In the bustling streets of Cotonou, something extraordinary is taking shape. The grey cloudy sky cannot dim the overflowing energy that has taken hold of the city.
Crossroads are alive with movement, engines hum, horns sing and in the middle of this urban ballet so uniquely Beninese, majestic horned rams sit proudly on motorized tricycles, like kings carried in procession toward their destiny.
The streets of Cotonou have transformed into a living, colorful market. Men dressed in vibrant wax print outfits, women carrying babies on their backs, helmeted zémidjans weaving skillfully through dense crowds all sharing the road with these precious animals that symbolize sacrifice, faith and generosity.
This is Africa in its most authentic beauty: human, lively, warm and profoundly alive.On the blue-green tricycles crossing the major intersections, sheep and rams are gathered close together, their golden and brown fleece contrasting beautifully with the worn metal of the cargo beds.
A dark-coated ram with curled horns surveys the city with calm and dignified eyes, completely unbothered by the surrounding chaos.
Elsewhere, a lone zebu tied to a solar streetlight pole waits patiently in the ochre earth of a courtyard, while life buzzes all around him.
This is Tabaski in Cotonou. It is not merely a religious celebration it is a spectacle of life, a demonstration of African solidarity, of trade that unites people, of tradition that withstands the test of time.
From the remote villages of Benin to the great avenues of the economic capital, herds have traveled far to feed the festivities, to honor the memory of Ibrahim, to bring families together around a shared meal.
May this Tabaski 2025 bring peace, joy and abundance to all Muslim families in Benin and beyond.
