Benin groups knocks Bill seeking to name Ooni, Sultan as permanent traditional council heads

A prominent socio-cultural organisation representing the Benin people, Ogbakha-Edo, has issued a scathing condemnation of a controversial bill before the National Assembly seeking to designate the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as permanent co-chairmen of the Nigerian Council of Traditional Rulers.

In a press statement released Friday in Benin City, and jointly signed by Professor Sam Guobadia (Chairman) and Rt. Hon. Dr. Andrew Osaretin Izekor (Secretary), the group described the bill as “provocative, divisive, and culturally offensive,” warning that it could upend centuries-old traditional hierarchies and fuel cultural discontent.

“The Oba of Benin was not merely a king but an emperor with expansive dominions… To now subordinate that heritage to any other throne is an affront to history and cultural justice,” the group stated.

Ogbakha-Edo argued that the bill disregards Nigeria’s cultural complexity and historical truth, noting that the Benin Kingdom predates many other traditional institutions by several centuries. The statement traced the Oba’s influence to an expansive pre-colonial empire that governed parts of present-day Edo, Delta, Ondo, Lagos, and the Benin Republic, with diplomatic and administrative structures unmatched by many contemporary kingdoms.

According to the group, any effort to elevate other thrones above the Oba of Benin constitutes a grave cultural distortion.

The group questioned the criteria used to select the Ooni and Sultan for permanent leadership roles, alleging the decision is based on political expediency, not cultural merit.

“What we are witnessing is a politically motivated assault on the balance and mutual respect among Nigeria’s traditional rulers,” the statement read.

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They accused the bill’s sponsors of attempting to reshape Nigeria’s traditional hierarchy through legislation, rather than respecting the historical evolution and independence of each kingdom.

The group urged lawmakers to resist political manipulation that could “jeopardize the unity and integrity of Nigeria’s traditional systems.”

With this statement, Ogbakha-Edo joins a growing list of stakeholders pushing back against what they see as an attempt to centralize cultural authority in a country defined by ethnic and historical plurality.

“The Benin people remain steadfast in defending their glorious heritage,” the statement concluded, “and will resist any attempt to erase or marginalize their history.”

The Nigerian Council of Traditional Rulers is an informal advisory body composed of first-class monarchs from across the country. Though it has no official constitutional power, its influence in national affairs and regional governance is significant, making its leadership structure highly symbolic and politically sensitive.