The Chairman of the Council and Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’ Edo, Ewuare II, spoke during the closed doors meeting with the President.
He said: “Mr. President, we as traditional rulers in Edo State, are concerned about the crisis between Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the All Progressives Congress National Chairman and his Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Edo State House of Assembly.
“If this crisis is not resolved now with immediate effect it may jeopardize the progress of the state.
“On behalf of the good people of Edo State, we kindly appeal to Mr. President to use your good offices to intervene and stop this crisis,” he added
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Description
The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler of the Edo people and all Edoid people and head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Empire – a West African empire centred on Benin City, in modern-day Nigeria. The ancient Benin homeland has been and continues to be mostly populated by the Edo
The Olodiama Youth Council (OYC), in Edo State has advised the monarch of Benin, Oba Ewuare II against accepting the 300 hectares of land being offer him by Gov. Godwin Obaseki at Gelegele community for the monarch’s proposed housing estate.
The youths who described the offer as a ‘Greek Gift’ said it was meant to get the monarch to support him as the state gears towards the 2020 Governorship elections.
While bemoaning the neglect of Ijaw communities in Edo by the state government, the OYC said, the present government has consistently acted on issues of Gelegele without consultation with the people of the community.
Spokesman of the OYC, Mr Tari Opobunu vowed that the ljaws in Edo, were ready to confront the state government should it continue with the current ugly trend.
“Not too long ago, the government, without prior warning or notice, came to Gelegele with armed soldiers with the intention of occupying the community land under dispute, forcefully.
“İn furtherance to this, only recently, they came with armed policemen to again forcefully acquired 300 hectares of land without previous consultation with the people.
“We were told that the intention is to give the land to the Oba for the construction of a housing estate.
“While we are very much ready to welcome any move that will bring positive infrastructurer development to our community, we are however against any move where the people concerned are not brought into the picture.
“The fact is that this government treats the Ijaws as if we are not part of Edo State; not only have we been abandoned as a people, we have also failed to see any presence of government in our communities. ”