Okpebholo Returns Full Powers of Oba of Benin
Monday Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State, has done away with the new traditional councils that Godwin Obaseki established in the Edo South senatorial area.
In addition to re-establishing the Benin Traditional Council’s (BTC) constitutional financial rights, the governor directed that everything remain unchanged as before the councils were disbanded.
This was revealed in a statement made public in Benin City on Sunday by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
Following the previous government’s creation of new traditional councils in Edo South, this administration hereby abolishes them, as stated in the announcement.
“The President of Nigeria, Okpebholo, has reinstated the Benin Traditional Council’s (BTC) statutory financial entitlements and has directed that the pre-council status quo be preserved.”
According to him, Okpebholo also followed a federal government order by returning the historic items stolen by British colonial soldiers in the 1897 Benin massacre to the rightful owner, the Oba of Benin.
Itua claims that the governor’s actions were consistent with his desire to make up for the mistakes made by the previous administration and to encourage goodwill between the executive branch and the general populace.
Along with the revocation of the previous administration’s concession for the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre, the state government withdrew the letter.
The Okpebholo government is repairing the facility so that it can serve its original function again, according to the statement.
“The current government is not affiliated with the Museum of West African Art (MOWA), which was supported by the previous administration. Instead, it is supporting the original proposal put up by the state government to construct the Benin Royal Museum, which would serve as a repository for the recovered treasures.
Oba Ewuare II of Benin was officially recognised as the owner and custodian of the treasures that were repatriated when the Federal Government published a gazette stating as much. A government notice was published in the official gazette of the federal republic of Nigeria, volume 110, number 57, to accomplish this.
Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare ll, the traditional ruler of the Benin Kingdom, has the full respect of Governor Okpebholo. The governor’s government is committed to helping the monarch fulfil his responsibility as guardian of the Benin people’s cultural legacy.
The decision by the Federal Government to recognise the Oba of Benin as the only owner of the artefacts retrieved from the Benin masaca of 1897, which were plundered by British Colonial forces, would have the full backing of the Okpebholo government.
“The Oba of Benin, as the patriarch of the Benin people, has the unique responsibility of preserving their cultural heritage. My government recognises and honours this heritage and, as a result, reinstates the Oba’s legal rights as the rightful steward of the restituted artefacts from Benin.”
“Governor Okpebholo has stated that his government is dedicated to ensuring that the Benin Traditional Council’s internal matters remain unencumbered.
To restore all other Statutory Rights of the Monarch not listed above, the Governor is utilising his constitutional authorities, respecting traditional institutions, and honouring the venerable Oba of Benin, it said.