April 08, (THEWILL) – The Igbanke community in the Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State, have faulted the recent directive of the Benin Traditional Council, directing that their traditional rulers should hand over to the Odionwere of the community.
The Palace of the Oba of Benin recently announced the suspension of 67 Enigie from across the Benin kingdom. Palace sources said the decision followed alleged “anti-palace activities” and acts of defiance against the monarch and the traditional institution.
Consequently, the palace mandated that the suspended traditional rulers step down and hand over their responsibilities to successors chosen by the Oba.
Reacting to the directive in a statement signed by Amb Chief Jude Ogbekale and nine others on behalf of Igbanke Strategic Group, the Igbanke community asserted that the Oba’s decision is not only an “affront” to their identity but also a blatant attempt to “desecrate” their rich cultural heritage.
They revealed that four of their traditional rulers had received unsettling letters from envoys representing the Oba of Benin.
According to the community, the letter demanded that their traditional rulers within the Igbanke community abdicate their thrones and transfer authority to an Odionwere.
They emphasised that the process for kingship succession within Igbanke is based on a patrilineal inheritance from father to eldest son rather than the appointment system that the Oba of Benin seems to impose.
”For clarity, we want to state categorically that our Ndi Nze (traditional rulers) in Igbanke were never appointed by the Oba of Benin and in the same vein should not have been suspended by the Benin Traditional Council. This suspension is an anomaly and an insult to our traditional institution and heritage as a people. Igbanke is an autonomous Ika community administered politically under Edo South Senatorial district of Edo state, and our Ezes should never be treated as appointees, subordinates or slaves, nor subjected to any form of harassment or oppressive treatment from the Benin Traditional council.
”Our kings are born kings who inherited kingship from our fathers; hence, we are concerned stakeholders of Igbanke who wholeheartedly reject this suspension handed over kings as well as register our displeasure with this unfortunate incident which is considered an aberration and insult to our cherished traditional heritage and culture as a people”, they said.
The community, therefore, called for urgent intervention of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
