BENIN CITY – The Enogie of Obazuwa, HRH Edun Akenzua has backed the Esogban of Benin, Chief D. U. Edebiri that Edo people will not vote for President Jonathan.
He criticized those how faulted the Esogban describing them as indisciplined and disloyal to the Benin Course and the revered royal institution.
It would be recalled that the Eson of Benin, Chief Amos Osunbor and Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, the Isekhure of Benin Kingdom had at different fora castigated the Esogban’s assertion, saying “he was not the spokesman for the Benin people.”
HRH Akenzua, who addressed newsmen in Benin City yesterday over the controversial political assertion said the Esogban, one of the senior Chiefs of the Royal Court and Chairman of the Benin Forum expressed himself under a democracy and freedom of speech.
He stated that Chief Isekhure is not the Oba’s spokesman and that his declaration that the Monarch has endorsed President Jonathan was a mere fallacy, as the Oba does not endorse any politician who come to seek for royal blessing.
According to him, “Esogban, Eson and Isekhure can only claim to be the Oba’s spokesman or the voices of the palace when they are executing any assignment that may be given to them by the Oba” adding “any Benin person, man or woman is free to air his or her opinion which is personal to the speaker.”
He however, pointed out that such freedom of speech does not extend to Chiefs or members of the Royal court to publicly and derisively criticize their senior colleague, that will lead to puerile abominable in-fighting among them in the name of politics.
The Royal Duke also chronicled the recent episode of the co-ordinators of the Presidential campaign team, led by Pastor Ize-Iyamu who besieged the Holy Aruosa Cathedral, describing it as a desperation to capture the royal institution that would be resisted by the Binis at home and in the diaspora.
He therefore faulted those calling for the resignation of Esogban of Benin from the Benin Forum as unfair, saying it was the umbrella body for the Binis and not a political organization.