Benin Monarch Ostracises Suspended Chief Isekhurhe

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, yesterday ordered that the suspended Isekhurhe of Benin, Chief Nosakhare Isiekhurhe, be ostracised.
Last week Wednesday, the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), with the approval of Oba Ewuare II, suspended Chief Isekhurhe for negligence of duties and usurping powers of the traditional stool.

The BTC, led by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, who briefed journalists had alleged that the Isekhurhe designated his house as a palace where he held court which he sometimes reviewed cases already dealt with at the Oba’s palace.

Igbe further alleged that “he (Isikhurhe) used his position to influence new chiefs celebrating their investiture to perform certain rights in his residence, during which monies, kola nuts and drinks were collected.

“Senior chiefs were at times openly badmouthed and vilified by him, and during those times, he declared that the chiefs were not senior to him and that he would not pay respect to them again as palace cultures demand.

“He turned himself to be an ‘all and all’ and a seeming authority in the Benin culture and tradition especially palace procedures. He even pronounced himself the head of the royal family.”
In reply, Isekhurhe, through the Ihogbe N’Ore Royal Family, demanded proof of the allegations leveled against him, giving his accuser 14 days ultimatum or a legal action would be taken.

The Ihogbe N’Ore, in a rejoinder signed by Mr. Osagbakhoe Ogbemuda, had wondered why the palace would engage in such a cheap blackmail, describing it as a “case of giving a dog bad name and hang it.”

He said: “We are, therefore, through this medium giving 14-day notice to the BTC to produce proof of the cases earlier tried in the palace and the people involved but later reviewed by the Isiekhure and also proof how much collected from such cases.”

According to him, “If at the expiration of the 14 days the proof is not forthcoming, we shall have no other option than to allow chief Isekhure to take appropriate legal action to redeem his image that has been badly damaged.”

But speaking yesterday on the process of ostracising the embattled Isiekhure, a top palace chief who led other chiefs but preferred anonymity, announced that the ancestral palace of the Isiekhurhe belongs to the Oba of Benin, and was asked to relocate to his personal abode since he has been suspended.

He alleged that Isekhurhe had used a dangerous weapon to chase out the chiefs who were following orders that the palace should be sealed pending further instruction from the Oba.
According to him, it is unheard of that an individual would threaten a court action and even give an ultimatum to the Oba of Benin knowing the traditional consequences.

He said the sealing of the palace is “part of the process of ostracising the Isekhurhe,” noting that “the safety of some vital and important artifacts which are now in the wrong hands is a source of worry to the Oba.”

The chief said some of the traditional items have been tempered with and the palace has moved to secure those items and occupy the palace so that the items will be safe.
Furthermore, he further said: “Nobody ever raises hand on the Oba,” adding that “the Oba owns the Isekhurhe, and the important part of what he fails to understand is that he has to be humble.”