The Oba of Benin has denied authorising the assault on Nigerian filmmaker Dr Don Pedro Obaseki, following public outrage over a viral video showing him being stripped and paraded to the palace.
In a public statement issued by the Benin Traditional Council, the palace described the incident as “unfortunate” and stressed that it was not sanctioned by the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II.
The council stated that such actions could not have been authorised by the monarch, describing the Oba as a peace-loving father to all who does not condone violence.
The palace also cautioned Benin youths against taking the law into their own hands, regardless of provocation, and urged them to always respect the laws of the land.
According to the statement, all grievances should be handled by appropriate security agencies rather than through mob action or self-help.
The Benin Traditional Council further advised social media users to verify information properly before sharing, amid widespread speculation and conflicting narratives surrounding the incident.
Recall Dockaysworld reported that Pedro Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki, was stripped, forced to kneel, and dragged into the Oba’s palace by youths who accused him of being an “Oghionoba,” a term translated as an enemy of the Oba.
The assault has been linked to lingering tensions between the palace and the former governor over the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the handling of repatriated Benin Bronzes.
Reactions have continued to trail both the assault and the palace’s response, with many Nigerians calling for accountability and an end to violence linked to cultural and political disputes.