BENIN CITY – A Benin based Non-Political Organization, The Great Benin Movement (GBM) has celebrated two centuries and fifteen years (2015-yrs) of its existence of the great Benin Kingdom.
Speaking to the newsmen after a road show to celebrate the 2015 years, the interim coordinator of the organization, Mr. Imasuen Amowie Maruis, said the celebration is to fashion out unity amongst the ethnic groups that migrated from the Great Benin Kingdom.
He pointed out that the group (Great Benin Movement) hoped to achieve amongst others that every July 22, being the day the kingship was restored be officially announced as Edo Day so that every Edo man and other ethnic groups with root in Benin would be looking forward to celebrate.
Mr. Imasuen described Benin Kingdom as the oldest serving kingdom in the world with about 800 years older than the British Kingdom.
He said that the people needed to celebrate and let the world know that Benin Kingdom has existed for a very long time now.
Also speaking, Mr. Osazee Amas-Edobor, an executive member of the organization said the road show is a way of reinvigorating the consciousness of the great history of the Benin Kingdom in the minds of all Edo people.
He described as funny, a situation where some persons link Benin Origin to Oduduwa, unknown to them that Oduduwa was one of a Benin Sons, saying that it is one of the issues the group wants to correct and put in perspective.
The group however added that the occasion is also an avenue to ensure that the Benin language is preserved and promoted for the up-coming generation, and therefore used the occasion to call on parents to teach their children in Edo language.
