Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
BENIN CITY, Edo State — A widely shared video and multiple local reports show Nigerian filmmaker and public figure Don Pedro Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki, was allegedly attacked, stripped and dragged into the Oba of Benin’s palace by a group of youths claiming to act on behalf of the Benin Traditional Council amid accusations that he had disrespected the monarch.
According to eyewitness accounts and footage circulating online, the incident unfolded on December 28, 2025, when a group of men confronted Obaseki — identified in reports as the former Managing Director of Dasr Communication and Chief Executive Officer of Hosamudia Farm — in Benin City. The assailants accused him of being an “Oghionoba,” a term interpreted locally as an enemy of the Oba of Benin.
Video footage reviewed by journalists shows Obaseki forcibly stripped to his underwear, compelled to kneel and made to move on his knees toward the Oba’s palace grounds, with some of those present believing the action was tied to local customs surrounding respect for traditional authority. Palace chiefs or palace officials were seen in the footage, and Obaseki was escorted inside the palace premises as onlookers remained outside.
Sources say the dramatic confrontation followed Obaseki’s presence at a “meet-and-greet” event in London organised in honour of his cousin, former Governor Godwin Obaseki, who has been involved in a longstanding dispute with the Oba of Benin and palace authorities. That conflict previously centred on cultural heritage issues, including disagreements over the Benin Bronzes and proposals for museum projects — matters that attracted intense public and political attention.
Eyewitnesses reported the incident began while Obaseki was at Uwa Primary School, where he had been playing football, before being confronted and beaten by the youths. Viral clips also show him later kneeling at the Oba’s palace gate, a gesture interpreted by participants as an act of allegiance or submission to the monarch’s authority.
At the time of publication, no official statement had been issued by the Benin Traditional Council or palace authorities confirming that the group that confronted Obaseki was acting on their formal instructions or sanction. It was also unclear whether any formal police investigation had begun into potential assault charges or violations of public order arising from the incident.
The episode has drawn significant online attention and raised questions about the role of traditional authority in modern civic life, the limits of vigilante action, and the legal protections afforded to citizens regardless of disputes involving cultural norms and respect.
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