Among the contemporary sons and daughters of Benin kingdom today, the word “EGHODO” may sound strange. But older generations and many that lives in most buildings in the heart of Benin city (Areas surrounded by the moat) and those in villages knows what it is.

The setting of harems is normally part of buildings in most African cultures because of the practice of polygamy. In the setting of harem (i.e. where the women lives with their children separate from their husbands) the buildings could be detached or joined together..

The Benins in most case build their harem with the walls of every apartment that made up the harem attached to one another.
“EGHODO” is the wide opening through which every apartment in the harem is accessible from the main building where husbands lives with grown up sons which is normally in front of the harem.

Here comes the gist: this wide openings within the building called “EGHODO” affords the opportunity for everyone living in the entire house to come in contact with one another each day. And most often than not, it serves as a conference place after the days hustling by the entire inhabitants of the building to converge and share their experiences and listen to folk stories.
It sometimes serves too as a dining place where food are eaten in larger groups both among the little children in the house as well as the old ones. When disagreements arises in the building, issues are discussed too at EGHODO.

It is not possible to exhaust all the roles of eghodo here. But its significance in facilitating the interactions of members of each family daily cannot be compared to the type of building patterns obtainable today. When people complain of families drifting apart today, do they consider the role played by architectural designs?

EGHODO has helped families in many ways. Yes it helps to keep children in glare view of the parents no matter how large the family may be.