The Ayobahan of Benin Kingdom, Chief Osamede Adun, on Sunday cautioned some leaders of the Ulegun Community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State to stop encroaching into the Oba’s land in the community, describing the act as a sacrilege.
The chief reacted to an anonymous post on social media, which casted aspirations on the Oba for moving to reclaim the land, Adun said he was one of the chiefs that went round the kingdom to identify all the lands belonging to the Oba as handed to his forefathers, and expressed shock that the same people who led them to the land were the people allegedly selling them to private developers.
Adun reaffirmed his loyalty to the Benin Kingdom saying “If these people want to cause a 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 the present Oba. The land has been there for over three decades. I was one of those chosen to check the land all over the kingdom shortly after the new king was installed and then we took inventory. The elders in this village showed us this land belonging to the Oba, and we confirmed the survey plan and went back to report to the Oba.
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“About a year ago, some people started building houses on the land, and these same leaders who said the land belonged to the Oba 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, which is a decision taken by the palace chiefs because we will not fold our arms and watch 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 the Oba’s land. We will not accept it.”
