Oba of Benin suspends Gabriel Igbinedion

Uchechukwu Olisah, Benin City - 31.01.2008

THE Benin Traditional Council (BTC) has suspended the Esama of Benin and father of the immediate past governor of Edo State, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, from the council. The Esama, who is the fifth to the Oba of Benin in the hierarchy of the kingdom’s Eghaevbo N’ogbe palace chiefs has also been stripped of all the privileges attached to the title indefinitely.

This was part of the resolutions reached at the end of two separate meetings of the palace chiefs, which took place on Friday 25 and Monday 29 January, 2008 at Iwori Hall within the premises of the palace.

In a suspension statement with reference number BTC.A66/VOL.IV/333, dated 29 January 2008 and signed by 98 of them, the palace chiefs said “having taken notice of the unrelenting efforts at desecrating our time revered traditional institution by Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin, and especially his malignant habit of presenting himself as our overlord, His Majesty, the Oba of Benin, and for other reasons, decided to meet and deliberate.”

The palace chiefs, who signed the statement, included the Iyase, Sam Igbe; the Esogban, David Edebiri; the Eson, Evan Igho Osagie; and the Osuma, Ozigbo Esere. The chiefs said they deliberated on widespread sanctions placed on “some offending palace chiefs; Esama’s recent utterances and publications in the newspapers using his university and other paid agents with the intention of causing disaffection between the palace and the public, and the Esama’s award of the royal beads, Ikele, to his visitors.”

The BTC also stated that they discussed what they said was the non-attendance of palace activities by Chief Igbinedion whenever the attention of chiefs and palace functionaries were required; Chief Igbinedion’s alleged illegal use of the uguakpata cap, and his alleged hostility towards Benin culture and tradition.

According to the chiefs, part of the outcome of their deliberation was that they collectively moved and adopted a motion suspending Chief Igbinedion and stripping him of all the privileges attached to the title indefinitely.