…you are not a son of the palace!
By Osagie Imasogie
There was congealed laughter and silence yesterday in the Palace of the Oba of Benin when the Oba clarified Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party, LP, candidate, concerning his claim of being a son of the place. It was humiliating as the Oba made the distinction between a son of the soil and a royal son. His Royal Majesty, without mincing words, rebuked him for using the palace to gain political relevance.
The humiliation occured yesterday in Benin, by the Oba of Benin during a courtesy visit Akpata made to the Oba’s Palace.
Accompanied by Gov. Peter Obi, Olumide Akpata had in the course of his presentation to the Oba, claimed several times that he was a son of the Oba’s Palace.
In his remarks, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, said he had heard the claims previously, and had asked one of his chiefs to verify; because he was not aware that Olumide was a child of the Palace. His chief confirmed his suspicions that indeed Olumide Akpata had no direct or distant links to the Palace.
“You are an industrious son of the soil, but to say you are a child of the Palace…I am not aware that any of my children is contesting or is a politician. So I need to make that clarification for the sake of the public and the fourth estate of the realm,” the Oba said.
“I hope you don’t mind that clarification. You are an industrious, indigenous son of the soil but you are not a child of the Palace.”
Apparently unhappy with the Oba’s correction, Barr. Akpata angrily retorted that while he might not be a child of the Palace, he was undeniably a child of the kingdom. Akpata and his entourage left soon after.
It is rumoured that Akpata said he will never visit the Palace again because of the brutal humiliation given to him by the Oba. According to the source, Obi told him not to take the clarification personal, but should askew calling himself a son of the Palace, which he is obviously not.
