A priest, Prince Eweka Udinyiwe, has cautioned Governor Monday Okpebholo against dredging the Ikpoba River before without making necessary sacrifices to goddesses in the river.
Prince Eweka recalled how dredging of the river by former Governor Lucky Igbinedion failed and led to loss of lives because the goddesses were not appeased.
In 2024, there were daily occurrences of accidents at the Ikpoba River bridge shortly after the state government began dredging the river.
It was believed then that it was the sacrifices performed and the halting of the dredging that stopped the accidents.
The warning by Prince Eweka followed the state government’s commencement of preliminary assessments for the dredging of Ikpoba River to address flooding as well as harness the river’s potential to boost state revenue.
Edo Commissioner for Mining, Hon. Andrew Ijegbai, explained that the dredging aimed to provide lasting solution to frequent flooding and river overflow along the busy road corridor.
But Prince Eweka said consultations must be made to know what to give to the goddesses for them to give way to the dredging to be successful.
He said dredging of the river would not affect his spiritual works and explained that the sacrifices were for the spirit to temporarily give away for the dredging.
According to him, “”This Ikpoba River has been here for decades. I grew up to meet this Ikpoba River here. We know that our past government tried to dredge the river. We knew what happened. It didn’t go well because we didn’t follow the rules and the regulations of the river.
“We want to try it again. We need to consult the gods on what they need before dredging the river. And some sacrifice needs to be done before we carry out anything like that. It is not that we just go to river and start dredging, sometimes it might not work because of the power of the river. After our past Governor, Lucky, did his own, others tried to do the same, but all of them failed. No one worked because they didn’t do any sacrifice. So they have to go out there to consult what Ikpoba N’ ogi Eze needs and give them their needs before we start dredging.
“When we do that, everything will just work out fine without any disturbance. Because you give what belongs to Caesar to Caesar, and give what belongs to God to God.”
When asked if the sacrifices would move the goddesses from their abode in the river, Prince Eweka said the sacrifices would not affect them but to allow for the river to be maintained.
“The Ikpoba River is the only river that we have in Benin. There are other rivers but the Ikpoba River flows through the town. So it is very important to us, the Benins.
“You know the kind of accident that was happening at Ikpopa slope then. It was not an easy journey. so we need to do this one step by step. We need to go out there to consult before we temper with the river.
“It is like you are just going to somebody’s house to go and destroy it. The person might fight back but if you tell the person that we are coming to repair this thing for you, they will give you the chance to do whatever you want to do because you have already given they need from you. They’ll give you the time and the space for you to do what you want to do”.
