Is Simon Ebegbulem a journalist or ACN’s mouthpiece?.

THIS has nothing to do with politics. It is saddening that a journalist could deliberately distort facts in a manner that could reduce the significance of one of the most respected traditional stools in Africa, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa.

Simon Ebegbulem of Vanguard newspapers, has shown with all clear convictions that he is an interested party in the politics of Edo State.

He does not even bother if his report triggers off crisis and conflict in Edo State as long as he serves the interest of his master.

The Benin Traditional Council, in an advertorial in the Vanguard of Wednesday May 9, 2012, page 34, warned that the stool of our revered monarch should not in any sense or way be dragged into partisan politics.

The said advertorial, signed by Frank Irabo, Secretary, Benin Traditional Council, read: “It has come to the notice of the Benin Traditional
Council and the Palace that the name, pictures, imprimatur and effigy of Omo N’Oba, N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, are being freely used as signs of campaign by political parties.

“The Traditional Council wishes to stress that it is unacceptable for the political inclinations of any group of persons to be ascribed to the Oba of Benin. In particular, the Benin Traditional Council wishes to reiterate that the Oba of Benin’s desire and prayers as father to all is for the individual or party, who is expressly committed to the continued unity of the Edo people, the infrastructural development of Edo State, creation of jobs for the people, reduction of poverty and, above all, respect for the traditional institution.

“The Benin traditional council hereby restates the non-partisan position of the Palace.”
In spite of this press statement, it is shocking that a staff of Vanguard, a correspondent assigned to cover Edo State, could be so partisan to report in a piece on Page 43 of Saturday Vanguard with the headline: Jonathan’s visit to Edo: How the gods of Benin Kingdom stood for Oshiomhole.

The said piece is clearly an effort to want to mislead Edo people, drag our revered traditional ruler, Omo N’Oba, N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, into partisan politics, create the false picture that our revered Oba had endorsed Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN’s candidate, Adams Oshiomhole, as the one to be voted as governor in the July 14 election.

His piece in the said Vanguard read in part: “It will be recalled that the Oba had not hidden his support for Oshiomhole’s second term bid after he, on several occasions, appreciated his….”

He further pushed what could simply pass as a personal opinion in the same piece when he said: “A top Bini Chief told Saturday Vanguard that the oracle does not speak twice and you know the oracle has spoken. The day Oshiomhole came to the palace, the gods accepted him and he received their blessings and you remember that the Esogban of Benin warned that anyone who wants to doubt the oracle should wait for the consequence.”

It is evident that the said Simon Ebegbulem, Edo State correspondent of Vanguard, does not fit into the character of a journalist who is expected to report issues dispassionately.

In the same piece, the said Ebegbulem demonstrated his passion when he alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan maintains what could be interpreted as a warm relationship with Governor Oshiomhole for which reason he wanted to shun the last PDP rally in Edo State.

He wrote: “… prior to the arrival of President Jonathan, there

were insinuations that he may shun the state rally due to his relationship with Governor Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole stuck out his neck defending the economic policies of President Jonathan, particularly during the fuel subsidy removal debate.”

Obviously, the said correspondent has carried on as a mouthpiece of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, standing truth on its head.

Vanguard is a paper of public trust and the likes of Ebegbulem diminishes the value and significance of the paper.

This is not the first time he has written more as a mouthpiece of ACN than as a journalist. We wish to urge the management of Vanguard, the widest read newspaper in Edo State, to call this journalist to order. He should not destroy our dear state with his brand of journalism.

The Oba’s stool is one of the most revered in Africa and all Bini sons and daughters cherish the value of the stool so much that we cannot be silent when glaring efforts are being made to rubbish one of the outstanding values of the Benin kingdom by a mercantile journalist.

The Oba has spoken, and very clearly, that he should not be dragged into partisan politics, but Ebegbulem, for whatever reasons, wants to rubbish the name of our revered Oba. God forbid that he succeeds.

The Management of Vanguard newspaper should urgently act to save the reputation of the paper in our state.

*Director-General, Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri Campaign Directorate.

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