Obaseki withheld palace fund for seven months – Oba of Benin

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II has recounted how the immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki withheld statutory funding for his Palace for seven months.

This was as he alleged that the action of the previous administration was deliberately done to undermine the palace.

Oba Ewuare II made this revelation at a media parley with journalists in the state, stating that funds for the palace were first slashed before a final stop was put to it for seven months.

The royal father stated further that the palace took responsibility for paying staff of the palace as well as clearing weeds around its surroundings.

According to the monarch, slashing and putting an end to the funds going to the palace was meant to undermine it.

He said God and his ancestors did not allow the efforts of those that planned to undermine the palace to prevail.

The traditional ruler recalled how a former military governor, whom the palace earlier helped, turned around to spite the palace by erecting a storey-building on a sacred ground opposite the palace.

While speaking on the need for constitutional review for traditional rulers to adequately perform their functions, the Benin monarch said such critical aspects should be looked into to define who is a traditional ruler.

“We shall reclaim all sacred ground forcefully taken over.

“Knowing what a traditional ruler means would help checkmate its abuses as well as make things right,”; the traditional ruler said.