The Benin Traditional Council has suspended the Isekhure of Benin, Chief Nosakhare Isekhurhe, indefinitely from performing the duties of the Iserkhure in the palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, over alleged misconduct.
The council made this known while addressing journalists at the palace in Benin on Tuesday, noting that the suspension would run indefinitely.
The Isekhurhe of Benin, a title approved and later created by the then Oba in 1280 AD, is a member of the Ihuogbe palace society and a chief who performs spiritual functions at the palace.
But the council, in a statement signed by six top palace chiefs, including the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, alleged that the Isekhurhe desecrated the title by designating his house as a palace, where he sometimes reviewed cases already dealt with in the Oba’s palace.
It said that the suspended chief used his position to allegedly influence new chiefs celebrating their investiture to perform “certain rites in his residence, during which money, kolanuts and drinks were collected.”
According to the council, Isekhure “turned himself into a be-all and end-all, and a seeming authority in the Benin culture and tradition, especially palace procedures.”
Efforts by our correspondent to reach the Isekhure for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing the report.
However, the statement read in part, “Senior chiefs were at times openly bad-mouthed 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 as palace cultures demand.
“He even pronounced himself the head of the royal family. The profanity and denigration that issued from him and his followers during our mourning period are better just forgotten.”
The council further alleged that Isekhure disregarded the Emwinekhua (funeral) and coronation rites of the monarch as well as the avenues provided to discuss the issues raised.
It explained, “We cannot believe that anyone, any Benin individual who knows what the motivating Benin cultures and tradition are, and have worn the toga of the Benin chief could do what Isekhure did these past two years.”
(Punch)
