Biography
Oba of Benin, Ewuare II: Biography, Education, Wives, Children, Career, Achievements and More
By Balogun Kamilu Lekan
Biography
His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, Oba of Benin, was born on the 20th of October 1953 and is the 40th monarch of the empire.
He was known as Eheneden Erediauwa, before becoming Oba of Benin,
The Oba of Benin is one of the few first-class kings in Nigeria, with a huge responsibility, and is also revered as the spiritual head of the Benin kingdom.
Following the death of the former Oba of Benin in 2016, Oba Ewuare II was enthroned as the 40th Oba of Benin on the 20th of October of the same year, which coincides with his 63rd birthday.
His Royal Majesty has exhibited the traits of a wise, peace-loving, and considerate ruler.
Education
His royal Majesty, Uku Akpolokpolo, attended Edo College in Benin then Immaculate Conception College from 1968 to 1970.
He then proceeded to South Thames College in London, where he obtained his A-Level’
He headed to the University of Wales, where he earned a certificate in Economics, and finally, to Rutgers University for his Master’s degree in Public Administration.
Marriage
The monarch houses 5 women in his matrimony.
It was reported that his fourth wife is the older sister of his fifth wife.
It was also reported that his fifth wife welcomed a set of quadruplets, three boys and a girl, in August 2021.
Career
The Oba, before his ascension, worked as an intern with the United Nations.
from 1981 to 1982.
He served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Sweden, the Republic of Finland, and Italy, with accreditation to Norway and Angola.
While in Angola, he mediated between Jose Eduardo, the former president of the country, and Jonas Savimbi, a rebel leader, to foster peace in the region.
Apart from being a diplomat, he was also a successful businessman with various experiences in the oil and gas, construction, and agro-allied industries.
He founded the South Point Royal School, Benin and the Benin Royal Dynasty Trust, a non-governmental organization.
He has also served as an Adviser on Socio-Economic Development to his home state government of Edo.
Achievement
In his capacity, Oba Ewuare II extends a financial gesture toward the 78 Nigerian refugees excavated from Libya.
The Monarch, like other kings before him, has vehemently clamoured for the reparation of stolen artefacts from the empire by the British during colonialism.
He values the historical relevance and spiritual relevance of the arts to modern Benin.
This has yielded positive results as some of the artwork has been returned.
In 2018, Oba Ewuare placed a curse on juju priests and individuals involved in human trafficking. This he did in his own capacity as the spiritual custodian of the empire.
Ewuare II, a peace lover, during the 2020 general election mediated between Governor Obaseki and Eze-Iyamu when the ambition of the two political giants began to raise tension in the state. He encouraged them to embrace peace no matter the outcome of the election.
On the second anniversary of his coronation, the monarch launched a book titled, “The Red Book: The Benin Monarchy.” The book entails the works of anthropologists, historians, sociologists, writers, and analysts.
This work is also a way of the Oba playing his own role in placing the history of the Kingdom in the right perspective.
In July 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Oba Ewuare as the Chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano.
Net worth
Uku Akpolokpolo is undoubtedly an influential monarch in society, and his taste for exquisite and exotic lifestyles should not be surprising.
Oba Ewuare II, like other influential monarchs too, rides a Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan for its elegance and royalty.
The Oba is rumoured to be worth an estimated $60 million (?24.6 billion) and ranked among the richest kings in Nigeria.
Disclaimer
The information in this article was curated from online sources. NewsWireNGR or its editorial team cannot independently verify all details.
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