Oba Of Benin Calls For Two-Week Fasting, Prayer To Fight Evil In Edo

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has called on the people of Edo State to embark on a two-week period of fasting and prayer to ward off evil and seek divine blessings for the state.

The monarch, in a statement released by the Obamedo of Benin, Efosa Igbinomwanhia, directed both indigenes and non-indigenes to observe the exercise from September 15 to September 28, 2025, daily between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

According to the palace, the fasting and prayer coincide with a traditional ritual usually performed ahead of the annual new yam festival. It is intended to seek divine protection against sudden death, ensure peace and tranquility in homes, and attract blessings from both God and the royal ancestors.

The Oba urged Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers to participate actively, stressing that the exercise is a collective call for spiritual renewal and unity in Edo State.

Oba Ewuare II further expressed confidence that the prayers would help secure the state against evil forces, strengthen communal harmony, and usher in greater prosperity.