Some youths in Edo State on Friday staged a protest outside the Obaseki family house over what they described as persistent disrespect toward the Oba of Benin.

The demonstrators, who carried placards and sang in Bini, spent nearly an hour at the location, issuing a joint statement warning against actions that undermine the sacredness of the Benin royal palace.

A joint statement signed by the president, Aiguobasinmwin Movement Worldwide, Iyamu Osaro, also known as Culture and Coordinator, Otedo Youth Union, Uwadiae Iyoha, was read at the venue and made available to journalists on Saturday.

In the statement, titled, Public Warning and Call for Accountability, the duo said they were compelled to hold the protest and release the statement due to the unpalatable utterances of the former governor and his allies.

The group said they would not watch the sacred royal palace become a joke or an item of ridicule, noting that the Obaseki family held a press conference to slam the harassment of Dr Pedro Obaseki but never cautioned their family members when they disrespected the Oba.

The statement reads, “Today, we, the concerned youths and stakeholders of Edo State, are compelled by the persistent misdemeanours, reckless utterances, and sustained provocations by Godwin Obaseki, and his close associate, on the Oba of Benin, to embark on this warning walk and issue this statement of facts to properly situate the issues before the public.

“The palace of Oba of Benin is sacred to the Edo people, who are forever loyal to the throne. Also, the Bini people have been peaceful, loving and have always worked in accordance with stipulated constitutional laws.

“However, we shall not stand and watch our sacred royal palace be ridiculed by some mediocre, whether physical or online, and we shall always be radical towards anybody who does so.”

The group noted that the former governor should come back to the state and give explanations on contentious issues that have been linked to him.

While raising posers, the youths said the prolonged silence of the Obaseki family before now showed that “moral authority cannot be selectively invoked only when consequences arise.”

The group added, “While we do not support violence in any form, it is on record that we have constantly warned those who are in the habit of throwing tantrums at the great Benin Royal Palace to desist.

“We insist that actions and words have consequences, and those who have held positions before and are still holding positions must be prepared to be held accountable by lawful and civil means. We don’t have mercy for any person or group of persons who are commissioned by Obaseki and his like to disrespect our God-given throne.

“We therefore caution against selective outrage, misinformation, or attempts to intimidate Edo people for expressing legitimate grievances. No individual should be unjustly harassed or scapegoated.

“It should be noted that we are born to continually defend our rich culture, traditions, heritage and customs. Nobody should make mistakes of casting aspersions on the custodian of our rich culture, traditions, heritage and customs; otherwise, he or she will meet the wrath of Edo people.

“Finally, we want to urge the Obaseki family to restate their loyalty to the throne and call their sons to right the wrong of the past instead of making more threats.”

Recall that the former governor and the Oba of Benin have been at loggerheads over the siting of the Museum of West African Arts.

Dr Pedro Obaseki, who is a cousin of the immediate past governor, Godwin Obaseki, was stripped in Benin last Sunday.

In a video that made the rounds on the internet, Obaseki was attacked at Uwa Primary School, where he went to play football. He was stripped and taken to the palace, where he was made to kneel at the Oba Palace gate.

The suspected thugs told the palace guards that they brought in an Oghion (enemy) of Oba.

However, the Benin Traditional Council on Wednesday said that the Oba of Benin did not authorise the manhandling and harassment of Dr Pedro Obaseki by suspected thugs.

In a statement signed by the Secretary of the BTC, Frank Irabor, he said the Oba cannot authorise such because it is not in the character of the monarch to do so. (Sunday PUNCH)

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