• ‘We’re waiting for your 21-day ultimatum’
From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Benin youths, under the aegis of Benin Fundamental Movement (BFM) yesterday, warned the Ijaw Freedom Fighters (IFF) to desist from what they called sacrilegious threat to the traditional institution of Benin kingdom, describing it is a joke of the 21st century.
BFM convener, Edosa Idada, in a statement, said the Benins are proudly the most hospitable and receptive socio-ethnic group in sub-Sahara Africa and so have continued to accommodate the Ijaws, particularly customary tenants.
He, however, said the hurried and illegal creation of a so-called Olodiama Kingdom with a coronation of a Pere, the 21-day ultimatum slammed on the Oba of Benin and the Edo State Government, the threat to lay siege on the palace of the Omo n’Oba and the state Government House were “steps taken too far, condemnable and must be visited with commensurate punishment and stiff resistance.”
Reminding the Ijaws of their alleged criminal activities, such as kidnapping of prominent Benin indigenes by the ijaws, Idada said it was unfortunate that persons who were given opportunity to occupy an area for work and business now claim ownership of same. Idada said: “Ijaw in Benin are customary tenants and must remain as such or relocate to their land; we wish to send a strong warning to the Ijaw to desist from the war and calamitous situation they are about to bring upon themselves; they do not have the monopoly of violence”
“Our attention has been drawn to a newspaper publication of December 8, 2017, purportedly signed by so-called ‘Commanders’ Keme Boudiwei and Seimokoromor Anthony, at an emergency meeting held in Rivers State, demanding an unreserved apology from the Edo State Government and Oba of Benin over their non-recognition of a so-called Olodiama Kingdom with a pseudo King Pere of Olodiama; the Oba of Benin and the Edo State Government are principal custodians of Benin and Edo State, the land and people; any other kingdom within Benin, with a declared king, is non-existent, illegal, fallacious, persona non-grata and a subject of arrest.
“First of all, the Ijaw may have to be reminded of UWAIS J.S.C. writ of summons taken out of June 9, 1970, from former Mid-Western State High Court, Benin, that affirmed the earlier decision of an Appeal Court judgment vesting ownership of Gelegele in Benin kingdom to the Benins; secondly, by fiat, by heavenly and earthly authority, global and legal recognition, there is only one Oba of Benin, Ewuare N’Ogidigan II, he is the supreme Oba of the traditional Benin kingdom and the head of traditional rulers in Edo State. Any attempt by persons or groups to create a kingdom within the Benin kingdom, is not only illegal, it is sacrilegious, treacherous, anti-people and a deliberate invitation of the wrath of God and our ancestors; Benins/Edos must rise in unison to resist this bad blood in the name of Ijaw nation.
“We respectfully call on President Muhammadu Buhari, the state governors and the international community to quickly prevail on Ijaw people, as any spark of fire by the Ijaw is capable of leading to a national disaster as the Benins will retaliate appropriately. BFM warned that they are waiting in the wings for a marching order, and once the order is given, nothing can reverse it. “We understand the fact that there are certain Ijaw who are natural peacemakers and, as a result, will not join the troublemakers to heat up the polity; our advise for them is to dissociate themselves from this treachery, so as not to fall victims of unfortunate circumstances.
“Be warned; we will no longer tolerate any act of insubordination and deliberate embarrassment on the Edo State government and the Oba of Benin by Ijaw people as we have concluded a co-ordinated arrangement to sack all Ijaw, known and unknown, from Edo state in general and Benin in particular. However, we most particularly implore Ijaw leaders to call the so-called IFF to order. We are not unaware of organised kidnappings by this faceless group and other anti-people elements within the Ijaw fold, for which, if not desisted from, we will be left with no choice than to fight back,” Idada said in the statement.