Are there still kings in Benin?

"The white man's government comes and goes. The king remains." — Fon elder, Abomey, 1992

For most visitors to Benin, the question comes as a genuine surprise. They arrive expecting a West African republic — and they find one, with elected presidents, a parliament, modern cities. But then someone mentions the king. And then another king. And suddenly the visitor realises: Benin has more traditional monarchies operating within its borders than most European countries have preserved.

The short answer is yes. There are still kings in Benin. Quite a few of them. This article explores who they are, what they do and how they fit into a modern democratic state.

The kingdom that never died: Dahomey

Abomey's royal revival

The most prominent traditional monarchy in Benin is the Kingdom of Dahomey, centred in Abomey. As explored in our article on the current king, the throne was restored in 1991 after nearly a century of colonial interruption. Today, King Dah Sagbrou Giele presides over the royal court in Abomey, maintaining the traditions of the Fon people.

But the King of Dahomey is not alone. He is the most famous of Benin's traditional monarchs, but he is part of a larger network of royal authority that spans the country.

The king of Porto-Novo

A different royal line

Porto-Novo, the official capital of Benin, has its own traditional monarchy. The King of Porto-Novo (known as the Toffa or Alaafin of Porto-Novo) descends from a different dynastic line. The Kingdom of Porto-Novo (also called Hogbonou) was a separate state from Dahomey, though closely connected through trade, diplomacy and occasional conflict.

The current king, Toffa IX, ascended the throne in 2020. Like his Dahomean counterpart, his role is primarily ceremonial and cultural. He presides over:

• Traditional ceremonies specific to the Goun people of Porto-Novo
• Cultural festivals that celebrate the city's heritage
• Diplomatic representation of the Goun traditional authority

The goun identity

Porto-Novo's monarchy is closely tied to the Goun ethnic identity. The Goun people, who share linguistic and cultural roots with the Yoruba, maintain distinct traditions from the Fon of Abomey. The king is the custodian of these traditions.

Porto-Novo is also home to the Musee Honme, a former royal palace turned museum, which displays the history of the Porto-Novo kingdom. Visitors can see royal thrones, ceremonial objects and photographs of the royal lineage.

The king of Allada

The ancestral homeland

The Kingdom of Allada (also known as Ardra) is historically significant as the ancestral homeland from which the founders of Dahomey departed in the early 17th century. The three kingdoms of Allada, Dahomey and Porto-Novo share a common origin story, and Allada is considered the elder branch.

The current king of Allada maintains the royal court in the town of Allada, about 50 kilometres northwest of Cotonou. His role includes:

• Preserving the history of the Allada kingdom, including its central role in the slave trade era
• Maintaining the royal palace and its associated Vodoun shrines
• Representing the Allada people in national cultural events

Other traditional monarchies

Beyond the three major kingdoms, Benin has dozens of smaller traditional chiefs and local monarchs. The country's administrative structure includes:

• Canton chiefs — Traditional authorities at the local level, often descendants of pre-colonial royal lines
• Village chiefs — Heads of communities who hold traditional authority alongside elected local officials
• Religious traditional leaders — Vodoun priests and priestesses whose authority in spiritual matters is widely respected

The exact number of traditional monarchies in Benin is difficult to count because they exist at multiple levels and the lines between them are not always formalised.

Ceremonial vs. political power

What the kings cannot do

Benin's constitution is clear: the country is a secular republic. Traditional kings have:

• No legislative power
• No executive authority
• No role in government appointments
• No power to levy taxes or raise armies
• No official status in the state hierarchy

What the kings can do

But the absence of formal political power does not mean the kings are powerless. Their authority is cultural, spiritual and social:

• Ceremonial leadership: They preside over traditional ceremonies that mark the rhythms of life — coronations, funerals, annual festivals, planting and harvest rituals
• Cultural preservation: They are the custodians of oral history, traditional protocols and ancestral knowledge
• Dispute resolution: In many communities, the king's mediation is sought for conflicts that formal courts handle poorly, especially those involving land, family or tradition
• Community representation: They speak for their communities at national events and in dialogue with the government
• Spiritual authority: Particularly in matters related to Vodoun, the king's blessing or participation is considered essential

The working arrangement

The relationship between traditional monarchies and the Beninese state is pragmatic. The government recognises the cultural importance of the kings and extends them certain courtesies — invitations to state events, consultation on cultural matters — without granting them constitutional power. The kings, in turn, respect the boundary of the republic.

This arrangement has proven remarkably stable. Unlike some other African countries where traditional authorities have clashed with central governments, Benin's kings and government maintain a respectful coexistence.

Vodoun and royal authority

The spiritual foundation

The authority of Benin's traditional kings is not merely historical. It is rooted in Vodoun spirituality. In Fon and Goun cosmology, the king is not a political ruler but a spiritual intermediary — a living link between the people, the ancestors and the Vodoun deities.

This spiritual dimension gives the kings an authority that the state cannot replicate. No elected official can perform the ceremonies that connect the community to its ancestors. No government decree can replace the rituals that sustain the cosmic order.

The king and the ancestors

The most important ceremonies in the royal calendar are those that honour the ancestors. The Huetanu (Annual Customs) in Abomey, for example, is a multi-day ceremony in which the king offers sacrifices and receives the blessing of the royal ancestors. Without this ceremony, Fon tradition holds, the kingdom would lose its spiritual foundation.

Similar ceremonies occur in Porto-Novo and Allada. Each kingdom has its own calendar of royal rituals, maintained by the court and transmitted orally across generations.

Why did the monarchy survive?

Colonial pragmatism

Unlike the French in Dahomey, who abolished the monarchy, colonial administrators in other parts of Benin took a more pragmatic approach. In Porto-Novo and Allada, the French maintained the traditional kings as intermediaries, using their authority to facilitate colonial administration. This preserved the royal lines even as it stripped them of independent power.

Post-independence resilience

After independence in 1960, Benin's successive governments — including the Marxist regime of Mathieu Kerekou — attempted to suppress traditional authorities. But the kings had deep roots in their communities. The state could marginalise them but could not eliminate them.

The democratic transition of 1990 created space for the kings to reemerge publicly. The restoration of the Dahomey throne in 1991 was the most dramatic example, but across Benin, traditional monarchies regained visibility and respect.

A living tradition

Young people and the monarchy

One of the most surprising aspects of Benin's traditional monarchies is their appeal to young people. In an era of smartphones and social media, the kings continue to draw crowds of young Beninese to their ceremonies. Far from being a relic of the past, the monarchy is experienced as a vital part of contemporary identity.

In Abomey, the palace's ceremonies attract young Fon people who see the king as a symbol of cultural pride. In Porto-Novo, the coronation of Toffa IX in 2020 was covered extensively on social media. The monarchy has found a way to speak to the digital generation.

The diaspora connection

The kings of Benin have also become important figures for the African diaspora. Descendants of enslaved Africans who can trace their ancestry to Benin seek connection with the traditional courts. The kings have welcomed this engagement, recognising the diaspora as part of the extended family.

This has given the traditional monarchies a global dimension that they did not have before. A ceremony in Abomey today might include visitors from Brazil, Haiti, the United States or France, all seeking to reconnect with their ancestral heritage.

Why it matters

The existence of traditional kings in modern Benin challenges a common narrative about Africa. It is not a continent where tradition has been erased by colonialism and modernisation. It is a place where pre-colonial institutions have shown remarkable resilience, adapting to changing circumstances while preserving their essential character.

Benin's kings offer a model of how traditional authority can coexist with democratic governance — not in competition, but in complementarity. The kings do not threaten the republic. They enrich it.

Frequently asked questions

How many traditional kings are there in Benin?

There is no official count, but the three most prominent traditional monarchies are the King of Dahomey (Abomey), the King of Porto-Novo and the King of Allada. Dozens of smaller traditional chiefs and local monarchs exist across the country.

Do the kings have any political power?

No. Benin's traditional kings hold no constitutional or political power. Their authority is ceremonial, cultural and spiritual.

Is the king of Dahomey the same as the king of Benin?

No. The King of Dahomey is based in Abomey and reigns over the Fon people. The King of Benin (Oba of Benin) is based in Benin City, Nigeria, and belongs to a completely different historical and cultural tradition.

Are the kings recognised by the government?

The Beninese government recognises the cultural role of the traditional kings and extends them courtesies such as invitations to state events, but they have no official status in the constitutional structure.

Do the kings still live in palaces?

Yes. The King of Dahomey resides at the royal palace in Abomey. The King of Porto-Novo has a palace in Porto-Novo. These are functioning royal courts, not museums.

Explore more

The traditional kings of Benin are an integral part of the country's living heritage. Discover more about the current king of Dahomey and his cultural role. For practical information on visiting Abomey and experiencing Fon culture, see our visit guide.