The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has narrated how former Governor Godwin Obaseki withheld statutory funding for his Palace for seven months.

Oba Ewuare II said the action of the previous administration was deliberately done to undermine the Palace.

The Benin Monarch, who spoke at a media parley with journalists in the state, said funds to the palace were first slashed before a final stop was put to it for seven months.

He said the Palace took responsibility for paying the staff of the palace as well as clearing weeds around its surroundings.

Oba Ewuare II stated that slashing and putting an end to the funds going to the palace was meant to undermine it.

He said God and his ancestors did not allow the efforts of those who planned to undermine the palace to prevail. The Benin Monarch recalled how a former Military Governor whom the Palace earlier helped, turned around to spite the Palace by erecting a storey building on a sacred ground opposite the palace.

He vowed to reclaim all sacred ground that had been forcefully taken over.

Speaking on the need for constitutional review for traditional rulers to adequately perform their functions, he said such critical aspects should be looked into to define who is a Traditional Ruler.

He noted that knowing what a traditional ruler means would help checkmate its abuses as well as make things right. (The Nation)

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