Ahead of the September 21 Edo State governorship election, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II has gone spiritual. This is even as the Oba has directed all traditional chiefs and leaders in Benin Kingdom to perform the traditional “Bisusu” ceremony to ward off evil ahead of the Edo governorship election.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the ceremony is to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free governorship election in the state.
The directive was contained in a statement by the Esere of Benin, Stanley Obamwonyi, on Wednesday, in Benin.
The statement stated that the ceremony, which involves waving away calamity, is to be performed with traditional items. It maintained that the ceremony is to be carried out immediately.
Obamwonyi stated that the Oba’s directive aims to ensure that the September 21 governorship election in the state is free from violence and other forms of electoral malpractice.
“The ‘Bisusu’ ceremony is a traditional ritual performed by the Benin people. It is done to ward off evil and calamity from their land.
“By directing the chiefs to perform this ceremony, the Oba is invoking traditional powers. Which is to ensure a peaceful and orderly election.”
Obamwonyi said the performance of the “Bisusu” ceremony would involve all chiefs. The Enigie, Ikao, Edionwere, and Igie Ohen of the various deities in the Benin Kingdom,” The Esere of Benin said.
He said with the directive, traditional leaders in the Benin Kingdom were expected to take immediate action. They are to perform the ceremony and use their influence to ensure a peaceful election.
Recall that there has been tension and pre-election violence in Edo since the beginning of the year.
On 18 July, a police inspector was killed during an attack on the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo. Gunmen fired at Okpebholo’s convoy while he was leaving the Benin Airport shortly after he and others arrived from Abuja.
The incident occurred during the reinstatement Deputy Governor of Edo, Philips Shaibu.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that since April 2024, 19 major incidents of pre-election violence have been recorded in the State. The report was supported by Situation Room partner, Kimpact Development Initiative, which is tracking election-related violence ahead of the polls.
“In many of these incidents, which include shootings and assaults, victims sustained varying degrees of injuries,” the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room said on July 19.
The Room, therefore, expressed concern about the pre-election violence in the State.
“Situation Room is worried that if this dangerous trend is allowed to fester, it will have grave consequences for the September 21 Governorship election. We, therefore, call on security agencies to fish out perpetrators of violence and prosecute them accordingly,” the group added.
Also, on Tuesday, the police in Edo, said they have arrested the chairperson of Esan West Local Government Area of the state, Collins Aigbogun, over alleged political violence in the area.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, said the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, had moved the Council Chairperson to Abuja over the matter.
“What happened was that he brutalized somebody in the course of an altercation between himself and other party members.
“He was invited, and the DPO in the area brought him to the State CID. Where it was discovered that earlier, before now, he had other charges against him,” Edwin-Iwo said.
The Commissioner noted that police is mopping-up illegal arms in Edo before the election.
source: Premium Times
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