Big Brother Naija, BBNaija 7 winner, Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, aka Phyna, has revealed that her colleagues, Kess and Pharmsavi have each gotten a plot of land after supporting her during her Edo homecoming, as she visited the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Pharmsavi, Kess accompanied Phyna to Edo state where she was received by the monarch who gave her a bronze sculpture worth millions of naira.
Kess is from Delta state while Pharmsavi hails from Akwa Ibom state.
Phyna thanked the Queen, who made it possible for her friends to become landowners in her home state.
The Esama of the Benin Kingdom is a businessman. The title Esama traditionally means the “Son of the people”, with responsibilities including assisting the poor in medial, monetary and private venture forms. He was suspended from taking part in palace activities in 2008. The Esama is also known for flamboyance.
Chief Igbinedion is married to Lady Cherry Igbinedion, a native of Jamaica. Chief Igbinedion got married to Lady Cherry Igbinedion in 1977. Their children include; Lucky, Peter, Charles and Omosede.
The Esama of Benin’s business empire includes an international property portfolio and a private TV and radio station, called Independent Radio (92.3 fm) and Television.
He owns a private bank, oil refinery, diamond, gold, marble mines over Africa, a private university (Igbinedion University, the first private university in Nigeria, located at Okada town) and a large number of hotels.
He previously owned the now-defunct private airline, Okada Air, of over 40 aircraft (planes and helicopters).
He has built numerous churches including a Grand Catholic Cathedral, and has set up and owns a number of private hospitals across Nigeria.
Gabriel Igbinedion Early Life
Gabriel is the only surviving child of his parents. His mother was the daughter of the Ihaza of Usen, a descendant of the Usen Royal family with a proud history.
He lost his father died when he was just nine years old and inherited a house in the village and six cocoa plantations.
His mother was a big trader, selling fish. He sold kerosene for seven pence for more than three years when he was a houseboy and also went to fetch firewood from the bush five times a week.