IRKED by the assault meted out on his son, Prince Ekpen Erediauwa, by the Chairman of the Edo State Task Force Committee on the Vandalization of Pipeline and also the youth leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Edo State, Mr Osakpanwa Eriyo, the Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, yesterday, placed a curse on the alleged culprit after describing the action as a taboo in Benin Kingdom.


PROTEST: Chiefs and elders of Benin placing curses on the Chairman of the Taskforce Committee on the Vandalisation of Pipelines, over his alleged assault on the Oba of Benin's son, at the Oba's Palace, in Benin City, yesterday. Photo by Barnabas Uzosike.

This came as thousands of youths, dressed in red attire, market women and royal family members, protested round Benin City, yesterday, demanding for the banishment of Eriyo from the kingdom, explaining that assaulting a Prince of the kingdom was sacrilegious, and capital punishment should be meted on him.

Meanwhile, the Edo State government, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Peter Okhiria, yesterday, announced the suspension of Mr Eriyo as Chairman of the Anti-Pipeline Vandalization Committee, adding “all contracts in respect of revenue collection in Oredo Local Government Area are also hereby suspended.”

See more photos here

It will be recalled that Eriyo, who also doubles as the Chairman Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Edo State chapter, had weekend, assaulted the Transition Committee Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area of the state, Prince Erediauwa during a meeting of the leadership of the ACN in Oredo council. But Osakpanwa had denied that he assaulted the Prince in a statement.

Reacting swiftly, the Oba’s chiefs, led by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe; the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri; Obasogie of Benin Kingdom, Chief Eduwor Ekhator and the entire palace chiefs, went round the city, with pots of charms and placed curse on Osakpanwa after he was declared an enemy of the Oba.

In a statement by the Chairman, Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Oba’s Palace, Chief Eduwor Ekhator, it said “no one can demystify the monarchical value of the Benin Royal Palace of the Oba. Attempt by any person or persons to destroy the long existing peace and unity of the Benin will be checked with rebuked condemnation.

“The attempt on the Benin Prince was a demonstration of recklessness and lack of respect for a constituted authority. It is highly provocative, sacrilegious and unacceptable and thereby deserves total condemnation by every Edo son and daughter both at home and in the Diaspora. However, the palace of the Oba advises all sympathizers to obey the rule of law,” it added.

PROTESTING YOUTHS PHOTOS

ACTIVITIES IN BENIN TODAY WAS PARALYZED AS YOUTHS CAME OUT TO PROTEST WHAT IS CALLED TABOO IN BENIN AS TASKFORCE BOSS WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEAT UP THE OBA OF BENIN'S SON.PHOTOS BY BARNABAS UZOSIKE.
OBA CHIEFS PRONOUNCING CURSES ON THE TASK-FORCE BOSS, MR.OSAKPANWA ERIYO.

protesting youths

tonte23:

IRKED by the assault meted out on his son, Prince Ekpen Erediauwa, by the Chairman of the Edo State Task Force Committee on the Vandalization of Pipeline and also the youth leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Edo State, Mr Osakpanwa Eriyo, the Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, yesterday, placed a curse on the alleged culprit after describing the action as a taboo in Benin Kingdom.


PROTEST: Chiefs and elders of Benin placing curses on the Chairman of the Taskforce Committee on the Vandalisation of Pipelines, over his alleged assault on the Oba of Benin's son, at the Oba's Palace, in Benin City, yesterday. Photo by Barnabas Uzosike.

This came as thousands of youths, dressed in red attire, market women and royal family members, protested round Benin City, yesterday, demanding for the banishment of Eriyo from the kingdom, explaining that assaulting a Prince of the kingdom was sacrilegious, and capital punishment should be meted on him.


Meanwhile, the Edo State government, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Peter Okhiria, yesterday, announced the suspension of Mr Eriyo as Chairman of the Anti-Pipeline Vandalization Committee, adding “all contracts in respect of revenue collection in Oredo Local Government Area are also hereby suspended.”

See more photos here

It will be recalled that Eriyo, who also doubles as the Chairman Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Edo State chapter, had weekend, assaulted the Transition Committee Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area of the state, Prince Erediauwa during a meeting of the leadership of the ACN in Oredo council. But Osakpanwa had denied that he assaulted the Prince in a statement.

Reacting swiftly, the Oba’s chiefs, led by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe; the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri; Obasogie of Benin Kingdom, Chief Eduwor Ekhator and[b] the entire palace chiefs, went round the city, with pots of charms and placed curse on Osakpanwa after he was declared an enemy of the Oba.
[/b]

In a statement by the Chairman, Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Oba’s Palace, Chief Eduwor Ekhator, it said “no one can demystify the monarchical value of the Benin Royal Palace of the Oba. Attempt by any person or persons to destroy the long existing peace and unity of the Benin will be checked with rebuked condemnation.

“The attempt on the Benin Prince was a demonstration of recklessness and lack of respect for a constituted authority. It is highly provocative, sacrilegious and unacceptable and thereby deserves total condemnation by every Edo son and daughter both at home and in the Diaspora. However, the palace of the Oba advises all sympathizers to obey the rule of law,” it added.

Why do benin people believe in jazz so much ? They are just wasting their time on somebody that they can easily charge to court for assault.what is special about the son of an oba ? If these peopl were to rule Nigeria,we would have become their slaves.
There is no way for absolutism by anybody including the so called mystical oba of benin.Nigeria's constitution is supreme than any occult law.

Writer above you apparently do not quite figure the seriousness of this matter. A revered institution was brought to disrepute. Let's think the unthinkable that someone on the payroll of British government turned around and beat up any member of the Britain’s royal family, That beating would trigger 2 forces. 1. The law of the land would punish the person for assault and battery. 2. The person would also face various offences for endangering the life of a member of the royal family and public mischief for bringing disrepute to a revered British institution. The massive outrage that would follow will dominate the news for days.

In this matter Agbero Eriyo stuck his finger in asp net and so [he] should be prepared for what is coming his way. After all it is said those who live by the sword [shall] die by the sword. Eriyo did not respect the laws of the land and did not respect a revered institution and in so doing opened up himself to forces that are beyond his agbero powers. As for those of us Christians who would preach that the curse is wrong because Christ told his followers to forgive and to not curse… well remember Christ also taught that people should give to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to God what belonged to God. If Eriyo knows his onions then he should begin immediate act of contrition and beg for forgiveness. Otherwise the devil just got a new job.

What is it that I don't understand ? That a tradition of some people still makes them behave like the middle ages in this contemporary era ? Abeg the only law I know in Nigeria is the constitution nd it's the supreme law of the land.

@tonte
I Concur.

Exactly! the Nigerian constitution stands supreme and that same constitution gives way for customary laws. That is why the customary court stands supreme in customary issues. this issue involeves the Prince of the Benin kingdom. And this same revered Benin Kingdom pays Mr Agbero Eriyo who assaulted the prince. He is liable to the customary laws of the Benin Kingdom. His fundamental rights is not being trampled on.

tonte23:

As for those of us Christians who would preach that the curse is wrong because Christ told his followers to forgive and to not curse… well remember Christ also taught that people should give to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to God what belonged to God. If Eriyo knows his onions then he should begin immediate act of contrition and beg for forgiveness. Otherwise the devil just got a new job.

Ehmmm, really? What did Jesus do to the fig tree in Mark 11:14?

~Bluetooth:

Why do benin people believe in jazz so much ? They are just wasting their time on somebody that they can easily charge to court for assault.what is special about the son of an oba ? If these peopl were to rule Nigeria,we would have become their slaves.
There is no way for absolutism by anybody including the so called mystical oba of benin.Nigeria's constitution is supreme than any occult law.

Why do you people show so much intolerance?
Basic JSS1 Social Studies tells us that there are three main religions in Nigeria

1. Christianity
2. Islam
3. African Traditional Religion

It is an act of extreme hypocrisy for Christians to verbally attack Nigerians practicing African Traditional religion and yet complain when they are targeted by the likes of Boko haram elsewhere. Every single one of those three religions has aspects that can be derided for being 'backward' by people inclined only towards science and modernism.

texazzpete:

Why do you people show so much intolerance?
Basic JSS1 Social Studies tells us that there are three main religions in Nigeria

1. Christianity
2. Islam
3. African Traditional Religion

It is an act of extreme hypocrisy for Christians to verbally attack Nigerians practicing African Traditional religion and yet complain when they are targeted by the likes of Boko haram elsewhere. Every single one of those three religions has aspects that can be derided for being 'backward' by people inclined only towards science and modernism.

Exactly. Those who preach equity must come with clean hands.