Oba of Benin: Obaseki Brutalised Edo People’s Psyche, Undermined Traditional Institutions

•Says he acted as if he had personal vendetta

Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja

The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare ll, yesterday, took a swipeat the administration of former Godwin Obaseki, saying hebrutalised the psyche of Edo people and underminedtraditional institutions in the state.

The Oba, who made this known  in a congratulatory message signed on his behalf by the Esere of Benin kingdom, Chief S O Obamwonyi, said the previous administration took Edo people for granted, and acted as if it had a personal vendetta against the traditional institution and the people of Edo.

Expressing satisfaction with the current administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the monarch thanked  the governor for  correcting the anomalies of Obaseki, and bringing relief and succor to Edo people.

Reminiscing on how Obaseki “disregarded, disrespected and denigrated” the Benin traditional institution, Oba Ewuare II noted that Obaseki used the instrumentality of his office to create a rift between the traditional institutions and the state government, disregarding traditional rulers and chiefs in the process.

“The psyche of the people of Edo State was severely brutalised 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,” Oba Ewaure said.

The revered monarch added that prior to the inauguration of Okpebholo, the traditional institution in the state, which formed 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.

Oba Ewuare ll said the Obaseki administration orchestrated and undertook several steps to weaken the traditional institution, undermined, insulted and almost destroyed through the unwarranted attempt to appropriate ancient ancestral artifacts, which belong to the Oba of Benin.

He also accused Obaseki of 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.

He noted that the Obaseki administration denied Benin Traditional Council of its statutory entitlements, took 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.