Benin Traditional Council To Traders: Don’t Convert Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre To Market

By Lucky Isibor

The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) has frowned at the attitude of traders who have turned the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre to a market and trading spot, urging them to desist from the ugly trend.

In a statement by the Benin Traditional Council and signed by the secretary of the council, Frank Irabor and made available to news men said the “trend negates the spirit of the verbal request which Edo state government made to His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, for vehicles which hitherto congested Oba Ovonranmwen Square to be loading and offloading at the Cultural Centre pending when government is able to construct a permanent park for the buses.

“The State government made this request with good intention to decongest traffic off all the roads that led to the central business district in Benin City. Our Royal Father, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II promptly acceded to the request considering the urgency and importance.

“The Benin Traditional Council decries the insanitary situation of the premises and the wanton damages on the power generating set, the arbitrary use of the cultural centre for unconventional and unauthorized purposes is unacceptable. The good intention of the State Government and, the magnanimity of His Royal Majesty to support the government’s good plan became unappreciated by the behaviour of the traders and bus drivers that grossly misused the place.”

Addressing the traders at Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre, the Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe deplored the act of vandalism on the building and condemned in strong terms the desecration of the statute of Oba Akenzua II by the traders and bus drivers.

The statement urged the drivers to use the cultural centre between 6.00 am and 8.00 pm and ensure their vehicles are not parked in the premises.

“The Benin Traditional Council say henceforth buses would only be allowed to operate at the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre between 6.00 am and 8.00 pm daily only”.

Meanwhile the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II will make royal proclamation on the establishment of the Benin Customary Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (BCADRC) that will look into complaints brought to the Palace for adjudication, on Thursday, 12 October, 2017 by 11 a.m. at the palace.

A statement signed by Desmond Agbaman, chief press secretary to the Monarch said: “This is to inform all Benin Chiefs, Enigie, Edionwere, Igiohen, Ward leaders, Market Women leaders and leaders of Social Organizations in Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba-Okha, Orhionmwon, Uhunmwode, Ovia South-West and Ovia North-East Local Government Areas of Edo State that His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II will by the grace of God and our ancestors make a royal proclamation on the establishment of the Benin Customary Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (BCADRC) that will look into complaints brought to the Palace for adjudication”.