The Benin Traditional Council in Edo State has suspended six traditional functionaries of the palace of the Oba of Benin from performing their traditional roles.
Those suspended are Johnbull Igbinosun, Iduhonre (Ihogbe), S. E. Aigbiromwen, Efeseoghoba (Ogbelaka), Ogbeide Osagie, and Osamudiame Edo.
A statement by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, said the suspension was on the authority of His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin.
According to the statement, the suspension was occasioned by their distortion of historical facts on the connection between the Benin royal dynasty and the Ooni of Ife while they were in the presence of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, claiming to be emissaries of the Oba of Benin.
“The individuals not only declared themselves as subjects of the Ooni, but also rendered inaccurate and disjointed account of the connection between the Benin royal dynasty and the Ooni of Ife.
“The BTC considered the conduct of these functionaries as inappropriate, sacrilegious and calculated to ridicule traditional history and to bring disrepute to the Benin custom,” the Iyase of Benin stated.
The statement described the action of the suspended persons as “sacrilegious show of shame and falsehood against the Benin tradition and custom.”
While urging the general public to disregard the inaccurate and disjointed account by the individuals, the BTC also advised the public to avail themselves of the official account of the connection between the two ancient monarchies as contained in the book, ‘I Remain Sir, Your Obedient Servant’, authored by His Royal Majesty, Erediauwa II, Oba of Benin, 1979 to 2016.
