*How Tinubu’s Daughter Circumvented Palace To Inaugurate Iyeki-General At Govt. House
THERE was jubilation across markets in Benin City following the stance by the Oba of Benin, Ewuare 11, that there is no such thing as Iyeki-General in Benin custom and tradition, as each each market has its own Iyeki (market leader), subject to the approval of his palace.
The Oba made the clarification during a belated courtesy visit by Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of President Bola Tinubu, who claims to the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, and others.
An elated trader and marker elder, said: “I’ve been in this market for 90 years. I’ve never heard of Iyaloja. You can’t change our culture from Lagos.”
Ostensibly to circumvent the Oba’s stance, Tinubu-Ojo inaugurating her own Iyekis and Iyeki-General of Edo Market Women, automatically overriding the powers of the existing Iyeki in all markets before visiting the palace.
Unconfirmed reports said her appointee (the alleged Iyeki-General), Mrs. Josephine Isi Ivbazebule, last week taxed all market women and Iyekis, claiming Governor Monday Okpebholo approved her appointment as Iyeki-General.
While inaugurating Ivbazebule, Tinubu-Ojo reportedly said: “The position of Iyeki was vacant. I am here to inaugurate all the market leaders of the various local governments and Josephine as the leader of the state,” Tinubu-Ojo reportedly said.
According to reports, she had been expected at the palace since September 29, but chose to visit after the said inauguration, seemingly endorsed by Okpebholo, as the ceremony was held at the Festival Hall of the Government House.
When she finally paid the “courtesy visit” and “introduce” the said Iyeki-General, Oba Ewuare II told her the idea of Iyeki-General is alien to him and the Benin Kingdom and that the market is cultural to the Kingdom and what they have is “Iyeki,” who actively works with the palace and performs cultural duties in shrines located within all markets.
