Oba Ewuare II of Benin has directed traditional worshippers in Edo-south senatorial district to conduct spiritual interventions targeting kidnappers, armed robbers and violent criminals in the state. The directive was issued on Tuesday during a meeting with native doctors, priests, priestesses and adherents of traditional religion at the royal palace in Benin City, according to NAN. The monarch described the exercise as a spiritual warfare mandated by the ancestors to restore peace and security in Edo State. He urged Edo people at home and in the diaspora to heed the call, stating, "The criminals should know that God Almighty and our ancestors will not allow their evil to prevail in Edo."
Speaking through Osaigbovo Osamwonyi, Akenuwa of Benin, the Oba expressed concern over the rising wave of insecurity and social vices in the state. He emphasized that the spiritual exercise, scheduled for July 2, would involve prayers and rituals aimed at neutralizing criminal elements. "Today is a great day. I welcome you with the power of our ancestors. Many things that are not supposed to be happening are happening in this state. We have to pray. Those who want to destroy the kingdom will not succeed," he said. The Oba stressed that the intervention was meant to complement the efforts of the Edo State government and security agencies. "You all know what is happening. The Oba is trying to bring peace. All the bad things are what we want to wipe away," he added.
The spiritual exercise is set to take place on July 2, with traditionalists across the region expected to participate.
The Oba of Benin is deploying ancestral spiritual authority to combat modern criminal networks, positioning traditional belief as a parallel force to state security. While the government relies on policing and surveillance, the monarch's call for curses on kidnappers reveals a crisis of confidence in conventional crime-fighting methods. The July 2 date gives a formal timeline to what is typically an informal system of spiritual justice. This move does not replace police work but underscores a cultural response where divine retribution is seen as a necessary supplement to human effort.
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