By DADA AYOKHAI
Igbanke community, located in the Orhionmwon local government area of Edo South, 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 Igbanke community reaction to the Oba of Benin’s directives was contained in a paid advert in a national daily under the auspices of Igbanke Strategic Group and signed by Amb Chief Jude Ogbekale and nine others.
The group revealed that four of their traditional rulers had received unsettling letters from envoys representing the Oba of Benin.
In the letter, the Oba of Benin was said to have ordered the incumbent Traditional rulers to relinquish his traditional authority and hand over to the appointed successor, the Odionwere.
Penultimate week, the Oba’s palace made headlines by announcing the suspension of 67 Enigie from across the Benin kingdom.
Palace sources disclosed that this sweeping disciplinary action was premised on alleged “anti-palace activities” and acts of defiance against the monarch and the traditional institution itself.
Consequently, the palace mandated that the suspended Enigies to step down and hand over their responsibilities to successors chosen by the Oba.
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.
The group further emphasized 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.
According to the group, the letter demanded that their traditional rulers within the Igbanke community should abdicate their thrones and transfer authority to an Odionwere
They stated that “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”
The body further went into history that ” Our kings are born kings who inherited kingship from our fathers hence we are concerned stakeholders of Igbanke 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”
The leaders’ strong stance reflects a deep commitment to preserving their autonomy and cultural identity in the face of external pressures.
The group also urged state Governor Sen. Monday Okpevbolo to intervene in the matter, emphasizing the importance of ensuring justice by the four pillars of the UN Charter on human rights, stressing they include the rights to life, liberty, personal security, freedom from slavery, and protection from degrading treatment.
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