Palpable tension has gripped Edo State following the installation of Pastor Josephine Ivbazebule as Iyaloja of all markets by Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of President Bola Tinubu, despite strong opposition from the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II, who dismissed the title as “alien” to Benin culture.
The ceremony, held at the Government House in Benin on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, saw Tinubu-Ojo nationally recognized as Iyaloja-General of Nigerian market women, inaugurate Ivbazebule amid fanfare, with support from state officials including the Coordinator of the Edo First Lady’s office, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo-Anani.
However, during a subsequent palace visit on Thursday, the Oba firmly rejected the move, explaining that Benin markets are traditionally led by Iyeki, independent heads per market who perform palace-sanctioned cultural rites in shrines rather than a centralized Iyaloja figure rooted in Yoruba tradition.
“The concept of Iyaloja is alien to us here in Benin,” the monarch stated, emphasizing that “Iyeki is particular to each market” like Oba Market or Ogiso Market, with no overarching authority.
Chief Osaro Idah, speaking on the Oba’s behalf, added that traders select their own Iyeki, who coordinate beyond mere trading to uphold traditions, rendering a “general Iyaloja” an “exercise in futility.”
Protests erupted shortly after, with demonstrators decrying the “imposition” as a threat to Benin heritage, chanting against cultural erosion.
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