The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, is trending as political analysts speculate that the recent loss of Edo State by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) can be attributed to Governor Godwin Obaseki’s controversial decision to take the monarch to court. This unprecedented move has been deemed an “abomination” in Nigerian culture, leading many to believe that it angered the gods and contributed to the PDP’s defeat against the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adding fuel to the fire, APC supporters have circulated an old video of the Oba dancing, presenting it as recent footage mocking PDP’s Asue Ighodalo and Obaseki following their electoral loss to APC’s Monday Okpebholo.
In May, Obaseki sued the Oba over alleged possession of artifacts, but court documents revealed that both the Edo Attorney General and the Oba were named in the suit, indicating a legal protocol rather than a direct attack on the monarch. Despite this clarification, analysts are attributing the PDP’s loss to a perceived disrespect towards traditional authority.
As allegations of vote buying and result manipulation circulate, the political landscape in Edo State remains tense, with many calling for unity and respect for cultural traditions amidst the ongoing turmoil.
