There is growing public outrage in Edo State following a series of derogatory and threatening remarks allegedly made against the Palace of the Oba of Benin by one Albert Obaze, a United Kingdom–based associate and vocal supporter of former Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Obaze, a PDP loyalist and controversial social media activist known for regularly speaking in defence of the former governor, has come under heavy criticism after videos circulated online in which he was heard making statements widely interpreted as inciting harassment and hostility against the revered traditional institution.
In one of the videos, Obaze was quoted as saying, “One day when we hear the Oba is going to Dubai, we will mobilise to wait for him at the airport. Everybody will travel to join us at the Dubai airport to ask him to go back. I will be the one to share the itinerary of when he will land.”
In another clip, he reportedly urged followers to boycott references to the Oba of Benin at public events, saying, “Wherever you hear ‘Oba Ghato Kpere,’ stop responding. Keep quiet. Suspend Oba Ghato Kpere till further notice. If you are organising a party or occasion, tell the MC not to mention him.”
The remarks have sparked widespread condemnation across Edo State and beyond, with many describing them as reckless, provocative, and disrespectful to one of Nigeria’s most revered traditional institutions.
Reacting to the development, Mr. John Mayaki, a chieftain of the APC, called on former Governor Godwin Obaseki to publicly distance himself from the comments and rein in his associates.
According to Mayaki, “former Governor Obaseki must call his dog to order. What his aide is embarking on is tantamount to cyber bullying and if he is not the sponsor, he must immediately condemn it and dissociate himself.
“No individual has the right to insult, threaten, or mobilise hostility against the Oba of Benin or anyone for that matter. This is a dangerous path that must be condemned by all and stopped immediately.”
Mayaki urge security agencies to closely monitor online incitement and hate speech, because freedom of expression must not be allowed to threaten national cohesion or disrespect constitutionally recognised traditional institutions.
In the same vein, the Publicity Secretary of the Edo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Dan Osa Ogbegie, also dissociated himself and the party from any attack on the Benin throne.
Speaking on the issue, Ogbegie declared that people should count him out of any fight against the Oba of Benin adding that his loyalty remains with the Oba and the Benin Palace. Politics must never be used as a weapon against our cultural and traditional institutions.
Meanwhile, concerned Nigerians and Edo stakeholders have continued to call on Godwin Obaseki to clarify his position and restrain individuals who speak in his name, warning that unchecked rhetoric of this nature could inflame passions and undermine peace in the state.
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