A summit of descendants of the great Benin Kingdom titled; Aghadaghada (Summit of royalties) held on Saturday, 20 July, 2019 in the ancient city, capital of Edo State.

The event organized by the Great Benin Descendants (GBD), a socio – cultural body in the Kingdom, was a gathering of royalties from various ethnic tribes in Nigeria and beyond that were part of the old Kingdom of Benin.

It was aimed at strengthening the bond that held descendants of the old Kingdom together, and unification co – ordinator general of the body, Imasuen Amowie Izoduwa in his address, said.

What various descendants of the Kingdom have individually achieved would not have been compared to probable achievements if they were still together, Izoduwa noted.

This is as he asserts that the Kingdom had in the days of old been first in innovations and achievements that marvelled the world.

Feats which were made possible by unity of purpose of the people, he added.

He urged that the Kingdom and her descendants across the globe must therefore in today’s world take their destiny in their hands through strength in diversity, and unite into formidable force towards re – enacting the virtues that made the old Benin Kingdom great.

Chairman of the occasion, the Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe addressing the audience appealed that the drive to uniting all Benin descendants should be taken seriously.

Chief Igbe urged that descendants should not wait till events like the summit before getting in touch with their ancestral home; “come and see us from time to time.”

The GBD as a movement has started and there is no looking back as it can only grow bigger and better, he declared.

Also speaking, Governor Godwin Obaseki commended the organizers for their effort in the promotion of unity and culture of the Benin people assuring of government support and partnership.

The Governor was represented by the commissioner for Arts, Culture, and Diaspora Affairs, Osemwengie Ero.

The event climaxed with the unveiling of the Great Benin map showing the size of the old Kingdom as it were.

“The map gives us more clarity of purpose as we easily can identify ourselves as well as our location scattered all over Nigeria, and outside Nigeria,” Izoduwa said.