The Edo State Government has declared a five-day public holiday in honour of the Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, who recently passed on.

It said that holidays, from Tuesday May 3 to Monday May 9,  would be used to mourn the late oba.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Kassim Afegbua, said only workers of institutions that provide essential services such as hospitals and the fire service are exempted from observing the public holiday.

During the holiday, the government said that the Nigerian national flag would be flown at half mast across the state with work expected to resume next Monday.‎