By Austin Ogwuda
FORMER National President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA and Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Olumide Akpata, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) saw the humiliation of his life last Saturday when he paid courtesy visit to the Oba’s Palace.
Incidentally, Akpata was accompanied by the former Presidential candidate of Labour Party Mister Peter Obi among members of the entourage.
Trouble started when Olumide Akpata had in the course of his presentation to the Oba, claimed several times that he was a son of the Oba’s Palace ostensibly in anticipation of currying the Palace favour in advancing his political campaign.
But he got the shocker when Oba of Benin His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, having allowed him to land said he had previously heard the claims of him broadcasting and boasting about that he is a son of the Palace and had to ask one of his Chiefs to go and verify because he (Oba) was not aware that Olumide was a child of the Palace.
The Oba maintained that the Chief he sent to investigate came back and indeed confirmed his (Oba) suspicions that Olumide Akpata has no way any direct or distant links to the Palace.
Responding immediately Akpata stated his mission to the Palace, Oba Ewuare I1 said, “You (Akpata) are an industrious son of the soil but to say you are a child of the Palace…I am not aware that any of my children is contesting or is a politician. So I need to make that clarification for the sake of the public and the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
“I hope you don’t mind that clarification. You are an industrious, indigenous son of the soil but you are not a child of the Palace”, the Oba emphasized.
Olumide Akpata quickly postulated and said, “I am grateful for the correction. It was a mistake on my part. I am a true soon of the Benin Kingdom. I hope His Royal Majesty Will forgive me”.
Having been dazed with the shocker, Akpata and his entourage departed the Palace soon afterwards.
*Source: Spade Nigeria
