{"id":1466,"date":"2025-10-09T21:15:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T21:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=1466"},"modified":"2025-10-09T21:15:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T21:15:18","slug":"benin-monarch-warns-against-using-market-women-for-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=1466","title":{"rendered":"Benin monarch warns against using market women for politics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has warned against dragging market women in the kingdom into partisan politics, stressing that such interference undermines Benin\u2019s traditional market structure and could lead to unrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This came amid controversy over the recent installation of Pastor Josephine Ibhaguezejele as the Iyaloja of Edo State by the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of President Bola Tinubu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Burna Boy - Higher [Official Music Video]\" width=\"980\" height=\"551\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eKzmRnetw-c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A statement issued on Thursday by the Osuma of Benin, Chief Norense Ozigbo-Esere; the Secretary, Benin Traditional Council (BTC), Frank Irabor; and four other palace chiefs, said the monarch will meet with all Iyekes (market heads) across Benin markets to provide further clarification on the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although details of the meeting were not immediately disclosed, palace sources said it was convened in response to the tension generated by Ibhaguezejele\u2019s purported installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During Tinubu-Ojo\u2019s visit to the palace last Thursday, Oba Ewuare II had explained that the Iyaloja concept was alien to Benin culture, noting that each market in the kingdom is traditionally headed by an Iyeki\u2014a woman chosen by traders and spiritually connected to the palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn Benin, there is nothing like an \u2018Iyeki-General,\u2019 which this Iyaloja title seems to suggest,\u201d the BTC statement clarified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEach Iyeki emerges from among the market women, is presented to the Palace for confirmation, and once approved, is installed by her peers. Every Iyeki is independent, culturally and spiritually tied to the Palace, and performs specific rituals for the well-being of the market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The palace strongly cautioned against the politicisation of market leadership or the use of trade associations as political tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese twin factors are antithetical and inimical to the essence of our market tradition in Benin culture,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe advise that the function of Iyeki should not be politicised. Any deviation from this age-old cultural system may lead to a breach of peace. The BTC therefore urges the state government to take cognisance of this warning to avoid a breakdown of law and order.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The palace also warned politicians and market leaders to stop invoking the name of the Oba to legitimise their political activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe hear comments such as \u2018the Oba\u2019s word is final\u2019 in this Iyaloja saga. But were these words respected in the past when some leaders used market women as political pawns?\u201d the BTC queried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe former market leader, Blacky Ogiemien, was once advised by the Palace to desist from such practices but continued despite warnings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, reacting to the ongoing controversy, Ogiemien said market women in Edo State are apolitical and would continue to support any government in power while remaining loyal to the Oba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking by phone on Wednesday, she said, \u201cWe work with any government in power. It was Lucky Igbinedion who handed us to Senator Oserhiemen Osunbor; when Osunbor left, we worked with Oshiomhole, and he later told us to work with Governor Obaseki. There\u2019s a process for leadership selection, and no one can just appoint themselves coordinator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the Oba\u2019s planned meeting and the directive against politicisation, she added, \u201cWe are all one. Anytime the Oba wants us, we will be there. If the Oba says we should not be involved in politics again, there\u2019s no problem about that.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/punchng.com\/benin-monarch-warns-against-using-market-women-for-politics\/?amp\">(Punch)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has warned against dragging market women in the kingdom into partisan politics, stressing that such interference undermines Benin\u2019s traditional market structure and could lead to unrest. This came amid controversy over the recent installation of Pastor Josephine Ibhaguezejele as the Iyaloja of Edo State by the Iyaloja-General of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[137,1887,1890,1889,1888,1885,1886,546],"class_list":["post-1466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-edo-state","tag-folashade-tinubu-ojo","tag-iyaloja-general-of-nigeria","tag-josephine-ibhaguezejele","tag-market-women","tag-oba-ewuare-ii","tag-oba-of-benin","tag-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Benin monarch warns against using market women for politics - Tona Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has warned against dragging market women in the kingdom into partisan politics, stressing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=1466\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Benin monarch warns against using market women for politics - 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