The Ayobahan of Benin Kingdom, Chief Osamede Adun, a chief in the Benin palace, warned certain prominent leaders of the Ulegun Community in Edo State’s Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area on Sunday to cease trespassing upon the Oba’s territory in the community and called their actions a sacrilege.
Adun said he was one of the chiefs who traveled the Kingdom to identify all the territories belonging to the Oba as passed to him forefathers in response to video broadcast on social media in which an unnamed person was criticizing the Oba for actions to reclaim the property.
The chief expressed surprise that the same individuals who guided them to this site, which has survey records, were also accused of selling them to private parties.
“The land was given to Oba Akenzua and not even this our father (the present Oba). The land has been there for over three decades. I was one of those chosen to check the land all over the Kingdom shortly after the new king was installed and then we took inventory.
“It was the elders in this village that showed us this land belonging to the Oba and we confirmed with the survey plan and we went back to report to the Oba.
“About a year ago, some people started building houses on the land and these same leaders who said the land belonged to the Oba are responsible for giving this land out.
“It is an abomination to take over Oba’s land except he gives it to you, so the steps we are taking now to recover those land is a decision taken by the palace chiefs because we will not fold our arms and watch people who claim to be Benin destroy our heritage.
“Benin is not for sale, the palace is not for sale, they have finished selling their fathers’ land and now they want to sell Oba’s land, we will not accept it.”
