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A letter written by Chief (Dr.) Mujidat Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and first daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has surfaced online, deepening the controversy over the installation of a new market leader in Edo State.
The letter, dated April 30, 2024, and acknowledged by the Benin Traditional Council on May 1, was addressed to His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II.
In the letter, Tinubu-Ojo stated: “With greatest sense of responsibility and utmost regards to our Royal Father, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II the Oba of Benin, I humbly write to introduce Pastor Mrs. Josephine Isi Ibhaguezejele as the Edo State Iyeki-Elect.”
She further stressed that, “With the development, it is her responsibility to see to the day-to-day affairs of the traders in the state (Edo State). Your Majesty, I humbly request that you give your daughter every necessary backing to succeed in this great and noble assignment as I look forward to your fatherly blessing for her to be fruitful in her newly assigned responsibilities.”
The emergence of the letter has fueled uproar in Benin City, where the Oba of Benin has already rejected attempts to foist the Yoruba-styled title of “Iyaloja” on Edo markets, insisting that only the culturally entrenched title of “Iyeki” is recognized under Benin tradition.
Analysts note that the leaked correspondence highlights the political undercurrents of the tussle, with some interpreting it as a bid to centralize influence over Edo’s markets under an external framework. Palace insiders maintain that the authority to confirm or reject a market leader rests solely with the Oba, given the administrative and spiritual significance attached to the Iyeki institution.
As the letter continues to circulate widely on social media, the controversy is intensifying debates around culture, identity, and politics, leaving Edo’s market women and traditional custodians divided over the future of the Iyeki.
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