The leadership of the Senate, on Friday described the departed Oba of Benin, oba Erediauwa, as a man of peace who loved his people and the Benin culture so well.
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who represented the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said this when he led a delegation of Senators to pay the condolence visit to the Crown Prince and Edaiken N’Uselu, His Royal Highness, Eheneden Erediauwa and members of the royal family, at the Oba Palace in Benin, over the passage of his father.
“We received the news of his departure on the 17 of May with a great shock and the senate stood still and observed a minute of silence for him. We are here to pay our respect to our late Royal Majesty. He was a great king who rendered great services not only to the people of Benin kingdom but indeed to humanity. But let me say how pleased we are Sir, today, to be in Benin Kingdom, the ancient city of Benin.
“As a student of history, I am very conscious of the roles Benin Kingdom played before the civilization. We are happy that Oba Erediauwa thrived and preserved the rich culture of Benin Kingdom. He was a man of peace. He loved his people so well. We are in deed happy with this rich culture. So on behalf of the Senate we have been mandated to be here, to send our deep condolence.
“He left behind a very big shoe and we pray that God Almighty and the ancestors to give you the wisdom and might to fit into his shoe.
“We also believed that you are going to deploy and bring to bare your experiences as an ambassador in leading your people.
“Our great country is facing a difficult time at the moment and we believed that the traditional institution will always speak out against it and profer solutions to some of the challenges. We also want to pledge our readiness to work with you always,” Ekweremadu said.
Responding, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa who thanked the Senators for the visit, promised not to disappoint as a Monarch.
“I will do my best not to betray the confidence reposed on me not only to carry on the legacies of my father, but to build on upon it and take it to a greater height to the satisfaction of all Nigerians.
“Therefore, I am delighted of the reassurance of your support. Your support for me personally, your support for the tradition, your support for the Kingdom.
“As you rightly described it, it is ancient because it dates back to 1170 to this present dynasty. The history of Benin goes beyond. This current one is the one that dates back to 1170. The name ancient city is not because it is mainly made up of old buildings or underdevelopment or anything like that.
“We thanked the comrade Governor for his tenure only to change that perception of what we call the ancient city, a city full of old buildings, no light, we pray that successive administration will continue with the good work. As I always say, the Oba of Benin is not partisan,” the Edaiken N’Uselu said.
P.M. NEWS reports that the Senators had earlier paid a condolence visit on Governor Adams Oshiomhole at the State Government House, where they described the late Oba as father to all Edo people.
They noted that the departed Monarch was always concerned about the neglect of national monuments in Benin, unemployment and problems of national development, adding that if he were still alive his wise counsel would have been very useful at this time that the country was facing many challenges.