A Benin palace chief, the Ayobahan of Benin Kingdom, Chief Osamede Adun, on Sunday cautioned some highly placed leaders of Ulegun Community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State to stop encroaching into the Oba’s land in the community, describing the act as a sacrilege.
Reacting to video posted in the social media where an unidentified person was casting aspersions at the Oba for moves to reclaim the land, Adun said he was one of the chiefs that went round the Kingdom to identify all the lands belonging to the Oba as handed to him forefathers.
The chief expressed shock that the same people who led them to this land, which has its survey papers were the same people allegedly selling them to private developers.
While reaffirming his loyalty to the Benin Kingdom, Adun said, “If these people want to cause a crisis in the kingdom, they should be told that they won’t succeed. I heard the man who did the video mentioning Ogiamen. For the information of the public, Ogiamien does not have a palace, Ogiamien is a chief like me that belongs to Uzama N’ibie in the palace.
“The land was given to Oba Akenzua and not even this our father (the present Oba). The land has been there for over three decades. I was one of those chosen to check the land all over the Kingdom shortly after the new king was installed and then we took inventory.
“It was the elders in this village that showed us this land belonging to the Oba and we confirmed with the survey plan and we went back to report to the Oba.
“About a year ago, some people started building houses on the land and these same leaders who said the land belonged to the Oba are responsible for giving this land out.
“It is an abomination to take over Oba’s land except he gives it to you, so the steps we are taking now to recover those land is a decision taken by the palace chiefs because we will not fold our arms and watch people who claim to be Benin destroy our heritage.
“Benin is not for sale, the palace is not for sale, they have finished selling their fathers’ land and now they want to sell Oba’s land, we will not accept it.”
