Igue festival’s billboard debuts in Port-Harcourt

The resolute quest by the Indigenous People of the United Kingdom of Great Benin Empire for the restoration, unification and industrialisation of the British truncated United Kingdom of Great Benin Empire (UKGBE), has received a remarkable boost by erecting a colossal, conspicuous billboard at a strategic position in Port-Harcourt City, the capital of Rivers State.

The gigantic billboard bearing the colour photograph of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, Oba of Benin and a message on Igue Festival, is the first of its kind to be mounted outside Benin City in the history of Igue festival, which started centuries ago.

Giving reasons for the novel development, the U.K. based Prince Evangelist Jessy Ọsęmwegiẹ Isibọr, the leader and Co-ordinator General,
Indigenous People of the Great Benin Empire said: “This billboard is to commemorate the Igue Festival, which is one of the significant festivals in the ancient United Kingdom of Great Benin Empire. It is an annual festival. After Igue celebrations comes Aguẹ – a time of fasting and prayer.

It was this festival the Indigenous People of Benin Kingdom were celebrating in January, 1897, when the British soldiers invaded our kingdom, killed thousands of our people and thousands of our Artifacts kept in our library and in our altar were stolen. Some of the artefacts are now being returned after 125 years.

“The United Kingdom of Great Benin Empire stretches through the length and breadth of southern Nigeria, up to Republic of Benin, Ghana and Sierra lone. This is not just a make up story, it is a fact verifiable in historical records.”
 
According to Isibor, this billboard is to remind us that some parts of River State traced their origin to ancient Benin Empire, saying it’s not only in Port-Harcourt or Benin City, Edo State that we intend to mount the billboard.

Isibor said, “We intend to include other places that formed parts of the ancient Benin Empire, but for this year, it is only Port-Harcourt and Benin City that the billboards will be mounted.

“We are, through this approach, reaching out to everybody who traced their origin to the great Benin Empire to embrace our ongoing movement to restore, unite and industrialise the truncated Great Benin Empire, whose Oba (King) was once unjustly deposed and banished to Calabar, but later in 1914, his son, Oba Eweka 11, was re-instated but the sovereignty of the Kingdom is yet to be restored. 

“It is now time for us to come together and rebuild the Empire and restore our past glory, not only for the Indigenous people of the empire, but Africa, Black race and humanity at large.”