Houegbadja - Rise To Power

Rise To Power

The rise of Houegbadja to the throne is a story based largely on oral traditions. The primary oral tradition claims that Houegbadja was the son (or in some adopted son) of Dakodonu and that a Gedevi woman (the Gedevi were the native people of the Abomey Plateau) named Adanon was betrothed to Dakodonu. Although the woman was betrothed to his father, Houegbdaja got the woman pregnant and the result was that Dakodonu disinherited him. Houegbadja and Dakodonu only reconciled when Houegbadja killed a strong rival of Dakodonu, and Houegbadja was then named the heir apparent. With the death of Dakodonu then Houegbadja became the King of Dahomey.