The Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, has advised President Bola Tinubu and the Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, to avoid the distraction of market women politics and focus on the work they were elected to do for Nigerians and Edo people.
His advise followed the controversy that trailed the inauguration of Pastor Josephine Ivbaguezejele as Iyeki by the daughter of President Tinubu, Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, on October 2, 2025 at the Edo State Government House.
The monarch in a statement on Tuesday by the Benin Traditional Council, BTC, noted that the Palace had for some time observed that markets have become a veritable tool in the hands of partisan politicians and unscrupulous individuals to express themselves for their personal benefit.
He opined that the practice of using associations in negative ways in the market has also contributed immensely to the rise in prices of foodstuffs, thereby impacting negatively the efforts of Mr. President to bring food prices down.
‘This situation has persisted since even long before the present administration. While the Palace takes a deem view of such an alien concept of ‘IYALOJA’ being introduced into the market system of Edo culture, it is also pertinent to point out that the Palace has serious reservations about the tendency of market women allowing themselves to be used as political pawns in the political field under the aegis of market associations in Edo State.
‘The Palace has received numerous complaints that the practice of using associations in negative ways in the markets has also contributed immensely to the rise in prices of foodstuffs thereby seriously impacting the efforts of Mr. President to bring food prices down.
‘While the Palace maintains its position that the IYALOJA concept is alien to the culture of Benin, the Palace also frowns at the use of trade associations to run open markets and to play partisan politics.
‘These twin factors are antithetical and inimical to the essence of our market tradition in Benin culture,’ he said.
Oba Ewuare further appealed to market women and the politicians behind them to eschew dragging the sanctity of the name of the ‘OBA into their partisan political affairs.
‘We hear comments such as the ‘Oba’s word is final’ in this IYALOJA saga, but did the market women respect and observed this in the previous administrations when they allowed themselves to be used as political pawns?
While stating that there is nothing like Iyeki General in Benin which the Iyaloja concept seems to imply, he stressed that in the Benin culture Iyeki emerged among the market women.
‘The Palace never chooses anybody as lyeki. It is the market women that do that. Every lyeki is independent of each other. Every lyeki is culturally, spiritually and, religiously tied to the Palace. There is a direct functional relationship between lyeki and the Palace.
‘Just as there is no honorary chieftaincy title in Benin culture, so also there is no honorary lyeki title in Benin culture.
‘Every lyeki has a spiritual function she performs for the Palace and for the well-being of the market’, he added.
He, however, advised that the function of lyeki should not be politicized, noting that any deviation from ‘this age-old cultural system’ may lead to a breach of the peace.
‘It behooves the Benin Traditional Council to advise the State Government to please take cognizance of this and avoid break down of law and order,’ he stated.
Group backs Oba of Benin on market leadership in Benin
Meanwhile, the Edo Art and Cultural Heritage Institute (EACHI), has thrown its weight behind Oba of Benin, on his stance on market leadership in the kingdom.
In a statement by Mr Okpioba Idemudia on behalf of EACHI on Wednesday, in Benin, the group said it aligned itself with the position of the Oba that the Iye-Eki was the only recognised traditional head of the markets in the kingdom.
The group said it believed that the Iye-Eki holds a significant and revered position in the Benin Kingdom, serving as markets traditional head.