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Abstract            Volume:12  Issue-12  Year-2024         Original Research Articles


Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215
Issues : 12 per year
Publisher : Excellent Publishers
Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Vòdú and Power in Benin: A Spiritual Force at the Heart of Politics and National Identity
Hospice Bienvenu Hounyoton1, Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard2, Ahonnon Adolphe3 and Angèle Bénédicte Odoubourou4
1Anthropologist, Associate Lecturer-Researcher at National Institute of Youth, Physical Education and Sport, Research Unit in Sociology of Organizations, Management and Engineering of Sports and at Catholic University of Lyon-France,
2Socio-Anthropologist, Lecturer of CAMES Universities at National Institute of Youth, Physical Education and Sport, Center for Studies and Research in Education and Social Interventions for Development
3Educational psychologist, Lecturer of CAMES Universities at National Institute of Youth, Physical Education and Sport, Social Psychology and Animation Research Unit
4Socio-Anthropologist
*Corresponding author
Abstract:

This article examines the complex relationship between Vòdú and political power in Benin, given the importance of Vòdú in Beninese culture and its historical role in legitimizing power. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that this relationship is more nuanced, by exploring how Vòdú influences governance, human rights and social cohesion. The method combines a critical analysis of existing literature, ethnohistorical data, in-depth interviews with religious dignitaries, politicians and executives, and direct observation of Vòdú practices. The results reveal that Vòdú is used to legitimize power, notably through the integration of rituals into official ceremonies and the evocation of ancestors during presidential investitures, but also as a tool of resistance. The conclusion underlines the enduring influence of Vòdú on political and social life in Benin, while calling for religious tolerance and respect for the cultural rights of practitioners. Vòdú, a cultural and spiritual force intrinsically linked to power in Benin, requires further exploration to understand its evolution, its adaptation to contemporary issues and its role in promoting religious tolerance and inclusive development.

Keywords: Vòdú, Political power, Legitimacy, Development, Religious tolerance.
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How to cite this article:

Hospice Bienvenu Hounyoton, Ahouandjinou Raymond-Bernard, Ahonnon Adolphe and Angèle Bénédicte Odoubourou. 2024. Vòdú and Power in Benin: A Spiritual Force at the Heart of Politics and National Identity.Int.J.Curr.Res.Aca.Rev. 12(12): 42-52
doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcrar.2024.1212.006
Copyright: This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.


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