Oba of Benin announces birth of daughter

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, and his wife, Queen Owamagbe, on Monday, announced the birth of their princess one month after.

The baby’s birth coincided with the monarch’s birthday and coronation anniversary, October 20

Frank Irabor, the Secretary of the Benin Traditional Council, broke the news in a statement posted on the Oba of Benin’s official Facebook page.

Mr Irabor also explained why the news of the baby’s arrival was delayed for over a month.

“The Benin Traditional Council, on behalf of His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare 11, and the Royal Palace of Benin Kingdom, joyfully announces that her Royal Highness, Queen Owamagbe of Benin Kingdom, has been delivered of a baby girl. The infant princess and her mother are in excellent health and in good spirits. The announcement was delayed till now because of the tension raised by the #EndSars protests of October,’’ the statement read.

Ewuare II is the 40th Oba of Benin.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Edo State Government had approved his appointment on April 29, 2016.

Earlier before the appointment, the palace of the Oba had announced the death of his predecessor, Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Erediauwa on April 29 even though it was believed by many Nigerians that he had passed on long before the formal announcement.

Oba Erediauwa, who ascended the throne in 1979, was 92.

Almost one year earlier, the monarch was rumoured to have passed on after an undisclosed illness.

Earlier, the current Oba, then Crown Prince Eheneden, had been formally installed as the Edaiken of Uselu, the heir apparent to the throne on March 7, 2015.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported the monarch’s mediatory roles during the keenly contested Edo polls earlier this year.

Following the rising spate of violence during the electioneering, the Benin monarch had invited the candidates of the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party to a peace meeting on September 2, where he admonished them to ensure the peaceful conduct of the exercise.