Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Benin Traditional Council (BTC), has cautioned the people of Igbanke in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State not to allow some misguided elements to railroad them into a needless acts of infamy.
This was contained in a statement titled “The Igbanke people are Benin’s and domiciled in Benin Kingdom: “Putting the records straight” signed by Chief George Igie Ekhator-Obasogie, the Obasogie of Benin, Chief Stanley Obamwonyi, the Esere of Benin and five other palace chiefs and made available to Journalists in Benin.
Chief Ekhator-Obasogie said the claim that the Igbanke people who are domiciled in Benin are Igbos is baseless as they have never been able to prove their roots in Ibo land.
According to him “The Benin Traditional Council has watched with utter consternation the attempt by some self-styled individuals parading themselves as igbanke elements to turn history on its head with respect to the place of the igbanke people in the Benin history. More concern Is their false narrative and claims that they are igbos without pointedly identifying their roots in Ibo land.
“Against the background of this false narrative by these ignorant and unscrupulous persons, it is therefore important to set the record straight and to state unequivocally that the Igbanke people who are known to be enlightened and very hardworking ethnic community in Edo State have their ancestral links with the Benin even though over time their language have been influenced by their location and interactions with other ethnic groups from Delta State, particularly the Ika speaking people.
“They are historically and genetically Benin people whose ancestors have constantly paid homages to the Oba of Benin on whose traditional land they inhabit.
“One curious aspect of the false narrative and claims by the so-called igbanke dissident group is that their erstwhile traditional heads were identified as Obis and Ezes.
“This is strange as right from the time of the Midwest and even before then, up to the enactment of the Bende State Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict of 1979, No Obi or Eze or any such Igbo title existed in Edo land and Igbanke for that matter”
Ekhator-Obasogie said the the recently suspended Enigie in Igbanke were among the other Enigie in Benin Kingdom with long undeniable history of affiliation with the palace of the Oba of Benin, whose final authority and prerogative of Benin Kingdom rulership was necessary for any Enogie to be recognized and installed across the Benin Kingdom.
He said in addition, the Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba of Benin, had for a long time recognized Igbanke people as Benins.
He said the Igbanke people migrated from Benin City in history to settle in their present location in Benin Kingdom and present Edo State.
He records have explicitly shown this for long and in the Benin Traditional Council.
He said that the Enigie that have lived in Igbanke have all been loyal and played their traditional chieftaincy roles loyally in history to the Oba of Benin as other Enigie in the rest of the Benin Kingdom.
He said their recent acts of rebellion in which they sought to undermine the long standing tradition of Benin Kingdom by their acts of sacrilege were actively carried out by the suspended Enigie including those of Igbanke.
He said some pertinent questions to be asked are: If they claim they are not Benin people, under what law are their so-called Obi and/or Eze recognized in old Midwest, Bendel and now Edo State?
He however noted that the Benin Traditional Council wishes therefore to inform the general public, particularly the security agencies, to take particular note of acts capable of causing breach of public peace which these persons of igbanke stock have now embarked upon through illegal and unlawful claims/means.