There was a certain article “Edo South Monarchs Have Endorsed Obaseki” published by the outgoing APC government of Edo State and Godwin Obaseki Campaign Organisation which trended on social media. Again there was a similar publication where a certain palace chief, popularly called ‘Oracle’ purportedly endorsed the APC along with ‘Palace chiefs of Benin kingdom’.
Noting that the Benin Palace is expected to be politically neutral, it is offensive, sacrilegious and out of place for anyone, other than the Oba of Benin or the Crown Prince, to arrogate to himself or herself the right to speak on behalf of the Benin kingdom.
Every right thinking Benin person is offended by the publications for three reasons and we demand a retraction and an unreserved apology within 72 hours failure of which, we shall commence a series of actions to thoroughly embarrass the APC, Oshiomhole, Obaseki and all that they represent. This is not a threat but a statement of purpose.
We are angry with particularly Obaseki for his hand behind these whole affronts against the Oba of Benin since he entered the gubernatorial race under the APC. First, the APC called our Oba “Iconoclastic”. I wrote an article to demand for an apology and retraction. They did. We thought that they were done. But it was not to be. Shortly afterwards, the APC issued an embarrassing document purporting to “Appoint an Oba for Benin”. Again, I wrote a rejoinder and they apologised. We moved on. And this time around, emboldened by the repeated assaults that have been repeatedly tolerated without serious consequences, they have taken the assault a bit to an iconoclastic extent by dividing the kingdom for our Oba, in our very own eyes, by saying that there are other “monarchs” in Benin Kingdom. This is very annoying. The Benin people are angry for the following three reasons.
First, there is only one monarch in Edo South. Not monarchs. Every other traditional institution owes allegiance to the Oba of Benin, to whom belong all the royal majesty of Edo South, which is synonymous with Benin Kingdom.
Secondly, the traditional rulers (not monarchs) in Edo South did not at any time endorse the APC candidate. The traditional institution in Benin Kingdom has repeatedly said that they are not partisan and the APC should learn to accept that reality. Should there be partisanship in the kingdom, it would most certainly be against the APC which has repeatedly shown signs of confrontation and power tussle against the traditional authority in Benin Kingdom.
Thirdly, we the Benin people are angry and worried about the fact that once again, the Obaseki is involved in acts of aggression against the Benin kingdom. The APC candidate and sponsor of this current affront, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, brings to mind a reminder of the painful past in our history which we had hoped was gone for good. His candidacy in the APC is a threat to our collective honour and we must, as a matter of honour, resist him – even though we do not necessarily have to change our parties or be partisan in this regard. We the Benin people just have to stand firm behind the Oba of Benin because he is the repository of our history, tradition, culture, identity and even our future as a people. No one should be allowed to mess up with our people without our putting up spirited resistance even at the pain of death – as Ologbosere, Obarisiagbon and a host of other heroes did for Ovonramwen. Never again!
Who are the Obasekis and why are they a constant source of threat, embarrassment and rebellion to the Oba of Benin? They have been in this onslaught since 1897.
In 1897 Agho Obaseki betrayed Oba Ovonramwen who made him a chief from the child of a slave boy in the palace that he was. A certain Mr Agho Oyoo from Nsukwa in Delta state, who later became Chief Obaseki, was the same famous Obaseki who betrayed his Oba, our Oba Ovonramwen into the hands of the British. From the time when the Oba was removed from Benin (an abomination) to Calabar in 1897 to September 1932 when Obaseki died, he appointed himself on British influence as the Iyase of Benin. When he died in September 1932, his son, Mr. Gaius Obaseki, was again rewarded by the British by being appointed as the representative of the Benin native council at the colonial central government and head of the Benin Native Authority.
Gaius Obaseki, the son of Agho Obaseki, was appointed as the authority in charge of the Benin native council by the British in continuation of the conspiracy between the Obaseki family and the British authority to decimate the sanctity of the Oba of Benin. To obliterate the royalty of Benin kingdom, he was also the sole representative of the Benin kingdom in the government at the centre in the colonial administration.
It is on record that he so fought the Oba of Benin then, Oba Akenzua, that he reduced his emolument by half (emolument payable by the British authority to the Oba), on top of that he wrote a Memo to the British authority wanting to reduce the power and influence of the Oba, and the British authority approved the Memo, to remove from the Oba of Benin the power and authority to appoint chiefs. It was as bad as that.
It is on record that Mr. Gaius Obaseki was not loyal to the Oba of Benin, copying from his father, Chief Agho Obaseki (the son of a former slave boy), sold out the Benin Kingdom that led to the end of the Benin Empire and the beginning of colonialism of not only Benin but also Nigeria as a whole. That action of Obaseki also led to the invasion of the Benin kingdom, the massacre, where so many precious Benin lives were lost, the great palace was razed down, artefacts were stolen, our women were raped, our men were humbled and humiliated, every other sub-palace that was in Benin kingdom was razed down by the British except that of Obaseki which consequently incurred a curse by Oba Eweka II (The Oba that was coronated without a palace) in anger as he looked up after his coronation that while he did not have a palace, Obaseki had one standing near him, by a location near the present day Oba Market. The curse was that the palace shall never have meetings of people but to be reduced to become a mere trading centre, which it is till this day.
And now, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, aka Godwin Oshiomhole, has come again trying to reinvent the Benin invasion by his desperation to become the Governor of Edo State through the back door, using another British incarnate, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, to humiliate the Benin people.
His party, the APC, acting on is advise as Economic Adviser, started this process by reducing the Benin youths to mere ticketing agents and merchants of violence. They moved ahead to humiliating the political leaders from Edo South (Ogbemudia, Oyegun, Ize-Iyamu, others – political leaders from Edo North have been carefully protected against the madness of the Madman of Iyahmoh). Then they proceeded to abusing important Benin chiefs appointed by the Oba. Empowered and protected an APC thug, Osakpamwan Eriyo Nomolest to beat up Prince Ekpen Erediauwa, Son of the Oba; Also, Adams Oshiomhole forcefully collected a plot of land near Government House from the same Oba’s son for a selfish personal interest after public molestation. It went further by their attempts to embarrass the majestic Benin Oba by describing our Oba as “Iconoclastic”. They didn’t stop there; they went ahead purporting to “Appoint an Oba for the indomitable Benin Kingdom”. As if those were not bad enough injury, only yesterday, 4th of August, 2016, they released a piece of propaganda purportedly to create a false impression of endorsement and they went ahead to use the sacrilegious words “MONARCHS in Edo South Endorse Obaseki”.
We have only one monarch in Edo South (Benin Kingdom) and that monarch is the paramount Monarch in Edo State, Oba of Benin. All other traditional leaders in Edo South are either enigies who are appointees of the Oba of Benin who derive their existence or termination of office from the authority of the Oba of Benin.
His very name, Enogheghase (meaning ‘My word is supreme’) is a direct affront, a rebellion, on the Benin traditional belief which is Oghobaghase (meaning the ruler’s word in supreme). It is not a mere coincidence that the man who betrayed Oba Ovonramwen into the hands of the colonials (foreigners who came to rule in Benin land) was a native of Benin called Chief Agho Obaseki. Obaseki is said to have aided a foreigner who invaded Benin to depose the Oba, deporting him to Calabar. That man was Captain Philip. Over a hundred years later, Oshiomhole (representing the Queen of England/government) has sent two men to repeat history; Obaseki and Philip. We the Benins shall see to it that we stop this repeat of history because, in 1897 our king as made to serve the Queen, but in 2016, in this new battle, as a fine poet stated in his poems published in “Unslept Dreams” 2005, ‘the Queen Shall Serve the King’. Affliction shall not happen to us in Edo land twice. Awhua!
Thus, Obaseki and his iconoclastic APC party are advised to leave our Oba alone and focus on coping with the realities on ground that by November 12, 2016, Edo State would be having a new governor who most definitely would be one with proven family history of unblemished and unalloyed loyalty and support for the revered monarchy and Kingdom of Benin.
Noting that the Benin Palace is expected to be politically neutral, it is offensive, sacrilegious and out of place for anyone, other than the Oba of Benin or the Crown Prince, to arrogate to himself or herself the right to speak on behalf of the Benin kingdom.
Every right thinking Benin person is offended by the publications for three reasons and we demand a retraction and an unreserved apology within 72 hours failure of which, we shall commence a series of actions to thoroughly embarrass the APC, Oshiomhole, Obaseki and all that they represent. This is not a threat but a statement of purpose.
We are angry with particularly Obaseki for his hand behind these whole affronts against the Oba of Benin since he entered the gubernatorial race under the APC. First, the APC called our Oba “Iconoclastic”. I wrote an article to demand for an apology and retraction. They did. We thought that they were done. But it was not to be. Shortly afterwards, the APC issued an embarrassing document purporting to “Appoint an Oba for Benin”. Again, I wrote a rejoinder and they apologised. We moved on. And this time around, emboldened by the repeated assaults that have been repeatedly tolerated without serious consequences, they have taken the assault a bit to an iconoclastic extent by dividing the kingdom for our Oba, in our very own eyes, by saying that there are other “monarchs” in Benin Kingdom. This is very annoying. The Benin people are angry for the following three reasons.
First, there is only one monarch in Edo South. Not monarchs. Every other traditional institution owes allegiance to the Oba of Benin, to whom belong all the royal majesty of Edo South, which is synonymous with Benin Kingdom.
Secondly, the traditional rulers (not monarchs) in Edo South did not at any time endorse the APC candidate. The traditional institution in Benin Kingdom has repeatedly said that they are not partisan and the APC should learn to accept that reality. Should there be partisanship in the kingdom, it would most certainly be against the APC which has repeatedly shown signs of confrontation and power tussle against the traditional authority in Benin Kingdom.
Thirdly, we the Benin people are angry and worried about the fact that once again, the Obaseki is involved in acts of aggression against the Benin kingdom. The APC candidate and sponsor of this current affront, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, brings to mind a reminder of the painful past in our history which we had hoped was gone for good. His candidacy in the APC is a threat to our collective honour and we must, as a matter of honour, resist him – even though we do not necessarily have to change our parties or be partisan in this regard. We the Benin people just have to stand firm behind the Oba of Benin because he is the repository of our history, tradition, culture, identity and even our future as a people. No one should be allowed to mess up with our people without our putting up spirited resistance even at the pain of death – as Ologbosere, Obarisiagbon and a host of other heroes did for Ovonramwen. Never again!
Who are the Obasekis and why are they a constant source of threat, embarrassment and rebellion to the Oba of Benin? They have been in this onslaught since 1897.
In 1897 Agho Obaseki betrayed Oba Ovonramwen who made him a chief from the child of a slave boy in the palace that he was. A certain Mr Agho Oyoo from Nsukwa in Delta state, who later became Chief Obaseki, was the same famous Obaseki who betrayed his Oba, our Oba Ovonramwen into the hands of the British. From the time when the Oba was removed from Benin (an abomination) to Calabar in 1897 to September 1932 when Obaseki died, he appointed himself on British influence as the Iyase of Benin. When he died in September 1932, his son, Mr. Gaius Obaseki, was again rewarded by the British by being appointed as the representative of the Benin native council at the colonial central government and head of the Benin Native Authority.
Gaius Obaseki, the son of Agho Obaseki, was appointed as the authority in charge of the Benin native council by the British in continuation of the conspiracy between the Obaseki family and the British authority to decimate the sanctity of the Oba of Benin. To obliterate the royalty of Benin kingdom, he was also the sole representative of the Benin kingdom in the government at the centre in the colonial administration.
It is on record that he so fought the Oba of Benin then, Oba Akenzua, that he reduced his emolument by half (emolument payable by the British authority to the Oba), on top of that he wrote a Memo to the British authority wanting to reduce the power and influence of the Oba, and the British authority approved the Memo, to remove from the Oba of Benin the power and authority to appoint chiefs. It was as bad as that.
It is on record that Mr. Gaius Obaseki was not loyal to the Oba of Benin, copying from his father, Chief Agho Obaseki (the son of a former slave boy), sold out the Benin Kingdom that led to the end of the Benin Empire and the beginning of colonialism of not only Benin but also Nigeria as a whole. That action of Obaseki also led to the invasion of the Benin kingdom, the massacre, where so many precious Benin lives were lost, the great palace was razed down, artefacts were stolen, our women were raped, our men were humbled and humiliated, every other sub-palace that was in Benin kingdom was razed down by the British except that of Obaseki which consequently incurred a curse by Oba Eweka II (The Oba that was coronated without a palace) in anger as he looked up after his coronation that while he did not have a palace, Obaseki had one standing near him, by a location near the present day Oba Market. The curse was that the palace shall never have meetings of people but to be reduced to become a mere trading centre, which it is till this day.
And now, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, aka Godwin Oshiomhole, has come again trying to reinvent the Benin invasion by his desperation to become the Governor of Edo State through the back door, using another British incarnate, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, to humiliate the Benin people.
His party, the APC, acting on is advise as Economic Adviser, started this process by reducing the Benin youths to mere ticketing agents and merchants of violence. They moved ahead to humiliating the political leaders from Edo South (Ogbemudia, Oyegun, Ize-Iyamu, others – political leaders from Edo North have been carefully protected against the madness of the Madman of Iyahmoh). Then they proceeded to abusing important Benin chiefs appointed by the Oba. Empowered and protected an APC thug, Osakpamwan Eriyo Nomolest to beat up Prince Ekpen Erediauwa, Son of the Oba; Also, Adams Oshiomhole forcefully collected a plot of land near Government House from the same Oba’s son for a selfish personal interest after public molestation. It went further by their attempts to embarrass the majestic Benin Oba by describing our Oba as “Iconoclastic”. They didn’t stop there; they went ahead purporting to “Appoint an Oba for the indomitable Benin Kingdom”. As if those were not bad enough injury, only yesterday, 4th of August, 2016, they released a piece of propaganda purportedly to create a false impression of endorsement and they went ahead to use the sacrilegious words “MONARCHS in Edo South Endorse Obaseki”.
We have only one monarch in Edo South (Benin Kingdom) and that monarch is the paramount Monarch in Edo State, Oba of Benin. All other traditional leaders in Edo South are either enigies who are appointees of the Oba of Benin who derive their existence or termination of office from the authority of the Oba of Benin.
His very name, Enogheghase (meaning ‘My word is supreme’) is a direct affront, a rebellion, on the Benin traditional belief which is Oghobaghase (meaning the ruler’s word in supreme). It is not a mere coincidence that the man who betrayed Oba Ovonramwen into the hands of the colonials (foreigners who came to rule in Benin land) was a native of Benin called Chief Agho Obaseki. Obaseki is said to have aided a foreigner who invaded Benin to depose the Oba, deporting him to Calabar. That man was Captain Philip. Over a hundred years later, Oshiomhole (representing the Queen of England/government) has sent two men to repeat history; Obaseki and Philip. We the Benins shall see to it that we stop this repeat of history because, in 1897 our king as made to serve the Queen, but in 2016, in this new battle, as a fine poet stated in his poems published in “Unslept Dreams” 2005, ‘the Queen Shall Serve the King’. Affliction shall not happen to us in Edo land twice. Awhua!
Thus, Obaseki and his iconoclastic APC party are advised to leave our Oba alone and focus on coping with the realities on ground that by November 12, 2016, Edo State would be having a new governor who most definitely would be one with proven family history of unblemished and unalloyed loyalty and support for the revered monarchy and Kingdom of Benin.
