, it is as well an expressive and entertaining mode that 

features in ceremonies of life that need to be marked with one form 



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of dance or the other. As there exist no tangible means of 

documenting African dances like their Western counterparts, a lot 

of its dances (especially the ones with ritual connotations) are 

constantly exposed to the dangers of extinction. 

So far, the best method of preserving dances lies in their 

constant and continuous performance. But some African ritual 

dances that abound due to context criteria negate this "constant" 

performance nature. The situation is further worsened by the 

influence of various external religions which question the 

foundation on which these dances stand. The various technological 

advancements also, which have so much exposed the African child 

to Western culture, have not, so to speak, favoured these dances. 

To salvage an endangered culture, the form and content of some of 

the African ritual dances (like the Ohogho) could be altered, not 

necessarily to erase an old form but rather to make it relevant to the 

present for continuity. 

To secularize African ritual dance is to make it a social form 

that is accessible to a larger audience. That is, taken it beyond the 

confines of its original purpose by extending it to serve 

entertainment functions as well. This is because most sacred 

dances, to some extent, restrict and or determine their audience, but 

the secular forms make room for a wider audience as they serve 

entertainment needs. Why do we need to secularize these ritual 

dances especially those already being faced with extinction? 

Several factors are responsible, but the primary factor is the fact 

that the beliefs that underlie some of these forms are no longer 

tenable, thereby undermining the strength and vigour they once 

had. This in turn affects their continuity. In its ritual context, these 

dances can only serve a few people. Of course, that is why they are 

a ritual form. But when secularized, they serve a wider audience as 

their performance at public events promotes cultural history.   

Dances in Benin fall within the two basic categories of 

sacred and secular forms as mentioned above. Most of the sacred 

dances and songs are peculiar to a ceremony and are not performed 



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155 

 

outside their original contexts. However, this strict stance has 

begun to yield to the pressures of current cultural realities as some 

of these dances with ritual backgrounds have either yielded 

completely to secularization or are now serving both secular and 

religious functions depending on the context. The Eghughuagba 

dance of the Benin people is one such dance which have been 

completely stripped of its ritual forms it now serves purely 

entertainment function. While Ohogho dance which is the subject 

matter of this discourse is one of the sacred dances which now 

serve both sacred and secular functions. This paper proposes that 

being an energetic dance with varied movements, this dance should 

be expanded in terms of its choreography for entertainment. This 

will encourage its patronage as well as continuous survival. The 

secularization of Ohogho dance is thus a response to new desires 

and behaviours. 

 

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