Jonathan’s campaigners are desecrating our
traditional institution — Royal family
The past few weeks in Benin Kingdom has been tense following the disagreement between top Benin palace chiefs over the re-election
ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The tension was expected following the
resolve by Governor Adams Oshiomhole that the people of Edo will State not
support the re-election of Jonathan after he accused the President of
abandoning the people of the state notwithstanding that they voted massively
for him in 2011.
Oshiomhole has matched his words with action by
campaigning vigorously in all the nooks and crannies of the state for the
presidential candidate of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),
Gen.Muhammadu Buhari.
However, what is causing the unease in the kingdom
is the declaration by the Esogban of Benin and Chairman of the Benin Forum,
Chief David Edebiri, that the Binis will not vote for Jonathan. His declaration
was a big blow against pro-Jonathan campaigners in the state, led by the state
Coordinator, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Edebiri is the Odionwere (traditional
head) of Benin Kingdom and second most powerful chief in the kingdom after the
Iyase, Chief Sam Igbe. The Benin Forum, which he chairs, is the most powerful
umbrella body of all Binis.
Like Ohanaeze Ndigbo covers the Igbo, the forum is
the mouth piece of the Binis and directly under the supervision of the Oba of
Benin. Therefore, when the Esogban speaks, his words are respected. Therefore,
it was not surprising that his comment that the Binis will not vote for
Jonathan elicited the reactions it generated.
Erediauwa and Jonathan
The Binis control seven Local Governments in Edo
State. As the group with the largest in population in the state, any one that
takes them for granted may have his or her fingers burnt. Knowing the
implication of the Esogban’s statement, Jonathan’s men, led by Ize-Iyamu, rose
to challenge him.
They paid a visit to the Isekhure of Benin Kingdom,
Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, where the chief, who is the chief Priest of the
Kingdom, flayed the Esogban’s comment and backed the re-election of Jonathan.
The Eson of Benin Kingdom, Chief Amos Osunbor, who himself is a chieftain of
the PDP, also criticised the Esogban’s comments declaring that the Binis will
vote for Jonathan. They accused the Esogban of using the BF to support the APC
and urged him to resign.
But, the Forum, through its Public Relations
Officer, Michael Ogbeide-Ihama, explained that Esogban’s comments were his
personal opinion and not that of the Forum, recalling that the Forum had
earlier stated that it would not endorse any presidential candidate and
wondered why the attack on the Esogban. While insisting that the Esogban’s
comment was in exercise of his fundamental human rights as an elder statesman,
the Forum emphasized that “those peddling this false rumour that there is
crisis in the Forum should desist from it in their own interest”. He added:
“For the avoidance of doubt, let me emphasize that Chief D.U.Edebiri enjoys the
implicit confidence of members of the Benin Forum”.
As PDP sympathizers continued to attack the
Esogban, palace chiefs and Enigies, under the aegis of Otu Odolevbo-Osioba, led
by Osagiobariase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Jackson Igbinovia, came up with a
statement threatening to invoke the powers of the gods against those launching
personal attack on the person of the Esogban. Their statement said, “The Binis
would not want to be fooled for many times after we massively voted for
President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 as advised by Comrade Governor Adams
Oshiomhole. Hence, Chief Edebiri’s statement is geared towards creating
awareness for his people not to be fooled again.
President Jonathan has been in office for six years
now and has not been able to affect our lives positively, particularly the
Binis. For six years of his administration, the only Bini man that worked under
him as a Minister of State for Works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi was removed. Since
he was dropped, no Bini man has come on board to serve in his government. So
the Enigies and we palace chiefs are backing the comment, made by the Esogban,
the Odionwere of Benin Kingdom because he is agitating well for the Binis,
therefore he owes no body any apology. The statement credited to him is
supported by our group. The people castigating Esogban are doing so for their
own selfish reasons as they go to Abuja to get money for themselves and nothing
else, undermining the interest of the Binis”.
CRACK
But what appears to be a crack in the Forum came on
Monday, when the Secretary of the Benin Forum, Mr Henry Ogbodu, a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria, came up with a statement which members of the Forum,
including the Chairman, Edebiri, described as an unauthorized statement.
Ogbodu, who stressed that the comment made by the Esogban was his personal opinion
and not that of the Forum, went on to declare that even if the Forum will
endorse any presidential candidate, it will be Jonathan, since the Oba, through
the Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, had, last year, endorsed the President in
Abuja during a visit.
Ogbodu’s statement came
as a shock to members of the Forum. Worried by the situation in the Forum, the
royal family reacted to the statements of some of the chiefs describing them as
abominable. Younger brother of the Oba and the Enogie of Obazuwa, Prince Edun
Akenzua, who addressed journalists, on Tuesday, disclosed that the royal family
was worried over what he described as a deliberate attempt to desecrate the
traditional institution in the name of politics.
The Royal family specifically described as
disrespectful the alleged open castigation of the Esogban by the Eson of Benin
Kingdom, Osunbor, saying that the Eson’s action was against the rules of the
palace since Esogban is senior to him in the hierarchy of the palace chiefs.
While noting that Esogban’s declaration that the Binis will not vote for
Jonathan was in order, he said, “ I have even said it myself that after the
Binis voted the President in 2011,when Oshiomhole said we should support him,
the man has not done anything for our people. And when the Esogban spoke, he
did not say he was speaking on behalf of the Benin Forum which I am a member,
he said he was speaking his mind. And let us not forget that as chairman of the
forum, he protects the interest of the Binis and not that of a few. So if he
says Binis will not vote for Jonathan because he has not done anything for the
Binis, what is wrong with that comment? Personally, I have not seen anything
that Jonathan has done for us as a people and if there is anything let them
come and show me”.
Hinting that Osunbor may be sanctioned according to
palace rules over his comment, he explained that “the disturbing aspect of the
whole episode is the indiscipline and disloyalty to the Benin cause and our
revered institution”. Akenzua went on: “In order to comprehend the gravity and
implication of Eson’s act, it is important to explain briefly the organogram of
Benin chieftaincy. Palace or royal chiefs belong mainly to three groups,
namely: Eghaevbo n’ore, Eghaevbo n’Ogbe and Ibiwe.Iyase is the head of Eghaevbo
n’orhe. Esogban, Eson and Osuma belong to the same group and are in that order
of seniority. That means Eson is next to Esogban in the hierarchy of that
group. Esogban, Eson and Isekhure can exercise their freedom of speech, but
that freedom of speech does not extend to a chief or member of the royal court
to publicly and derisively criticize his colleague, more so a senior one. In
the military or the uniformed forces, the erring person would be court
marshalled”.
On the comment by Isekhure that the Binis will back
Jonathan since the Oba, through the Crown Prince, had, last year, endorsed the
President in Abuja. Akenzua asserted that “Chief Isekhure gave the impression
that he was the Oba’s spokesman”, adding: “It must be said that the Oba does
not, I repeat, does not endorse any politician. They all visit him to seek his
support and blessings. The Oba mandates the senior chief at court during the
visit to say prayer. That prayer is stereotyped that God may give to Benin and
to Nigeria the person who will develop our land and make it possible for
citizens to put three square meals on their tables. And this issue that the Oba
endorsed Jonathan through the Crown Prince, how are you sure that the Crown
Prince was not misquoted in that report? At that time the report was published,
Jonathan had not told anybody that he was running for President; so how could
the Oba endorse someone who has not indicated interest then?”
Adding that there was a grand design to rubbish the
Benin royal family which he however declared that will be resisted, Akenzua
narrated: “After what the Jonathan’s campaigners did at the palace last time,
trying to create confusion, only last Friday, the Coordinators of the
presidential campaign team carried their rally into the Holy Aruosa Cathedral.
That was desecration of a holy place of worship. They can seek the Ohensa’s
prayer, support and blessing but to take over his place of worship is
outrageous. It is even more so when the leader or the coordinator is a pastor
of the Redeemed Christian Church. I wonder if he will do that in his church?
The Aruosa Cathedral re-established by my father in
1949 or so is a heritage of Benin, just as the monarchy and Rolls Royce are to
the British. Benin will not allow it to be desecrated. Invading the Holy Aruosa
Cathedral as Pastor Ize-Iyamu and his team did on Friday and the palace earlier
shows how desperate they are to capture the royal institution. Whatever they
do, the Benin at home and in the Diaspora will resist any agent, the enemies of
the Benin may employ to demystify Great Benin”.
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These has being the method of rule by this govt. Divide and rule method.
ReplyDeleteDivide and rule was the tools in the hand of IBB now passed to GEJ same 3 letter words, don't worry go and re-rain your dollars on their hand so that they can all come in accord to endorse you Mr. Otuoke shoeless boy. You can't dry the country off her resources, bcos God pass your evil plan. Ay.com
ReplyDeleteOur corrupt president just needs to show up with part of the missing $20b and all shall be well. I hope the Bini leaders are not going to offer themselves for sale. The buyer president is ready at all times.
ReplyDeleteThank God for prince Akenzua boldness and statement,the benin royal institution can not be drack in to the dirty politic of president Jonathan.Jonothan di not deserve the vite of the benin people because he has done nothing to this part of the country even no minister from this same part of the country in his cabinet.
ReplyDelete