It’s a Taboo to Encroach on Oba’s Land, Benin Palace Chief Warns Community Elders

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A chief in the palace of Oba of Benin, and the Ayobahan of Benin Kingdom, Chief Osamede Adun on Sunday, warned some highly placed leaders of Ulegun community in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo state to stop encroaching into land belonging to the Oba of Benin, describing such act as a sacrilege.

Reacting to a video that went viral on social media, where an unidentified person was casting aspersions on the Oba for moves to reclaim the land, Chief Adun said he was one of the chiefs that went round the Kingdom to identify all the land belonging to the Oba as handed to his forefathers and expressed shock that the same people who led them to this land with its survey papers were the same people allegedly selling them to private developers.

While reaffirming his loyalty to the Oba of Benin, Adun said “If these people want to cause crisis in the kingdom, they should be told that they won’t succeed. I heard the man who did the video mentioning Ogiamen. For the information of the public, Ogiamien does not have a palace, Ogiamien is a chief like me that belongs to Uzama N’ibie in the palace.

“The land was given to Oba Akenzua and not even this our present Oba Ewuare II. The land has been there for over three decades. I was among those chosen to check these lands and then we took inventory. It was the elders in this village that showed us this land belonging to the Oba and we confirmed with the survey plan and we went back to report to the Oba.

“About a year ago, some people started building houses there and these same leaders of the community are responsible for giving this land out.

“It is an abomination to take over Oba’s land except he gives it to you so the steps we are taking now to recover those land is a decision taken by the palace chiefs because we will not fold our arms and see people who claim to be Benin destroy our heritage. Benin is not for sale, the palace is not for sale, they have finished selling their fathers’ land and now they want to sell Oba’s land, we will not accept it.”