By Charles Pemu 
The historic Kingdom of Benin has been rocked by an unprecedented public address from the Crown Prince, Prince Ezelekhae Ewuare, directed toward his father, the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II. In a deeply emotional social media post shared as 2025 drew to a close, the heir apparent broke years of silence to address the welfare of his mother and the widening rift within the royal family.
The Prince’s address shed light on a domestic crisis that has seen his mother, the Queen, allegedly removed from the palace six months ago. According to the Crown Prince, the expulsion was triggered by an incident involving his youngest brother, who reportedly entered the palace abruptly to see the Oba—an approach that displeased the monarch and resulted in the Queen being told to leave.
Beyond the domestic issues, the Crown Prince addressed a public “washing” he received from his father at a Government House function. The Oba had previously accused his eldest son of being “co-opted” by former Governor Godwin Obaseki regarding the Legacy Restoration Trust—a body involved in the return of the Benin Bronzes and the creation of a new museum.
Prince Ezelekhae clarified that he had his father’s initial blessing to join the board before the monarch changed his mind while the Prince was in Germany. He cited a breakdown in direct communication, blaming “middlemen” for preventing him from reaching his father personally. He admitted to a rare moment of anger where he raised his voice to the Oba after overhearing unpleasant remarks, an act for which he claims to have apologized for four consecutive years without receiving forgiveness.
The prince expressed profound heartbreak over his father’s decision to air private family grievances in the public domain. He specifically noted the pain of seeing his elder sister on stage during the public castigation, which he described as a “horrible feeling.”
In a final, stirring appeal, the prince took a submissive tone regarding his own standing but remained firm on the protection of his mother:
“Domo. I’ll deal with however you decide to treat me but please don’t mistreat our mother. She’s not as young as she used to be… she has stood by you for years. I’m on my knees, let our mother back into her home.”
Prince Ezelekhae also extended his plea for forgiveness to his siblings the Oba’s second and third sons and second daughter asking the monarch to “forgive and forget” as the Kingdom enters 2026. He concluded with a prayer for the unity and positive projection of Edo State, prioritizing peace over division.