The Benin Traditional Council has suspended five of its members for committing sacrilegious conduct against the custom and tradition of the Benin people.
The five suspended chiefs, who are traditional functionaries to the revered Oba of Benin, were said to have visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
A statement by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, said the suspended chiefs during their visit to the palace of Ooni of Ife made some false and disjointed remarks regarding the history of Benin Kingdom.
They had also claimed to be emissaries of the Oba of Benin and rendered inaccurate and disjointed account of the connection between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooni-ship of Ife.
The statement reads, “The attention of the Benin Traditional Council has been drawn to video clips circulating on social media in which a group of self-serving traditional functionaries from Benin engaged themselves in a sacrilegious show of shame and falsehood against the Benin Custom.
“In the said clip, the individuals who have been identified as Johnbull Igbinosun, Iduhonre (Ihogbe), S.E. Aigbiremwen, Efesieoghoba (Ogbelaka) and two other Ogbelaka functionaries identified as Ogbeide Osagie and Osamudiame Edo were in the presence of the Ooni of Ife, falsely claiming to be emissaries of the Omo N’ObaN’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare Il, Oba of Benin.
“These individuals not only declared themselves subjects of the Ooni but also rendered inaccurate and disjointed accounts of the connection between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooni-ship of Ife.
“While the BTC does not wish to be drawn to restating the well-known connection between the two thrones of the Oba of Benin and the Ooni of Ife, the general public is urged to disregard the inaccurate accounts rendered by the ill-bred individuals named above.”
The Council further described the conduct of these functionaries as “inappropriate, sacrilegious, and calculated to ridicule traditional history and to bring disrepute to Benin custom.”
It added, “Consequently, on the authority of the Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare Il, Oba of Benin the Prescribed Authority over Benin Custom, the BTC hereby announces the suspension of the individuals mentioned above from their role as Benin traditional functionaries.
“The general public is advised to refrain from having anything to do with them as traditional functionaries in Benin kingdom throughout their suspension.”
