Tension in Edo State as Northern group allegedly moves to crown Sultan in Benin Kingdom

Some groups in Edo state have rejected the reported plans by an ethnic group from Borno to crown Idris Adanno as the Sultan of Shuwa Arab of Edo state.

PM News reported that news about the planned coronation scheduled to hold on Saturday, 21 August, in a suburb of Benin City, is causing tension in the state.

Residents of the city have vowed not to allow the said coronation to take place.

The invitation card to the coronation ceremony, sighted on Facebook, has triggered anger among the youths.

The president of the Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM), Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, warned that Benin indigenes will do whatever it will take to resist imposing a sultan in the city, The Punch reported.

He said: “This will never happen in Benin Kingdom, we are Benin.’’

Another group, Great Benin Descendants (GBD), said it would barricade the venue of the planned coronation.

The coordinator-general of the group, Imasuen Izoduwa, described the event as nonsense.

He said Benin City cannot have both an Oba and a Sultan.

Another youth leader, Comrade Amos Ehinomen Uagbor said: “Is this obtainable elsewhere? We should now have OBA and Sultan in Edo state? In fact, the venue should be sealed.''