Edo Market Women Protest Leadership Imposition by Iyaloja, President Tinubu’s Daughter

An alleged plan to impose a leader on the Edo State Market Women Association by President Bola Tinubu’s first daughter, Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja of Nigeria, is being resisted by members of the association who say they recognise only Mrs. Blacky Ogiamien as their leader.
Taking their protest to the streets of Benin City on Thursday, the aggrieved women rejected the proposed leadership of one Mrs. Josephine Ebhaguejezele, a pastor, as Iyaloja of Edo Market.
Leading the protest, Ogiamen, the current Chairman of the Association, insisted that she remained the authentic chairman of the Market Women Association in Edo State, and warned that the position of market women leadership in the state is not political. According to her, “We are saying no to the illegal inauguration of Iyaloja of Edo State. There is a law guiding the State Market Women Association.
“We are the authentic market women in Edo State and the association is led by me. This association has been in existence for several decades, right from the reign of Oba Akenzua till the present Oba of Benin. When any leader dies, the assistant will take over. During the reign of Oba Erediauwa, he called us to the Palace and said I should lead the market women in Edo State. Since then, there has been peace in this association in Edo State.

“We are not politicians. We are voters. We support any government in power. When Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was the Governor, we supported him throughout his tenure. We supported Lucky Igbinedion, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, and this present government. That is how we have been piloting the affairs without crisis.”
She explained that “About a week ago, we heard that they want to inaugurate another President of the Edo State Market Women Association. The Oba of Benin is our grand patron, while the Governor is our Patron. It is stated in our constitution that ‘it is only death that removes any leader of the Market Women Association in Edo State. It is not political.”
On their part, the coordinators from across the 18 local government areas of the state, reaffirmed their loyalty and passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of Mrs. Blacky Ogiamen.