Oba of Benin African first class King-HRH Aidonojie

*Says new Oba never ate outside without late father’s permission
Sultan of Sokoto holds Durbar today, as celebration continues in Benin Kingdom

THE Onojie of Opoji and Vice Chairman, Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, His Royal Highness (HRH), Ehidiamen Aidonojie 1, says the crowning of Oba Ewuare 11 as the 40 Oba of Benin has reminded all that the Benin king is a first class African King.

He disclosed that the new Oba never ate outside as Crown Prince without the permission of his late father.

Meanwhile, traditional rulers whose root are from Benin Kingdom, continued to pay homage yesterday to the new Oba. The Durban festival which the Sultan of Sokoto, his Eminence Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111 brought to Benin in honour of the new Oba will now hold today Saturday.
However, different dance groups and traditional groups including the Ekassa dance group, that only appears during the crowning of any Oba, remained at the palace yesterday performing their spiritual dance. Celebration in the Kingdom continued as wealthy Benin sons and daughter hold parties in their various homes.

HRH Aidonojie 1, who disclosed that traditional rulers both from Edo and outside the state has been busy paying homage to the new Oba, said Oba Ewuare never disrespected his late father, adding that he had always had the trait of being a great Oba.

His words: “This a ceremony that comes once in our life time, sometimes you can witness it twice if you are lucky. You can see the first class traditional rulers in Nigeria present. It brought us back to history that the throne of Oba of Benin is the first class African King. And of course we are happy to have an Oba who is widely travelled, a diplomat, administrator and has vast experience in life. We are really lucky.

“I have known him since the 70s and he has always been calm and has never been proud even as a heir apparent. I was close to late Oba Erediauwa his father and he was trained to ascend the throne by his father properly. He was prepared for this job. He is somebody that never failed to take instruction from his father. I remember an occasion I joined him to Lagos, on his way to Angola. We visited one Chief Ainabe, and the man hosted us to dinner.
“The Crown Prince said it is very unusual for him to eat outside, he had to call his father in Benin and said Chief Ainabe has prepared dinner for us and his father gave him the go ahead to take the dinner. In order words every step he took he takes clearance from his father. I was very surprised, how can a Crown Prince as an adult had to call his father for permission to eat. And that was how his father brought him up right from secondary school.
“He has never disobeyed his father. So Edo state and the Benin Kingdom in particular are aware they have a full blooded Oba. He is not proud, he is simple, he has a very Godly heart”.

Saying that members of the Edo state Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs will be expecting Governor Adams Oshiomhole to convene a meeting where their chairman, Oba Ewuare 11 will be unveiled, the royal father said “ the coming of Oba Ewuare 11 will bring progress to Edo state and Nigeria as a whole.
“For the first time, since coronations of Oba of Benin, this is the most colourful. You can see the Queen sent the British High Commissioner to attend, Sweden, Italy, Angola and many other countries all sent representatives. When it comes to assisting people he goes beyond his kingdom, so God has blessed us with a great Oba.

“ Ewuare was a great Oba and I am sure this one will be greater than that. Everybody prays for him that is why we say Oba ghato okpere. We have an Oba coming in on his birthday and in the next few weeks we will have a new governor coming, so we have lots of good things coming to the kingdom. But the incumbent governor, Oshiomhole will surely be missed because no governor has given the Oba his due respect more than Oshiomhole. He made sure that the Oba’s security allowance was given to him as at when due.

“Whereas we had a governor before that was eating the Oba’s money, you can see that after Oshiomhole gave him the staff of office he knelt down to pay his respect. And I know that Godwin Obaseki will do the same or even do more as a Benin man” he stated.