NOT less than 60 Enigie (Dukes) in Benin Kingdom have written Governor Godwin Obaseki denouncing a letter last year requesting for the creation of traditional councils in the seven local governments in Edo South parallel to the existing Benin Traditional Council (BTC).
This intention has been interpreted to mean that it is an attempt to balkanize the Benin Kingdom which has uncured the wrath of the palace.
A letter to Governor Obaseki dated May 22nd said the request by the Dukes to the State government is illogical and a threat to “the very source of our creation”.
Signatories to the letter to the Governor which included HRH. Osagiede Festus (Enogie of Iguogbe), HRH. Igbinidu Idurobo Ernest (Enogie of Uwan-Esigie), HRH Alfred Osagie Erhauyi (Enogie of Iyanomo), HRH. Anthony Osagie (Enogie of Umegbe) and 56 others, pledged their loyalty to His Majesty, Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin, and urged the State government not to grant the request claiming that they were deceived into attending a political meeting at the instance of an unknown politician where their names and signatures were collected only go the organizers to use their signature to write the letter to the governor.
They said they have however reconciled with the Oba of Benin describing the planned creation of traditional councils as sacrilegious.
“Arising from the above, we the undersigned have since realized that we erred and have also gone to the Palace for atonement for our sins and apologized physically to His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, the Oba of Benin for this our regrettable misstep borne out of inadequate knowledge of the subject matter and mistakes by allowing our signatures to be collated for a wrongful use without circumspection.
“As Enigie, who are fully aware of the whole essence of the letter, and what it seems to achieve, we the undersigned hereby disassociate ourselves from the letter and peregrinations of the Enogie of Egbaen/Siluko and insists that our signatures were obtained fraudulently for misrepresentations of facts about the actual intent. We have reunited with His Royal Majesty, the Oba who is our father, and as his subjects, we have sought for forgiveness and the same has been granted us unequivocally. We never left him as he remains our source”, according to the letter.