Five Benin traditional functionaries, who were suspended on Saturday for their involvement in sacrilegious conduct against Benin custom, have now been prohibited from entering the Oba of Benin’s palace.
These chiefs had reportedly visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, presenting themselves as representatives of Oba of Benin, Omo N’ObaN’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II. Allegedly, during this visit, they pledged allegiance to the Ooni after providing inaccurate and disjointed information regarding the connection between the Benin Royal dynasty and the Ooni-ship of Ife.
The Benin Traditional Council, through a statement by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, announced the suspension of these functionaries on Saturday. Furthermore, the Chief Press Secretary to the Oba of Benin, Osaigbovo Iguobaro, revealed in a subsequent statement on Monday that the functionaries had been stripped of their beads and barred from the palace as additional disciplinary measures for their actions tarnishing the reputation of the throne.
Iguobaro emphasized that these functionaries were subjected to a committee, led by the Uwangue of Benin, Chief Ekhoerovbiye Oviasogie, where they admitted their wrongdoing against Benin customs. The Uwangue of Benin, describing their behavior as a deliberate attempt to degrade the Benin kingdom, pronounced their suspension from palace duties.
In addition to being stripped of their Benin Royal beads and recognition as palace functionaries, their traditional titles were revoked and handed over to the ancestors. They are now forbidden from representing themselves as Benin palace functionaries and participating in any traditional rites in Benin. The suspended functionaries were escorted out of the Palace by chiefs, including Ewaise (traditional seers), with occipital horns invoking ancestral spirits as witnesses to the proceedings.
