…setting the record straight on the Benin City incident – MrFigo
The Incident and Public Reaction
The incident that occurred in Benin City on Sunday involving Dr. Pedro Don Obaseki has generated widespread public debate, emotional reactions, and deliberate attempts by some quarters to misrepresent facts and distort context. Unfortunately, much of the conversation has been driven by misplaced expectations and a poor understanding of the cultural foundations of the Benin Kingdom.
Certain narratives are being aggressively pushed to suggest that the Edo State Governor failed in his responsibility because no press release or official government statement was issued. This position is not only misleading but also deeply insensitive to the long-standing traditions, internal mechanisms, and sacred institutions of the Benin people.
Understanding the Context
The truth must be stated clearly and without ambiguity: the individuals who confronted and humiliated Dr. Pedro Don Obaseki were not aliens, not strangers, and not external aggressors. They were bona fide Benin sons—children of the land—who felt deeply aggrieved by what they perceived as public disrespect to the name of our revered Oba of Benin Kingdom. This is a critical distinction that must not be ignored or deliberately twisted.
In Benin tradition, the Oba is not merely a ceremonial monarch or a political figure. He is our father, our father’s father, our spiritual anchor, the living embodiment of our history, identity, and continuity, and the God that we see. Any public statement or conduct that demeans, challenges, or disrespects the name and sanctity of the revered Oba of Benin Kingdom is viewed as a direct affront to the entire Benin people.
When such statements are perceived to come from one of our own, the pain and reaction are naturally intensified.
Loyalty, Responsibility, and Cultural Duty
It must be said plainly and without apology: only a bastard would watch his father being insulted, humiliated, or publicly demeaned and remain silent under the excuse of civility or restraint. In Benin land, silence in the face of provocation is not wisdom; it is betrayal.
The reaction of the aggrieved Benin sons must be understood within the context of deep cultural loyalty, ancestral obligation, emotional attachment, and the instinctive duty to defend the honour of the Kingdom.
Attempts to drag this matter into the political arena or pin it on the government of Senator Monday Okpebholo are entirely uncalled for. Governance does not mean inserting state authority into every cultural, traditional, or internal family matter.
Government and Cultural Jurisdiction
As far as this incident is concerned, the Governor’s statement has absolutely nothing to do with it. This matter was not taken to Government House; it was taken to the Palace, where the true loyalty, authority, and moral jurisdiction of sons and daughters of the Benin Kingdom reside.
It was not framed as a security issue, civil disturbance, or political confrontation. It was treated for what it truly is—an internal cultural issue.
Dr. Pedro Don Obaseki is a son of Edo. Those who confronted and disciplined him are also sons of the Benin Kingdom. By every standard, this remains a brother-to-brother issue. When a brother misbehaves, another brother has both the right and responsibility to say, “Brother, you have done wrong.” That was exactly what happened—nothing more and nothing less.
A Call for Respect and Sanity
At this point, it is important to advocate clearly and strongly for sanity, restraint, and respect. The Oba of Benin and the traditional institution are sacred and must be treated as such at all times.
Anyone who lacks proper home training, anyone who hides behind social media bravado, or anyone who mistakenly believes that invoking “human rights” gives them the license to insult, ridicule, or demean the revered Oba of Benin Kingdom must desist immediately.
Human rights do not confer immunity from cultural responsibility. Freedom of expression does not translate to freedom to desecrate sacred institutions. Those who are loyal to the Kingdom and its traditional institution will always rise to defend its sanctity, dignity, and honour. Respect for the Oba is not optional; it is foundational and non-negotiable.
Conclusion
Expecting a statement from the Governor or the Edo State Government on this matter reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of both governance and tradition. Personally, I do not expect the Governor to concern himself with issuing any statement on this issue. Doing so would amount to unnecessary interference in a cultural matter that Benin sons are fully capable of addressing within their own traditional framework.
What happened in Benin City should therefore be seen for what it truly is: a matter among brothers, rooted in cultural loyalty and the belief that statements concerning the name and sanctity of the revered Oba of Benin Kingdom must be respectful, measured, and mindful of our sacred traditions.
Any attempt to politicize this incident or weaponize it against the State Government is a distortion of facts and a disservice to truth, culture, and history.
Signed:
Comrade Ikhuenbor Felix Igbinevbo, popularly known as Mr Figo, a proud Benin Son, from the Royal lineage of Ezomo Dynasty
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