BENIN—Worried by the recent outburst of the Edo State governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, against the Esama of Benin Kingdom and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, women from across the state under the aegis of Concerned Edo Women, yesterday, took to the streets of Benin to protest the governor’s attack on the Igbinedion family.
The women who were half nude and clad in red attires expressed their displeasure over what they described as “disrespectful utterances by the governor on the Bini chief and father of the erstwhile governor of the state.”
They said the insults were uncalled for, noting that the language employed by the state governor was worrisome and offends the Bini nation, who are very respectful people.
They adored the sterling lifestyle and qualities of their son and Esama of Benin, Chief Igbinedion.
Some of the women who said they decided to show solidarity with the patriarch of the Igbinedion family, were half nude, armed with various placards with inscription such as “Oshiomhole, you are always insulting your elders”, “Go and beg for forgiveness,” “Nemesis will catch up with you,” among others at the city centre.
The protesting women in their hundreds, took the peaceful protest to the Kings Square and other major streets in the state capital, they also visited the Emotan Statue, where they stopped briefly to express their sadness before the traditional chief priest, who, while addressing them, spoke in Bini dialect in solidarity with the women and applauded their effort for deeming it fit to resist evil and rebuke the governor for his statement against the Esama of Benin Kingdom.
“We are women and as mothers, sisters and aunts to Chief Igbinedion, we say no to any form of disrespect to his person. We cannot see evil in the land and support it.
We are against the action of the governor particularly on Chief Igbinedion and his household. We want the governor to apologize to the Esama. All we are asking the governor is to stop insulting elders from Benin Kingdom, so that we do not completely go naked and place curses on him,” they said in Bini dialect.
On his part, the priest of the Emotan Statue, while receiving the women, said the protest was a welcomed one as nobody, regardless of his position in the state should insult Bini chiefs and elders.(Vanguard)
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