Curses were recently heaped on the enemies of Benin Kingdom and all those who have committed an affront and sacrilegious acts against the Benin throne and the Kingdom.
Benin traditional worshippers who embarked on purification and sanctification of the kingdom, also prayed against those who perpetrate evils and various crimes in the Kingdom.
The purpose of the prayers, according to the worshippers is for the enemies to reap the consequences of their negative actions against the Benin throne, the Kingdom and the people.
Urhokpota ground venue of the event was besieged by various groups of traditional worshippers who took their turn to offer prayers for the
They also offered prayers to God and the ancestors to help avert all forms of evils, bloodshed, kidnapping, armed robbery, cult killings and illicit trade of human trafficking from the Kingdom and indeed Nigeria.
Various animals were slaughtered to give efficacy to the pronouncement while the traditional groups later engaged in a procession along some major streets in Benin City including Sokponba Road, Kings Square, Murtala Mohammed Way, Igbesamwan Street, Akpakpava road and ended at Emotan Shrine on Oba Market road.
The exercise was presided over by the Ewaise Group (palace society), headed by Chief Eguezigbon, and Chief Ohen-Egie of Ogbeson.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Oba of Benin, Mr. Desmond Agbama, over the years, “lots of unpalatable things have been happening in Benin Kingdom,” such as kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, violence and wanton acts of killing of innocent citizens.
He noted that recently some individuals and group of individuals had tried to subvert the Benin Culture and tradition by committing sacrilegious acts against the Benin throne, which of course did not go down well with the custodian of Benin culture and tradition.
“In a bid to stem all that, an act of purification and sanctification was performed by the various traditional groups including Ewaise, Igie-Ohen, Priestesses of various deities and market women.”
