Five Benin traditional functionaries have been suspended from their roles for engaging in what the palace described as sacrilegious conduct against Benin customs.
The Benin Traditional Council announced their suspension in a statement signed by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, on Saturday.
The statement noted that the affected functionaries visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, where they falsely 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.
Representatives from the Benin Kingdom, paid a courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to affirm that Ile-Ife is the ancestral home of the Benin people.
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In a now-viral video capturing the exchange, one of the emissaries told the Ooni that despite contrary narratives circulating online, their collective understanding has always recognised Ile-Ife as their ancestral homeland.
“We have always been told that Ife is our home,” the emissary said.
However, the Benin Traditional Council has distanced itself from the representatives whom it described as “a group of self-serving traditional functionaries from Benin.”
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. For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, the BTC advise the general public to avail themselves of the official account of the connection between the two ancient monarchies as contained in the authoritative book titled “I Remain, Sir, Your Obedient Servant” authored by His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa, Oba of Benin (1979 — 2016), published by Spectrum Books/Safari Books, 2004 at pages 205-212.”
Describing the conduct of the representatives as sacrilegious, the council advised the public to steer clear of them.
“The BTC considers the conduct of these functionaries as inappropriate, sacrilegious and calculated to ridicule traditional history and to bring disrepute to Benin custom. 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 announce 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”, the statement added
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