Cové
Encyclopedia
Cové is a city located in the Zou Department
of Benin
. The commune covers an area of 525 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 34,442 people.
and 159 kilometres from Cotonou
. The commune covers an area of 525 square kilometres and the Zou Ouémé river passes through it. It is bounded to the north by Dassa-Zoumé
, east by Zagnanado, south by Zogbodomey
, and west by Djidja
and Za-Kpota. It is linked to the capital by a paved road.
Cové became a sub-prefecture in 1991.
, the Fon
, Yoruba
, Dendi and Bariba
. The occupations of the inhabitants are agriculture, fishing and hunting (42%), trade and catering (30%), transport and communication (6%) crafts (11%) etc. 53 600,00 hectares of land are devoted to agriculture, accounting for 93.38% of the total population. The main crops grown are maize
, cotton
, peanut
s, cassava
and rice
.
is prominent in Cové. It is a performance in honor of the dangerous and creative powers of women elders, attempting to ingratiate with Nla, the first female of the Yoruba Universe. It relays the virtues and responsibilities of society, advocating a particular respect for motherhood. The tradition dates back to the 15th century and only men initiated into a ‘secret society’ can perform the dances, but will represent both men and women.
People from many villages around come to witness the festival, including many children, kept under control by the ‘Masters of Ceremonies’ with a whistle and a whip. The Gelede Society actively condemns all kinds of social immorality by subjecting it to public ridicule during the festival. The festival continues all throughout the afternoon and evening.
Zou Department
Zou is one of the twelve departments of Benin.Zou is divided into the communes of Abomey, Agbangnizoun, Bohicon, Cové, Djidja, Ouinhi, Za-Kpota, Zangnanado, and Zogbodomey....
of Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. The commune covers an area of 525 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 34,442 people.
Geography
Cové is located 40 kilometres from AbomeyAbomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
and 159 kilometres from Cotonou
Cotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
. The commune covers an area of 525 square kilometres and the Zou Ouémé river passes through it. It is bounded to the north by Dassa-Zoumé
Dassa-Zoumé
Dassa-Zoumé, often shortened to Dassa, is a city in Benin, on the Cotonou to Parakou railway and the main north-south highway. The commune covers an area of 1711 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 93,967 people....
, east by Zagnanado, south by Zogbodomey
Zogbodomey
Zogbodomey or Zogbodomè is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Zou Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of 600 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 72,338 people.-Administrative divisions:...
, and west by Djidja
Djidja
Djidja is a town, arrondissement, and commune in the Zou Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of 2184 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 84,590 people.-Geography:...
and Za-Kpota. It is linked to the capital by a paved road.
Cové became a sub-prefecture in 1991.
Administrative divisions
Cové is subdivided into 7 arrondissements; Adogbé, Gounli, Houin, Lainta, Naogon, Soli and Zogba. They contain 36 quartiers.Economy
The main ethnic groups are the MahiMahi people
The Mahi are a people of Benin. They live north of Abomey, from the Togo border on the west to the Zou River on the east, and south to Cové between the Zou and Ouemé rivers, north of the Dassa hills....
, the Fon
Fon people
The Fon people, or Fon nu, are a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 3,500,000 people. The Fon language is the main language spoken in Southern Benin, and is a member of the Gbe language group...
, Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
, Dendi and Bariba
Bariba people
The Bariba people, self designation Baatonu , are the principal inhabitants of Borgou Department, Benin, and cofounders of the Borgu kingdom of what is now northeast Benin and northwest Nigeria. There are perhaps a million Bariba, 80% of them in Benin, where they are the fourth largest ethnic group...
. The occupations of the inhabitants are agriculture, fishing and hunting (42%), trade and catering (30%), transport and communication (6%) crafts (11%) etc. 53 600,00 hectares of land are devoted to agriculture, accounting for 93.38% of the total population. The main crops grown are maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s, cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
and rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
.
Culture
The Gelede Masked Festival of the Yoruba peopleYoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
is prominent in Cové. It is a performance in honor of the dangerous and creative powers of women elders, attempting to ingratiate with Nla, the first female of the Yoruba Universe. It relays the virtues and responsibilities of society, advocating a particular respect for motherhood. The tradition dates back to the 15th century and only men initiated into a ‘secret society’ can perform the dances, but will represent both men and women.
People from many villages around come to witness the festival, including many children, kept under control by the ‘Masters of Ceremonies’ with a whistle and a whip. The Gelede Society actively condemns all kinds of social immorality by subjecting it to public ridicule during the festival. The festival continues all throughout the afternoon and evening.