The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, recently took a strong action by stripping six palace Chiefs of their traditional titles and banishing them from the palace. This was all due to alleged traditional sacrilege.

Their banishment is contained in a  statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Oba, Mr Osaigbovo Iguobaro, on Monday in Benin.

Iguobaro said the effected chiefs engaged themselves in a sacrilegious show of shame and falsehood against the Benin custom.

The palace spokesperson described the Chiefs as “self-serving traditional functionaries and integrity-challenged individuals”.

The affected chiefs include Johnbull Igbinosun, Iduhonre (Ihogbe), S.E. Aigbiremwen, Efesoghoba (Ogbelaka).

The other two “Ogbelaka” funtionaries are Ogbeide Osagie and Osamudiame Edo.

“These former palace functionaries had falsely claimed to be emissaries of the Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty, Ewuare Il, CFR, Oba of Benin, in the presence of the Ooni of Ife His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; (Ọjájá II) in his palace.

“There, they recently rendered inaccurate and disjointed account of the link between the Benin Royal Dynasty and that of the Ooni of Ife.

“They later admitted before an investigative Committee, led by Chief Ekhoerovbiye Oviasogie, the Uwangue of Benin, that they erred against Benin Custom.

“The Uwangue of Benin, who described their action as a deliberate attempt to rubbish Benin Kingdom, pronounced their banishment.

“Consequently, they were also stripped of their Benin Royal beads, recognition as Palace functionaries and their traditional titles, which were handed over to the ancestors.

“The affected palace functionaries were also barred from parading themselves as Benin Palace functionaries and stopped from participating in any traditional rites in Benin.

He said: “The banished former traditional functionaries were thereafter escorted out of the Palace by Chiefs, including Ewaise (traditional seers) with occipital horns invoking ancestral spirits to bear witness.”