Obaseki redeploys Director of Protocol over kolanut

The Director of Protocol (DoP) in Edo, Mr Osayande Aisagbon, has been redeployed to the Ministry of Culture and Diaspora Affairs following alleged embarrassment suffered by Gov. Godwin Obaseki during a visit to the Palace of Oba of Benin.

Gov. Obaseki visited the Benin monarch on July 25 for royal blessings as part of his reelection campaign, but was unable to present kolanut and gin in line with the palace tradition for the royal blessing.

It was reported that Obaseki, accompanied by the party’s National Campaign Chairman, Gov. Nyesom Wike, were embarrassed when the monarch asked for the kolanut to offer prayers for the visitors to have a successfully campaign but none could be provided.

A source in Government House Benin, who pleaded anonymity, said: “The governor was embarrassed. it’s the responsibility of the protocol department to handle such assignment, so somebody has to take responsibility.”

In a memo obtained by our correspondent in Benin, the governor ordered for the redeployment of the DoP over the embarrassment.

In the same memo, the redeployed DoP was replaced with Mr Mosis Obakpolor, also a staff of the Ministry of Culture and Diaspora Affairs.

It would recalled that the campaign train also included Governors Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto; Duoye Diri, Bayelsa; Seyi Makinde, Oyo and Bala Muhammed, Bauchi State.

Other on the campaign team were, Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, Chairman of DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, Chief Tom Ikimi, Sen. Clifford Ordia and Mr Ken Imasuagbon, among others.