The below list is the indubitable proof that the ancient city of Benin is well stacked with multimillionaires. There may probably be people richer than the listed people here but these ones are resident in Edo state and have made their fortune through their personal businesses, and labor. They were selected because they have succeeded without the aid of government/civil service or political offices. Below are the top 5:

RICHEST PEOPLE IN EDO STATE: NO. 5 -   MATTHEW OKPEVBHOLO


Matthew Okpevbholo was born at Uromi, in present Esan North - East LGA, Edo State at Midday, Mid-month and mid - Century. He has several multimillion naira yielding business conglomerates amongst which are the Ray Royal Asphalt construction company which metamorphosed from a subsistent welding workshop called royal welding/steel workshop. Mentored and inspired by the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa,
Matthew is a reverend by calling and a business mogul. He once said You can do any other business in addition to preaching the gospel. Gone are the days when we sit down to preach only. By so doing, we are only training ourselves on how to be lazy. Rev Okpevbholo is a proud father of 5 well-to-do female children who occupy offices like the deputy Manager with Zenith Bank, a Chartered Accountant, a Medical Doctor,  a Lawyer,  an M.SC holder in International Business Management. and 1 son who he calls the baby of the house.


RICHEST PEOPLE IN EDO STATE: NO. 4 -    MARGARET IDAHOSA



Dr. Margaret E. Benson-Idahosa is the Archbishop of Church of God Mission International with several branches and hundreds of thousand of members worldwide. She also pastors the 5,000 capacity Faith Miracle Center Church, where multiple services are held weekly. She is the Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University (BIU), and proprietress of one of the top nation wide schools in Nigeria Word of Faith Group of Schools which now has more than one hundred-eight (108) branches all over the country.  Dr. Margaret Benson - Idahosa was born on the 29th of July, 1943, into the royal lineage of the Benin Kingdom. She was ordained into the ministry on the 24th of May, 1983 and consecrated Bishop on the 5th of April, 1998. This position makes her first female Pentecostal Bishop and years later she became the first female Archbishop in Africa. She also has to her credit an orphanage for abandoned babies. Three of these children have been adopted into the Idahosa family. Dr. Margaret Benson-Idahosa is a mother of four biological children amongst whom are Bishop Feb, Ruth, Daisy and Pastor Freda and three adopted children Precillia, Osagie and Osasu. She is a grandmother to seven.



RICHEST PEOPLE IN EDO STATE: NO. 3 -     UYI OLOTON



Mr Uyi Omoruyi Oloton is the CEO of the multimillion naira yielding Uyi Conglomerates which includes Uyi Technical (dealers on cars and all kinds of electronics and major partners with foreign electronic companies like Samsung, LG, Haier Thermocool amongst others). He is also the owner of all the branches of world class luxury standard hotels Uyi Grand Hotel and event centers spread all over Edo state. He is simple, humble, jovial, and financially loaded.



RICHEST PEOPLE IN EDO STATE: NO. 2 -       OBA EREDIAWA
Oba Erediawa, is the traditional ruler / king of the Edo people and head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Kingdom. He hosts the popular igue festival at the end of every year where dignitaries, companies, chiefs and societal mandarins from all works of life all over the world goes to the palace to pay homage to him. This ushers in hundreds of millions of Naira which he receives as freewill gifts from his visitors. He published his book in 2014 which was launched by the Edo state governor: Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole on behalf of Edo State with the whooping sum of 96million Naira. The launching ceremony was a massive hit for the monarch as other individuals launched with 10million, 15million and so on.... rounding up in nothing less than 150million Naira. His royal highness is worth this spot on our list.

and finally
THE (NO. 1) RICHEST PERSON IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA IS: ''Sir Chief Dr. Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion''

''Sir Chief dr. Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion is the Esama of the Benin Kingdom, honorary Romanian consul to Edo and Delta states of Nigeria and grand patriarch of the house of igbinedion. The title Esama traditionally means the "godfather of the people", with responsibilities including assisting the poor in medial, monetary and private venture forms which has given him a world class recognition in all nations of the earth.
The Esama of Benin lives in a mighty mansion that's called ''the palatial garden of Eden'' which stocks a collection of the world's most expensive cars, flock, herds and so onHis business empire includes an international property portfolio and a private TV and radio station. He owns a private bank, oil refinery, diamond, gold, marble mines over Africa, a private primary and secondary school, a private university (Igbinedion University Okada, which is the first private university in Nigeria) and a large number of hotels. He 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 owns a number of private hospitals across Nigeria.
One of the Esama's sons, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, was a two-term Local Government Chairman and two-term Governor of Edo State, Charles Igbinedion, was a Local Government Chairman and one time Edo State Commissioner of Education, while yet another, Peter Igbinedion, was the Managing Director of Nigerian Aviation Authority.