Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the September 21, 2024 election in Edo State Senator Monday Okpebholo has congratulated the Benin monarch Oba Ewuare ll on the return of 39 stolen artefacts from Sweden.
In a statement on Friday, Okpebholo recalled that the artefacts were carted away 127 years ago by those he termed colonial plunderers.
The APC candidate said he was excited by the news of the return of the artefacts, but explained that, like millions of Nigerians, he was not surprised by the development “because of how you have redefined the African cultural heritage both as a diplomat and as a royal father.”
He took a swipe at all those “who have used their exalted offices to undermine the value of the Benin Monarchy by infringing on the way of the return of the stolen artefacts to the palace of the great Benin Kingdom, where they truly belong.”
He reassured the Benin monarch and the traditional institution across the state, that “my team and I shall continue to harness the wealth of experience from the traditional institution, especially the Palace of the Oba of Benin, in administering the good people of Edo state, when voted into office as Governor of Edo state. We shall stay on the path of truth and support the Benin Monarchy to achieve the collective gains for the people of the state.”
Okpebholo thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support and cooperation with the palace of the Oba of Benin on the Benin Royal Museum project, “which we believe will impact very positively on the development of tourism in Edo state and Nigeria in general.”
