Oshiomhole commits ‘iconoclastic’ blunder in tribute to Oba of Benin

You have to have heard approximately the person on a business experience who sent a message to the spouse lower back home describing the amusing he turned into having – and concluding: “Darling, I desire you had been her.” He supposed to say: “I wish you were right here.”

Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo nation, devoted a comparable slip on Friday whilst he issued a announcement paying tribute to the departed Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Erediauwa.

“Edo people will miss our ICONOCLASTIC royal father of the great Benin Kingdom. Nigerians and Nigeria will miss this great exemplar of a Royal Father, an Oba of distinction and integrity,” he wrote.

Iyemwen! Iconoclastic? What’s that?

Consistent with the Merriam-Webster dictionary, iconoclastic means “a person who criticizes or opposes ideals and practices that are broadly general”.

Osaikue ye emwindan! God forbid!

You can accuse the Oba of Benin of some thing – you can even say that he handed on a 12 months before it changed into allowed to be formally reported – however you can in no way accuse him of being “iconoclastic”.

The Oba changed into the embodiment of cultural ideals and practices. In fact, the Bini nation is one of the few in Africa in which the advent of Christianity and Islam has not obliterated long-held beliefs, traditions and practices.

So what did Oshiomhole imply to say? Consistent with Peter Okhiria, his leader press secretary, the governor desired to say “iconic”.

Permit’s seek advice from the Merriam-Webster dictionary once more. Icon manner “well known and mentioned in particular for one-of-a-kind excellence”.

Osaruese! Thank God! This is greater find it irresistible.

Okhiria wrote: “Our attention has been drawn to using a word ‘iconoclastic’ rather than ‘iconic’ in a tribute by way of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to the Oba of Benin. It become a typographical errors.

“We ask mischief makers to desist from trivializing the problem at this period of mourning of our splendid monarch who has joined his ancestors.”