"Eben" is the name of a ceremonial sword that was associated with the metal god Ogun and his powers. During ceremonies in honor of a deceased Oba (king), the officiating Oba and other dignitaries danced with such swords. As a climax, they touched the ancestral altar of the deceased king to establish contact with him in the otherworldly upper world. Also, during the ceremonies for the initiation of a crown prince into the adult world, he danced with "eben" and twirled it in the air in honor of his ancestors to capture the sun's reflection of the upper world. Text: Dietmar Neitzke.