Global Indigenous Monarchical Alliance
Sovereign Founding Members

Kingdom of Agonlin The Agonlin region was founded in the 17th century, specifically around 1634, by Yéto and corresponds today to the communes of Covè, Zagnanado, and Ouinhi, in the Zou department. Yéto and his family led a peaceful life there, based on agriculture, hunting, and livestock farming. This tranquility was disturbed by a sparrowhawk that regularly attacked the chicks raised by the family. One day, after the bird had carried off a chick, Yéto chased it into the forest. He managed to shoot it less than two kilometers away, as the sparrowhawk was perched on a fan palm. At that spot, Yéto planted a stake under the fan palm, called "Agontéglé" in the Fon language, to mark this place, which had become important to him. There, he performed a ritual ceremony, invoking the power of his deity Bossikpon, and kept a sample of the sand from the soil, which was considered fertile. The site had sixteen fan palms, which reinforced its symbolic character. On the way back, so as not to get lost, Yéto carefully plucked the sparrowhawk and threw the feathers away as markers. He then met a gravely ill old man, La Fan, suffering from leprosy, living in isolation in a hut deep in the forest after being rejected by his family. This place, called Todo, was located about 500 meters from the sixteen fan palms. It is now one of the neighborhoods of the Agonlin-Houégbo district. Surprised to see him all alone in the forest and truly unhappy, the hunter Yéto offered him the sparrowhawk he had killed and told him about his misfortune. He promised La Fan that he would return to see him very soon. This was the beginning of their friendship. Returning to his wife, YÊTO consulted the oracle on the sand he had collected, and it was revealed to him that he could freely inhabit this place (under the palm tree). Later, YÊTO's wife, TANGNIN-GA, died. Several days after his wife's death, YÊTO returned to build his house "under the palm tree," where he had planted the stake; he settled there with his three children (AGLO, KPOSSOU, and KPOSSI). He named this place "AGONLIN," meaning "under the palm tree," a name which, from then on, was given to the entire region between the Zou and Ouémé rivers. YÊTO, the first inhabitant of this space, installed his deities Bossikpon and Nouhouayi there. He ordered the immigrants to build their homes next to his and thus named his own house (the first one) "HOUEGBO," which means "BIG HOUSE" in the local language. This is the origin of the name "HOUEGBO," which, combined with "AGONLIN," forms "AGONLIN-HOUEGBO," meaning "The big house under the palm tree," a name still borne today by one of the districts of the Zagnanado commune. The inhabitants referred to as "Agonlinu" are those who are locally designated and recognize themselves as such, occupying the region that bears their name. YÊTO reigned until his death in 1731. Four kings (sons and grandsons) succeeded him, but the throne remained vacant from 1986 to 1993. On February 24, 1993, the throne was restored with the enthronement of His Majesty YÊTO KANDJI, great-grandson of OTTI. His Majesty Dada Agonlinhossou Yêto Kandji, the 5th King of Agonlin, has peacefully governed the regions for 33 years. As the organizing head of the High Council of Kings of Benin, His Majesty Dada Agonlinhossou Yêto Kandji sets the standard for traditional leadership in the country. His Majesty is also the first Vice-President of the Council of Mahi Kings of Benin. The creation of the Agonlinhossou Yeto Kandji Foundation is a manifestation of his bold vision for the development of the kingdom, aiming to bring development and well-being to its people. The Foundation holds special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

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