Unibener:


You just dey talk anyhow. If you are in Benin they for don beat You tire.
I don want the artifacts to go to the palace becos I doubt those guys can maintain it and attract tourists , but I respect the Oba o.
The office is sacred, He is not like that political clown in Lagos.

Now You Know

if oba said he can maintain it then I think he can

Don't forget he is one that loves modernized life, he has refurbished the palace to standard, he has taken time to sort for land for this purpose

He has created a registered palace trust for it which would also be by private sector but domiciled in the palace

Is this not better than waking up one day to know that the company obaseki gave the artifacts to is his private business

Obaseki would relocate to Lagos as usual and start controlling the collective heritage of binis from there earing top dollar

Kingrefreshed:


If I am a Governor' in Nigeria. I will be more like Governor Wike. In this situation if I am obaseki I will dethrone him as fast as the speed of light so it will serve as a deterrent to others that might want to emulate him.

He cannot even think it or even try to do it. Benin monarchy is the oldest in the world with the strongest traditional and cultural institution. Go and help obaseki dethrone him na I'diot.you don't know the history of Benin traditions, so don't say what you don't know. Go and find out what happened to the military administrator Oyeregbulem who even conceived dethrone the Oba, how him and the whole family went into oblivion.

Obaseki himself knows he cannot even think it, not to talk of putting it into action.

limeta:
While the palace wants the artefacts kept in the Benin Royal Museum, which will be built within the palace, Public property
I well think obaseki is right
There should be no ownership to it by any means
why build the museum inside the Palace
what about public free acces.

You people should stop commenting on issues you have no idea about. The obas palace is easy for anyone to enter except during igue festival. Secondly the largest land owner after the government is the oba

DeFuturePresido:
The crux of the disagreement is this: Who should rightfully take custody of these artefacts? To answer the question, let us take two approaches:

1. Who was the original owner of these artefacts, and who, today, physically embodies that person?

2. Who has the greatest capacity to preserve these artefacts for the greater good of the largest number of people and for posterity? Is it
A. The Benin Royal Palace,
B. A privately managed Museum Trust,
C. The Edo State Government or
D. The Federal Government of Nigeria?

ANSWERS
1. The rightful original "owner" or custodian was Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, who was deposed during the British "punitive expedition" of 9 - 17 Feb 1897, which was led by Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson, and which led to sacking of the Benin empire.

The person that, today, physically embodies Oba Ovonramwen is (unequivocally) the current ruler of Benin Kingdom, Oba Eheneden Erediauwa Ewuare II.

2. The answer to who can best manage the artifacts, unfortunately, is not straight forward. Technically, it should be the Federal or State government. However, you only need to pay a visit to Federal and State museums, libraries, or monuments across the country to understand that good management and maintenance is not a strong point of government in these parts.

That leaves us with The Royal Palace or The Private Trust.

My inclination is to suggest a merger of the two options:

A. The museum/cultural district should be built in the location chosen by the Oba of Benin.
B. The museum/cultural district should be managed by the Private Trust.
C. Oba Ewuare II should be made the Chairman of the Trust.
D. The CEO of the Trust should be a thoroughly seasoned professional and should be chosen via a merit-based selection process.
E. Members of the Trust Board should be drawn equally from nominees provided by the Benin Palace, the State Government, the Trust's Directors and the Federal Government.
F. All decisions should be made via simple majority votes.

I believe that this option will resolve the issue and provide the best solution.

Well spoken!

Mikecold:
you are deceiving yourself

The artifacts were created by the iguns under the direction of the palace for the palace

The artifacts owe traditional values to the bini culture, everything is not about been politically or historically correct

They artifacts are traditions to the ancentors of bini, I doubt you see it from that angle, more like taking bini dieties and making a public show of it

If oba feels it's very important he wants it then it's very important as the custodian of the culture, he has provided a museum trust for it as magnanimity is that not enough

He wants it in their natural element domiciled in the palace where it bears root and significance to the bini dieties

The oba has numerous segment and lands in the palace upon which there can be a museum without interfering with the palace sacredness

I am sure you are not even Edo sef if not you would realize that the bini culture is more or less a service to the oba ultimately

So I laugh when people like you talk about bini culture should be given to a governor when even bini tradition says oba owns it all including all lands

I listened to a radio program on ebs (state government radio) the presenter an elderly bini man was calling for those instigating tussle with the oba on his jurisdiction to stop

He said so damming the consequences of been sacked

This is not about politics this is about tradition and obaseki who obviously never lived in binin doesn't know tradition just like he went to a palace without kolanut for prayers

Blablabla... You have made no sense.
Govt owns the traditional council.
Deal with it

Bundaweber:




You people should stop commenting on issues you have no idea about. The obas palace is easy for anyone to enter except during igue festival. Secondly the largest land owner after the government is the oba

oga you are the clueless one... I dare you to enter the palace without no protocols.... You will be shot at the gate.
The palace is only open for all without checks on occasions, any other day you will be bounced back if you have no concrete reason to visit the palace.

thundafire:
Then is it not better it's kept at Germany because dis folks go use juju destroy themselves.

The best comment so far

Kingrefreshed:


If I am a Governor' in Nigeria. I will be more like Governor Wike. In this situation if I am obaseki I will dethrone him as fast as the speed of light so it will serve as a deterrent to others that might want to emulate him.

Ignorance.

Oba of Benin?

Mikecold:
As oba of bini you can't possibly know the importance of each artifact from the other

What i can say is this oba is one that has chosen to follow traditions to the latter

Where his father might have soft peddled and allow things slip, this one doesn't water anything down

What has knowing d importance of each from d other got to do with d discussion? If u are towing that line, why then did u say that "Oba is the custodian of bini culture hope you also know that"?

So which tradition is oba ewuare following by building for himself a brand new modern palace which was different from that of his ancestors?

Which tradition did oba ewuare follow when he went to Abuja to welcome prince Charles and visit buhari in aso rock? Which tradition is he following by driving in a rolls Royce?

Indispensable85:


Try visit dat museum. Lol

What's wrong with it?

lexy2014:


What has knowing d importance of each from d other got to do with d discussion? If u are towing that line, why then did u say that "Oba is the custodian of bini culture hope you also know that"?

So which tradition is oba ewuare following by building for himself a brand new modern palace which was different from that of his ancestors?

Which tradition did oba ewuare follow when he went to Abuja to welcome prince Charles and visit buhari in aso rock? Which tradition is he following by driving in a rolls Royce?

Below is the previous oba akenzua in Lagos to meet up with the queen of England colonial masters of Nigeria which Bini falls in

You don't believe the oba in that pic treaked to Lagos or was carried on human carriage

Again below you would find a typical shrine as obtained in the palace they are still there, it is most of these that was stolen when the palace was invaded

Artifact for dieties

The palace refurbished how is it different from how the previous palace was constantly refurbished based on the best at it's times

Mikecold:
Below is the previous oba akenzua in Lagos to meet up with the queen of England colonial masters of Nigeria which Bini falls in

You don't believe the oba in that pic treaked to Lagos or was carried on human carriage

Again below you would find a typical shrine as obtained in the palace they are still there, it is most of these that was stolen when the palace was invaded

Artifact for dieties

The palace refurbished how is it different from how the previous palace was constantly refurbished based on the best at it's times

Refurbished? Has d meaning of d word refurbished changed?

U practically avoided all d question I asked:

1. What has knowing d importance of each from d other got to do with d discussion?
2. If u are towing that line, why then did u say that "Oba is the custodian of bini culture hope you also know that"?

3. So which tradition is oba ewuare following by building for himself a brand new modern palace which was different from that of his ancestors?

4. Which tradition did oba ewuare follow when he went to Abuja to welcome prince Charles and visit buhari in aso rock?
5. Which tradition is he following by driving in a rolls Royce?

lexy2014:


Refurbished? Has d meaning of d word refurbished changed?

U practically avoided all d question I asked:

1. What has knowing d importance of each from d other got to do with d discussion?
2. If u are towing that line, why then did u say that "Oba is the custodian of bini culture hope you also know that"?

3. So which tradition is oba ewuare following by building for himself a brand new modern palace which was different from that of his ancestors?

4. Which tradition did oba ewuare follow when he went to Abuja to welcome prince Charles and visit buhari in aso rock?
5. Which tradition is he following by driving in a rolls Royce?

You have not asked any question

I showed you he is not the first to own cars in travelling

I showed you he is still staying in the palace of his Ancestors without changing location

The oba is the custodian of the bini culture and i am not aware of when you changed it for bini kingdom

Indispensable85:



Certainly not the oba of Benin.

bro what happened in kano to sunusi Lamido can as well happen to d oba

Mikecold:
If obaseki could you think he would be taking this long

Don't mind that monicker. He probably never heard about the Onyearegbulem saga.

Judolisco:
bro what happened in kano to sunusi Lamido can as well happen to d oba

Lol.....you need to first understand that there's a light year difference between the emir of Kano and the Oba of Benin. They are two very different systems. The Oba doesn't derive his authority from the state government neither is he chosen or enthroned by the state government unlike the emir of Kano.

Mikecold:
you are not from edo yet you are foaming in the mouth when you don't know tradition

Just allow him to continue talking about what he knows zilch about. He thinks Oba of Benin stool is like that of Ooni of Ife who kept on hobnobbing with Abacha for material favour despite the misrule and bloodshed that characterized that regime.

About that 1998 suspension, I would try and look into it.

Obaseki can't replace the Oba of Benin even if he was dead.
Again the Oba of Benin stool is not an appointed position. There are ruling families who inherit it.

I know this because I had a neighbour here, who is a Bini man, I also have a close friend of mine who is also Bini we have spoken about the authority of the Oba of Benin. I was made to understand no one plays around with the Oba. Be you governor or president.

Anyway, Lets not digress too far from the topic. I believe, Obaseki should leave the custodian of Benin culture that is the Oba of Benin, to decide where to house the cultural artefacts of the Bini people.
Obaseki should concentrate on governance.

tishbite41:

Oga was suspended in1998.

The only thing you can say is that Obaseki cannot replace him while he's alive.

Obaseki can only displace him but not without repercussions.

AtikuNetwork:
Obaseki should put the Oba in his place and even dethrone him of need be. How dare he challenge the decision of a popular elected state governor? No monarch can be bigger than an elected government. He needs to be shown who is in charge.

You are obviously from the South East where there really isn't any traditional institution. If Obaseki could be that daring as you wish, then why didn't he disobey Oba's summon of himself, Philip Shuaibu, Oshiomhole and Iyamu in the build up to last year guber election in the state? Go and watch the video of Oba's intervention and see how Obaseki and every other actor all behaved themselves before the Oba. Anyway I leave you with a reminder of the experience of your brother Onyearegbulem when he as Edo State milad, attempted your wish with Oba Erediawa.

How I wish the artifacts could speak, they would have protested the repatriation back to edo state.

Indispensable85:



Lol.....you need to first understand that there's a light year difference between the emir of Kano and the Oba of Benin. They're are two very different systems. The Oba doesn't derive his authority from the state government neither is he chosen or enthroned by the state government unlike the emir of Kano.

bro it's d same system I'm not talking about d emergence or Ascension of d oba here... I'm talking about federalism and the devolution of power in Nigeria... Federal, state and local... The Oba is under the local government and can be removed... That's why i said at d beginning that I'm not talking about diabolical powers... If na diabolical powers then u r free to believe whatsoever..... Who gave the oba staff of office?

Maxymilliano:
So the Oba need a soothsayer to tell him that the governor owns the state and not even federal can tell him what to do ?

Well make the Germans keep the artefactss ,if they no wan settle

So why hasn't Obaseki or even Buhari/Jonathan ordered that the artefacts returned directly to Oba Erediawa in 2014 by the very son of one of the invading British soldiers be taken away from the palace to the federal government owned museum located less than 300m away from the palace in Benin?

limeta:
While the palace wants the artefacts kept in the Benin Royal Museum, which will be built within the palace,





Public property
I well think obaseki is right
There should be no ownership to it by any means
why build the museum inside the Palace
what about public free acces.

The original objective behind the creation of those artworks by the palace had nothing to do with revenue generation from the public back in those days. They were meant to be used for traditional rites and other cultural activities directly connected to the palace hence they were acknowledged as Benin Court Artefacts even by the looting British Government. When Oba Akenzua pioneered the movement for the return of those artefacts, he made himself clear that the destination should be the palace in order that they would continue being used for their original purposes in the palace.

In Benin City as of today, those who want to generate revenue from Benin Court art don't go to the palace to ask for samples, rather they carve their own afresh in replication of the palace versions and sell to the public. Likewise, in the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos State, there is a separate Benin Gallery where artworks carved in identical replication of the palace for the public to freely view and sales at very high prices for the sake of revenue generation by the federal government. Why can't Edo State Government do same but insisting on those very original ones meant for the palace?

Mikecold:
you are just displaying gross ignorance

In the binin tradition the place is distinct from the government the exact reason why governor can't select a new oba nor sack him

The government can only co-ordinate tradition on the advice of the palace

Artifacts stolen from the palace are more or less cultural attributes of the palace which holds trust of the culture of the bini people

You are Yoruba where your kings are picked and sustained through government dice so i don't expect you to get it


Government can only be doing private museum with it if the palace doesn't consider them to be too much of importance to them

Funny you... If by the law, ordinary Local government chairman can sack and remove Oba, but this is Nigeria... The government can sack him. Fin

crossfm:
Hehehe.

The oba's body language and utterances has always shown biased towards the Governor.

This matter should be solved internally, not calling on federal government to interfere.

Both oba and Mr Governor should find a way to address the issue without wahala.We need peace in Nigeria.

How can you reconcile the bolded with the fact that he broke traditional convention and paid an official courtesy visit to Obaseki in Osadebe House just a moth into Obaseki's first term?
And if you may know, Obaseki paid him back by stopping the Enogies-governor meeting which predated his administration.

Kingrefreshed:


If I am a Governor' in Nigeria. I will be more like Governor Wike. In this situation if I am obaseki I will dethrone him as fast as the speed of light so it will serve as a deterrent to others that might want to emulate him.

Keep dreaming. You think Benin Monarchy is like those you have under Wike in Rivers State, right? The day Wike entered the Oba palace for the first time in his life he became a chicken in appearance unlike how he acts like a lion before Rivers State monarchs all appointed by him.

jericco1:
The Oba has bitten more than he can chew.


This was what led Ganduje to disgrace Sanusi!!

Google Anthony Onyearegbulem. Then find out why no one agreed to replace Erediawa after Onyearegbulem's purported removal of him as head of Edo State traditional council.

AroleOduduwa2:
The Oba want the money generated from the museum, He knows a lot of people will troop in to see the artifacts. It’s all about money and not preservation of heritage

Can you give examples of anything that any government at any level in Nigeria has been able to preserve. Government can't even preserve their own records and you want such historical items in the custody of same government? You want them to be in a government-owned museum where a staff will one day set the building on fire in order to cover his tracks after selling them to the public and pocketing the money? Comedians everywhere.

angelfallz:
About that 1998 suspension, I would try and look into it.

Obaseki can't replace the Oba of Benin even if he was dead.
Again the Oba of Benin stool is not an appointed position. There are ruling families who inherit it.

I know this because I had a neighbour here, who is a Bini man, I also have a close friend of mine who is also Bini we have spoken about the authority of the Oba of Benin. I was made to understand no one plays around with the Oba. Be you governor or president.

Anyway, Lets not digress too far from the topic. I believe, Obaseki should leave the custodian of Benin culture that is the Oba of Benin, to decide where to house the cultural artefacts of the Bini people.
Obaseki should concentrate on governance.

There are NO ruling "families"it it is only a ruling family, "ONE LINE" direct primogeniture from father to eldest surviving son. It can't be tampered with awa! The Oba of Benin is a deity.

Okay, my mistake then. Are you Bini?
What happens if the Oba has no son?

UGBE634:
There are NO ruling "families"it it is only a ruling family, "ONE LINE" direct primogeniture from father to son it can't be tampered with awa! The Oba of Benin is a diety

brightalo1010:


Queen Elizabeth is bigger

Don't mind them. They don't know anything about Benin monarchy.