By Sly Edaghese
No one fights the Oba of Benin and walks away unscathed. Godwin Obaseki learned that lesson the hard way. His second term was marked by a cold war with the palace, and he barely escaped with his political skin intact. So when Monday Okpebholo came calling at the palace, he didn’t just bow — he crawled on his knees. A full public submission. It wasn’t worship; it was survival.
He knew exactly what he was doing. In Edo, the Oba’s smile is a political insurance policy. Cross that line, and your career can collapse before your next executive meeting.
But here’s the rub: Okpebholo has many “fathers.”
And that’s where his problem begins.
Top of the list is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — the grandmaster of political chess, the kingmaker of Lagos, and, by extension, the man whose shadow stretches over most governors today. Okpebholo calls him “father.” Then there’s Adams Oshiomhole, who still wields the whip in Edo politics. Add Senate President Akpabio and Minister Nyesom Wike, and you have a governor surrounded by political heavyweights who all expect loyalty.
So, when you kneel to one father in Benin and bow to another in Abuja, how long before the two fathers start fighting over who owns the son?
That moment may have arrived.
Because right now, the Edo political theatre has a new drama — Iyaloja vs. Iyeki.
Sounds cultural, but don’t be fooled. This is a full-blown political bomb.
Let’s break it down.
Iyaloja is a Yoruba creation — the “Mother of the Market.” The current Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Chief (Mrs.) Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, happens to be the daughter of the President. With that surname, she doesn’t just preside over markets in Lagos anymore; she has upgraded herself to Iyaloja-General of Nigeria. In short, the “Mother of All Markets” from Lagos now lays claim to the entire federation — including Edo.
Iyeki, on the other hand, is Edo’s ancient institution. It existed long before Nigeria became Nigeria. Each Benin market has an Iyeki who reports directly to the Oba or the local Enogie. Their power comes from the palace — not from any political office or presidential daughter. They collect levies, perform rituals, and uphold centuries of custom.
So, when the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria stormed Benin City last week to inaugurate a new “Iyaloja-General of Edo State,” it was bound to explode.
Governor Okpebholo rolled out the red carpet. Cameras flashed. The president’s daughter smiled. Edo’s own “Iyaloja-General” was installed. Then the delegation trooped to the Oba’s palace — and that’s when the ground shook.
The Oba of Benin, in his majestic calm, made it clear:
“Iyaloja is strange to Benin tradition. We have Iyeki. Each market has its own Iyeki. None reports to Lagos. None reports to any Iyaloja-General of Nigeria.”
Boom! There was an explosion!
The palace erupted in cheers. Market women danced. The Oba had spoken. And in Benin, when the Oba speaks, it is final.
Now, everyone is watching the governor.
How does Okpebholo navigate this minefield? He’s already hugged the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria on live television. Will he now make a U-turn and align with the Oba, declaring the installation of Edo’s Iyaloja-General an alien imposition? Or will he bow to Abuja and risk the wrath of Benin’s royal thunder?
Either way, the governor is in deep waters.
If he sides with the Oba, Tinubu’s camp will frown. If he sides with the Iyaloja, the palace will remember — and Edo never forgets.
This is not just a cultural misunderstanding. It’s a battle over sovereignty — who owns Edo’s markets: the palace or the politicians? The Oba or the presidency?
And in that clash of power and pride, Monday Okpebholo stands lonely at the center — a governor torn between ancestral authority and political obligation.
The truth?
Edo people are watching. Benin market women are watching. Abuja power brokers are watching.
Okpebholo must choose:
Will he be remembered as the governor who defended his heritage — or the one who traded it for political convenience?
For now, the matter, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
Sly Edaghese writes in from Wisconsin, USA.
slyedaghese@yahoo.com
