Benin youths protest ban of association

Benin youths, under the aegis of Okaghele, on Friday, took to the streets of the ancient city in protest against the ban placed on their association by the state government.

The protesters who trooped out in their thousands, stalled human and vehicular movements for hours at the popular Ring Road, the epicentre of the city, as they marched to and fro the Oba Palace, where they had gone to register their displeasure over the recent law promulgated by the Edo State Government, determining the existence of Okaighele, which in modern parlance is known as Youths Association.

The Okaigheles, in Benin traditional settling, are youth leaders in communities in charge of land – purchase and sales of landed properties in Benin kingdom.

The group was almost in extinction as a modern-day Community Development Association, (CDA), took over the communities, sidelining the Enogies (Dukes) and the Odionweres (Oldest men).

The development forced the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, to ban CDAs in all communities across the Benin Kingdom.

The CDAs, after a period of lull in their activities, reactivated the Okaighele, but the Godwin Obaseki-led administration recently signed into law, a bill repealing the Edo State Private Property Protection Law 2017 and re-enacted the Edo State Private Property Protection Law 2021.

The bill passed into law by the Edo State House of Assembly law and signed by the state governor banned the activities of Okhaighele in the state.

The protesters who carried placards with inscriptions as: “Governor Obaseki, you are not our spiritual father”; “We are Okaighele to the Palace of Oba of Benin, not Government House”; ” We are proud of our King”; “Arrest and persecute any Okaighele that practice illegally”, among others, matched to the palace of Oba of Benin to air their grievances and later to the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State council.

Speaking on behalf of the youth leaders, Glory Ikponmwosa, Chairman of the association said, Okaigheles of Benin kingdom are not political appointees, adding that they are only loyal and subjected to the Benin Royal Stool.

“We are not politicians and we should not be treated as one because we are ready to resist any attempt to reduce our rights as traditional citizens of Benin kingdom by anyone or group of persons no matter who or what is involved,” he declared.

While declaring that as natives of Benin and could not be intimidated or oppressed under any guise, the chairman said the title “is an age-long traditional position under the Benin native laws and customs.

He posited that Edo State Government did not have the business or rights to ban Okaigheles to operate in the Benin kingdom under the Benin traditional council law of the state.

“Okaigheles in the Benin kingdom is an age-long traditional position under the Benin native laws and customs which is over 400 years old, it is not a recent creation.

“Under the Benin traditional council settings, communities have leadership structures which comprise the Odionwere, the Oven, the Okagheles in addition to the Enogies in communities where Enogies exist.

“Edo State Government does not have any business or rights to ban Okaigheles in Benin kingdom under the Benin traditional council law of Edo State,” he reiterated.

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Benin youths protest ban of association

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