Obaseki defends family legacy in UK, credits ancestor Agho for preserving Benin monarchy amid political tensions

Manchester, UK – In a candid address to the Edo diaspora community here, former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki invoked his family's storied history to counter what he described as "pettiness and mischief" leveled against him by political rivals back home.

Speaking at a Question & Answer session organized for Edo indigenes in the United Kingdom, Obaseki credited his great-grandfather, Chief Agho Obaseki, with safeguarding the Benin monarchy from potential extinction during the turbulent colonial era.

"If not for Agho Obaseki, this monarchy would have ended in 1897," he declared.

According to Obaseki, "because I am a Benin man, I said nothing must happen to the monarchy. If I wanted, I could have played politics and do what certain politicians have done with several stools and nothing will happen."

Chief Agho Obaseki (c. 1840–1920), a paramount chief and later Iyase (Prime Minister) of Benin, rose to prominence in the kingdom's Interregnum period following the 1897 conquest.

Historical accounts portray him as a pragmatic figure who collaborated with British colonial authorities to restore order, earning him both admiration as a preserver of Benin institutions and criticism as a collaborator who aided in Oba Ovonramwen's exile.

Appointed Iyase in 1914, Agho navigated the new order to maintain Benin chiefly titles and cultural continuity, a legacy Obaseki positioned as foundational to the enduring Oba of Benin throne.

The remarks appear timed amid escalating political friction in Edo State.

Obaseki, who left office in November 2024 after two terms marred by a rift with his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has faced summons from the Edo House of Assembly over alleged mismanagement in projects like the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and a Radisson Blu hotel.

He has refused to appear, calling the probe politically motivated.

Current Governor Monday Okpebholo, an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, has reportedly warned Obaseki against returning to Benin City, prompting the ex-governor to retort on social media, "You can't stop me from entering Benin."

Obaseki used the platform to pivot from history to critique, lambasting the Okpebholo administration for neglecting pensioners and dismantling a health insurance scheme he introduced for vulnerable groups.

"They get almost 15 billion per month from federal allocations... What do you spend it on? Buying vehicles?" he asked rhetorically, urging diaspora Edoans to pressure leaders for accountability.

"It is not about politics or PDP, but good governance and taking care of our people.", he added

As repatriation efforts for Benin bronzes gain momentum and with recent discussions involving Obaseki in Germany drawing the Oba's ire over custodianship.

For many, Obaseki's fusion of ancestral pride and policy critique served as a rallying cry, even as homefront battles intensify.