Dare Babalola
The Benin Traditional Council has clarified that the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Ewuare II, was not involved in the recent incident involving Pedro Obaseki, who was subjected to physical abuse.
The council, through a statement by its Secretary, Frank Irabor, on Wednesday, condemned the act, describing it as unfortunate and emphasising that it did not have the monarch’s authorisation.
“The Benin Traditional Council wishes to use this medium to inform the general public that the unfortunate incidence in which Pedro Obaseki was manhandled was not authorized by the Oba of Benin. And it cannot be authorized because it is not in the character of our revered monarch to do so,” the statement clarified.
The statement highlighted the Oba’s peaceful nature, urging youths to refrain from vigilantism and instead allow law enforcement agencies to address grievances.
Additionally, the council cautioned against the dissemination of unverified information on social media, stressing the importance of fact-checking.
The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, also wished citizens a peaceful new year, reaffirming his dedication to maintaining stability in the region.
Recall that Pedro, a cousin to former governor Godwin Obaseki, was attacked by some youths of the community who accused the filmmaker of disrespecting the throne.
The youths stripped Pedro and dragged him to the palace where he was saved by the chiefs in council.
