20th February, 2025
By Jethro Ibileke
Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has described the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo at the 21 September, 2024, Edo governorship as a divine answer to the people of the state’s prayer for an end to the previous administration that had rendered the whole environment very toxic.
The monarch said this in a congratulatory message to Okpebholo on his attainment of 100 days in office.
The Monarch, in a congratulatory message to the Governor signed by the Esere of Benin, Chief Stanley Osamwonyi, described the victory of Governor Okpebholo at the 21 September, 2024, governorship election as a watershed in the electoral history of the State,
According to Oba of Benin, the “psyche of the people of Edo State was severely brutalized and traditional institution in the State was also undermined, insulted and almost destroyed.
“There seemed to have been a vengeance against Edo people for reasons better known to the perpetrators which virtually took over the governance of the State before your Excellency took office”.
According to him, prior to the inauguration of Governor Okpebholo, the traditional institution in the State which forms a supportive part of governance had been subjected to the most avoidable meddlesomeness which was a calculated attempt to destroy the entire fabric of the institution.
The Oba added that these orchestrated design was undertaken in several ways including: through the unwarranted attempt to appropriate ancient ancestral artifacts which belong to the Oba of Benin, as well as through an unlawful move to create traditional councils in Edo South in total disregard for the established customary laws of the Benin people as duly declared in the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Laws of the State.
Other means he said were through the denial of statutory entitlements to the Benin Traditional Council, among other unfortunate actions and, through the revocation of the concession of Oba Akenzua ll Cultural Centre which was concessioned to HRM Oba Ewuare ll and the clandestine attempt to annex part of it and add to the Central Hospital Grounds which was demolished to make way for a private museum called MOWAA.
