Crusaderhotnews
By Gidigba Group
Having served as Secretary to the former Iye-Eki, Late Janet Omozuwa, for over 20 years, Madam Blacky, who plies her trade in Ekiosa, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, assumed the role of Iye-Eki by the collective support and solidarity of other market women—Blacky's spiritual and cultural affirmation flowed from the stool of Oba Erediauwa—father of Ewuare II CFR, Oba of Benin.
Oba Erediauwa gifted Madam Blacky, Madam Aiwerioba and others, who visited the Palace for His Royal Majesty's affirmation, one bag of rice, one bag of beans, forty tubers of yam, two cartons of Malt, and ₦200,000.00 cash, and instructed her (Madam Blacky), to lead others, after which Oba Erediauwa joined his ancestors a week later.
Blacky did not fall from the sky, she did not impose herself on the market, she did not stuff herself down the throat of Benin maket women, as Pst. "Otagbogbo" is unsuccessfully doing, her Iye-Ekiship is a product of culture and the Benin Monarchical affirmation.
Madam Blacky has been Iye-Eki since Oshiomhole days as governor, up to the period of Obaseki.
They are not politicians like Pst. Josephine, they are a spiritual entity who help governments coordinate markets and as well gatekeep the spiritual and Benin cultural paraphernalia of markets in Edo South, on behalf of the Palace—having secured Omo n'Oba's sacred authority.
The position of Iye-Eki is not for political compensation, no governor hires and fires an Iye-Eki, replacement can only be done when an Iye-Eki passes-on, becomes incapacitated or voluntarily resigns, and such replacement must be a traditional market woman of Benin extraction.
None of these is currently applicable in Blacky's case—she is fit as fiddle, spiritually and culturally fortified, and sufficiently enjoys the collective solidarity, love and support of her market-women-colleagues across Edo South, particularly.
We call, strongly on Benins worldwide to remain affirmative in their rejection of the Benin cultural aberration by the Okpebholo-led government in concert with Tinubu's daughter, you can never tell one morning they will wake up and want to usurp our age-long Monarchy—God and ancestors forbid—Oyayasivbievbuomwan.
Oba gha t'kpere, ise.
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