….As Group Describes Act As Taboo
Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
A group on the umbrella body of Edo State Market Women Association (EMWA), has staged a peaceful protest over the alleged imposition of Market Leader, otherwise known as “Iye-eki on them.
The group also accused them of collecting the sum of N1.5 million to facilitate the installation of the so-called Iye-eki on them.
The group in a statement titled: “Iye-eki: Appeal to reverse the injustice, taboo facing our markets in Edo State”, signed by its coordinator, Mrs. Florence Ahunwan and five others made available to Journalists during their peaceful protest to the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State council, in Benin, said the position of the Iye-eki is not political but sacred and exclusively preserved and reserved for a qualified woman of Benin extraction.
Mrs. Ahunwan said the position can only be vacated by death or by the voluntary resignation of the occupier.
Ahunwan said it is surprising that today, a non-Benin is parading herself as the Iye-eki, making mockery of their aged-long culture and tradition.
She alleged that one pastor Josephine Ibhaguezeje, with a non-Benin ancestry who claimed to have gotten the backings of the Edo State government and the support of president Bola Tinubu’s daughter, has continued to parade herself as the Iye-eki in the state.
She alleged also that under her, their markets have become a tool for extortions by thugs loyal to her, our women are faced with all manner of levies, and where they attempt to resist, they are beaten, insulted and their businesses threatened.
She said that her illegitimate reign has brought about widespread division and resentments across markets in Benin as market women are now confused as to her sudden claim of Iye-eki.
According to her “Iye-eki is a not a politician, lye-eki does not carry party card, neither does she campaign of mobilize the markets to campaign for politicians—lye-eki, alongside her officers, as created by the Oba of Benin, are traditional gatekeepers of the markets In Benin City, and by extension, Edo State, who advocate for better market policies, market security, as well as monitor price of commodities to suit current economic realities, and make living easy for market women, and consumers across Edo State.
“As His Royal Majesty is aware, lye-eki is not elected, neither is she selected by any kind of public contest or nominated by a superior being, or a politician, the emergence of lye-eki is divine, sacred, spiritual and traditional in line with the Benin tradition and custom, which is further validated and endorsed by the Oba of Benin.
“This is enabled by the divine providence of the Omo n’Oba being the Permanent Head of the Edo Traditional Rulers’ Council —to this end, we ask with profound respect and loyalty to the Palace, from where we all draw inspiration and protection, for the kind and expeditious intervention of the Oba of Benin on this matter.
“Every other day, the impostor stays as an illegitimate lye-eki is a mis-normal in our traditional paraphernalia; under her, markets lack direction and vision, beyond the ridicule her imposition brings on our age-long tradition, the market economy and security has become deeply porous, following the division her stay brings our market women, majority of whom are traditional Benin and inherited their trade from their mothers, who themselves are highly traditional, find it a taboo to be dictated to by a non-Benin woman with no traceable ancestry to the Benin ethnic nationality”, .
She said under Pastor Josephine, the market-palace relationship has deeply eroded; an office exclusively preserved for a traditional Benin women, who is a natural and spiritual subject of the Oba of Benin, cannot be seen to be effectively managed by a stranger no woman of Benin extraction can lay claim to lye-eki in Esan land, no Benin woman can lay claim to lye-eki in Edo North, even though the leadership extends to these, the traditional headship is always reserved for daughters of the soil,
She added to this extent, and as daughters of the soil, Your Majesty’s natural, spiritual and loyal subjects, we seek for your fatherly intervention, in the productive resolution of the impasse now ravaging our markets under Pastor Josephine, who has become a thorn in the flesh of market women in Benin, regularly mobilizing thugs to harass Edo market women, who
attempt to question her dictatorial tendencies.
Reacting to the allegation, Josephine Ibhaguezeje said the protest is politically motivated.
She added that those protesting are not known to the association.