Oba Ewuare II, Oba of Benin holds his Staff of Office, after his coronation

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, of Federal Government’s support in his poverty alleviation and youth empowerment scheme.

Buhari gave the assurance on Thursday in Benin at the coronation of Prince Eheneden Erediauwa as Oba Ewuare II.

Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari said the coronation was not just a celebration of culture and tradition, but a show of obligation by the monarch to protect the well-being of his people.

Buhari, who paid glowing tribute to the transited Oba Erediauwa, described him as the most principled and forthright Nigerian he had ever met.

He expressed optimism that the new monarch, with his wealth of experience, “schooled in the art of tradition and customs, with his exposure as an ambassador and in the business world, had been well prepared for the task ahead.’’

Buhari also congratulated Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo for having the rare privilege to have presented staff of office to a Benin monarch.

Earlier, the monarch called on the Federal Government to support his empowerment scheme for the people of Edo, saying that the rate of delinquency in our society had become alarming.

Oba Ewuare also announced the establishment of a N10 million trust fund,  `Oba Erediauwa Lecture Series’ in honour of his transited father, Erediauwa, to promote excellence in research, oration and Bini language.

The monarch appealed to relevant government agencies to include the Edo language in school curriculum, saying the people were fast “losing the essence of our unique language that had remained the unifying factor.’’

Ewuare said his palace would partner stakeholders to promote agro-business in the seven local government area councils in Edo South.

Ewuare, who properly traced the obaship reign to the time of Oronmiyan, disclosed that he had become the 40th Oba and not the 39th as erroneously being reported. (NAN)