BENIN CITY — A major controversy has erupted in Edo State following the installation of Pastor Josephine Ibhaguezejele as the Iyaloja (head of market women) by Mrs. Folashade Ojo-Tinubu, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria.
The appointment, which took place weeks after the state’s governorship election, has triggered protests and sharp divisions across Benin City, with critics describing the title as alien to Benin’s centuries-old traditional structure and accusing its promoters of political interference.
The uproar began when members of the Edo State Market Women Association (ESMWA) protested what they called an “imposition” of an outsider over local markets. In a statement signed by Mrs. Florence Ahunwan and five others, they condemned the move as “a taboo” and “a negation of Benin tradition,” insisting that “only a Benin woman can hold such a leadership role within the cultural context of the kingdom.”
Their anger was further fueled by the perception that the installation was politically motivated, with claims that certain government officials and Ojo-Tinubu were behind it.
Pastor Ibhaguezejele, however, dismissed the allegations, describing them as “false and politically driven.” She insisted that her inauguration followed due process and that leaders from 151 out of the 152 markets in the state endorsed her.
During the event, Governor Monday Okpebholo — represented by Mrs. Edesiri Anani from the Office of the First Lady — expressed the state’s commitment to empowering women and building peaceful marketplaces. Mrs. Ojo-Tinubu also clarified that “no one was displaced,” stressing that the position had been vacant for over a decade.
But the controversy took a deeper cultural turn when the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, rejected the concept entirely, declaring that the title of Iyaloja-General or Iyeki-General “is alien to Benin tradition.”
“Iyaloja is not part of our culture,” the monarch said. “In Benin, every market has its Iye’ki, who performs spiritual and cultural duties for the palace. The Oba does not interfere as long as the Iye’ki fulfills her responsibilities.”
Chief Osaro Idah, speaking for the palace, added that each Iye’ki is selected by her market community and later confirmed by the palace — “there is no such thing as a ‘general Iye’ki’ in Benin.”
Cultural organisations and political figures have since joined the debate. The Aiguobasomwin Movement Worldwide urged authorities to disregard the installation, describing it as a distortion of Benin heritage. Former Senator Ehigie Uzamere and lawyer Jefferson Uwoghiren both warned that the development could inflame tensions if not quickly addressed.
“The term Iyaloja is not indigenous to Benin; it has no roots in our language or customs,” Uzamere said.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) also condemned the appointment, calling it “an affront to Benin culture.”
As of press time, the Edo State government had not issued an official statement on the matter, even as protests and debates continue to reverberate across the state.
