Nigerian filmmaker, cultural advocate, and public commentator Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki has narrated a disturbing account of how he was allegedly abducted, assaulted, and humiliated in Benin City on Sunday by a group of unidentified men, who reportedly dragged him to the Oba of Benin Palace.
In an interview with African Independent Television (AIT), Obaseki said the incident occurred between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. while he was playing football with Uwa All Stars at Uwa Primary School. According to him, the men — some of whom were allegedly armed — stormed the field, forcefully whisked him away, and dragged him through several streets including Igbesawan Street, Akpakpava Road, and Ring Road.
He alleged that he was stripped in public before being taken to the palace premises.
“I begged them to show me some form of ID — of course, none was shown. I was dragged, beaten severely, manhandled… and taken into the palace,” he recounted, describing the incident as traumatic, especially given his longstanding contributions to the promotion of Benin culture.
Obaseki, who is also a cousin to former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, said he was later taken to a police station along Oba Market Road where the Edo State Commissioner of Police intervened, personally visiting him on multiple occasions before ordering his release.
He further revealed that the alleged offence was linked to comments he made during a recent visit to London, where he reportedly wished “Edo gha to’kperewa” (May Edo people live long and prosper) instead of the widely used “Oba gha to’kpere” (May the Oba live long and prosper) — a move he said he was told amounted to a cultural violation.
The incident has sparked widespread public outrage and conversations across Edo State and beyond, with many calling for accountability and a thorough investigation into the actions of those involved. The development also comes amid ongoing tensions surrounding cultural authority and heritage matters involving the palace and political leadership in the state.
Authorities are yet to issue a formal statement on the alleged incident at the time of this report.
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