The government of Edo State has declared Thursday, October 20, as public holiday in celebration of the coronation of the Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Eheneden Erediauwa.
This is just as the new Oba of Benin on Tuesday visited Use community in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, where he picked a name he would bear as the new Oba.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, in a statement on Tuesday, in Benin, said “the public holiday is in honour of Erediauwa, who will be crowned the 39th Oba of Benin.”
The purpose of the public holiday is to ensure a hitch-free coronation and give Edo people the opportunity to partake in the historic installation of the new Oba of Benin.
Also, in preparation for the coronation of the new Oba, an adjustment has been made in traffic flow within the state capital and alternative routes provided for motorists.
The coronation planning committee said the adjustment would take effect from midnight of October 18.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of Media and Publicity Sub-committee, Josef Omorotionmwan, the committee listed some of the affected roads as Airport Road, Sapele Road, Sakponba and Akpakpava.
It was also gathered that the crown prince entered the shrine at the Edigin’s Palace, after playing the game of Akhue with HRH Kelvin Ekpe Edigin on Tuesday.
The name chosen by the prince was not announced after the game and can only be made public on Thursday.
