Airport reception: Oba Ewuare 11 waving to loyalists
By Kingsley Abavo, Benin
It was a wild jubilation on Tuesday, 5 September, 2023 amongst indigenes of Benin and other residents of Edo State as His Royal Majesty, Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin returned from an global tour.
The return of the paramount traditional ruler to Benin City, after a working tour outside the State elicited a huge air of excitement amongst the people, Osaigbovo Iguobaro
Chief Press Secretary to the Benin Monarch said in a press release availed journalists on Wednesday.
Iguobaro narrates that the highly excited crowd of subjects pay obeisance to the Oba for defending Edo heritage against political incursion, associated with the uprising from the ranks of the Enigie (Dukes) in Benin Kingdom.
The body of the Dukes have become polarised over the Edo State Government claim to implement the 1979 Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Act; which seeks to divide the Benin Kingdom made up of seven Local Government Areas into bits.
It is on record that the Dukes are appointed by the Oba to on his behalf; oversee the various dukedoms in the Kingdom, he pointed out.
Continuing, he narrates that remarkably when the highly respected Monarch arrived Tuesday, members of the royal family, loyal Dukes, Palace Chiefs, Royal fans, friends and well-wishers, struggled to contain their excitement as the private aircraft he boarded touched down at 3: 50 p.m.
Royal drummers and youths, cultural dance troupes, socio-cultural groups, including the presiding Priest of Holy Aruosa Cathedral (Edo National Church), Ohen-Osa Edebiri Igbinoghodua; Priests and Priestesses of deities, wished the Benin Monarchy the best that life has to offer, with plenty of melodious songs.
From the airport, the thick crowd of loyal subjects who heralded the arrival of the Monarch, trekked having in its deep the Oba’s convoy which had to snail its way along for lack of space.
In an equal excitement and obvious satisfaction, Oba Ewuare II waved to the large number of people on his route who were out to catch a glimpse of his return.
At his Palace in the heart of Benin City; it was a carnival of some sort as people struggled for space, with paparazzi having a hectic time in efforts to get the best photographs and footage of the memorable moment.
In rare demonstration of affection for his loyal subjects, the Oba’s Palace officials tacitly relaxed protocols to accommodate the large number of crowd in an attempt to keep a date with history.
According to Iguobaro, unlike the deviants; a section of Benin Dukes (Enigie), were also on the ground to pledge their unalloyed allegiance to the undisputed Monarch of the land; for galvanizing alignment through exemplary leadership since he ascended the throne of his forebears.
The Dukes not pretending about their loyalty to the Monarch, declared their stance when they appeared before his revered presence.
Indeed, the occasion was one which did not only invoked the spirits of the royal ancestors and that of the entire Benin Kingdom, but it was a cultural rejuvenation of some sort to be remembered for a long while, he stated.
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