Palace Functionaries Banished Amid Benin/Ife Origin Saga

Traditional functionaries who engaged themselves in a “sacrilegious show of shame and falsehood” against the Benin Custom have been barred from Oba Palace in Benin City, Edo State.

These integrity-challenged individuals identified had falsely claimed to be emissaries of the Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty, Ewuare Il, Oba of Benin in the presence of the Ooni of Ife His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; (Ọjaja II) palace where they rendered inaccurate and disjointed account of the link between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooniship of Ife at Ooni of Ife’s Palace in Osun State recently.

A statement signed by Mr. Osaigbovo Iguobaro, chief press secretary to the Oba of Benin yesterday said they admitted before the committee led by Chief Ekhoerovbiye Oviasogie, the Uwangue of Benin that they erred against Benin customs.

The Uwangue of Benin, who described their action as a deliberate attempt to rubbish Benin Kingdom, pronounced the suspension of Palace functionaries.

Consequently, they were also stripped off Benin Royal beads, recognition as palace functionaries and their traditional titles, which were handed over to the ancestors.

The suspended palace functionaries were also barred from parading themselves as Benin Palace functionaries and stopped from participating in any traditional rites in Benin.

They were thereafter escorted out of the Palace by chiefs, including Ewaise (traditional seers) with occipital horns invoked ancestral spirits to bear witness.