The youths in Benin staged a protest on Sunday against the presence of controversial transgender Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, in Edo State.
The protest was fueled by alleged insults directed at the Oba of Benin by Bobrisky in a clip that circulated in 2022.
Bobrisky had, in the video, suggested that the Oba of Benin should marry him. The remark, intended as a joke, seems to have offended Benin residents who viewed it as disrespectful to the rich cultural heritage of their land.
However, Bobrisky travelled to Benin for an event over the weekend, prompting a spontaneous and impassioned response from the youths who gathered en masse to voice their disapproval.
In the viral video of the protest on the internet, the youths expressed their rejection on placards bearing messages such as “He is a bad influence; We don’t want him in our state.”
The protest reportedly escalated, and Bobrisky had to hastily leave Benin City for his safety.