The Oba of Benin, Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa, is alive.
This is contrary to the news that made the rounds on Friday that the prominent monarch had passed on.
The Secretary of the Benin Traditional Council, Frank Irabor, confirmed this in an interview.
Though Irabor did not take calls to his mobile numbers, he told The Punch that Erediauwa was alive.
He told The Punch: “They have been peddling that rumour for more than a year now, because the Oba has not been coming out.
“If there is anything like that, there is usually a statement from the palace or from the Benin Traditional Council.
“The fact that he has not been coming out, even when the President came last week, does not mean that there is anything like that.
“I don’t bother about rumours. I believe in getting information from the authentic source. For more than six months, they have been carrying the rumour.”