The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) on Wednesday in a release clarified the misunderstanding of the structure of the traditional institution of the Benin Kingdom in Edo State.
According to the council, Enigies are not traditional rulers, but chiefs under the control of the Oba of Benin Kingdom.
The release titled: “Clarification on The Structure of The Benin Traditional Institution”, was signed by two Senior Advocates – Prof Yemi Akinseye SAN and Prof Edoba Omoregie SAN.
It reads: “It has come to the attention of the Traditional Council, the only competent traditional council in all the seven Local Government Areas of Edo South Senatorial District, that there is a complete misunderstanding of the true structure of the traditional institution of the Benin Kingdom and invariably the Benin Traditional Council.”
The statement added that, “…for the avoidance of doubt, the Traditional Council wishes to clarify as follows: “That the Oba is the sole traditional ruler in the whole seven Local Government Areas constituting Edo South Senatorial District; that is to say in: Oredo, Egor, IkpobaOkha, Ovia South West, Ovia North East, Orhionmwon, and Uhunmwonde Local Government Areas of Edo State.
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“That all other traditional title holders in the entire seven Local Government Areas of Edo South Senatorial District aforementioned are no more than chiefs appointed by the Oba.
“That in particular, the Enigie in the entire Seven Local Government Areas of Edo South, are classified as chiefs and not traditional rulers.
“That in the said seven Local Government Areas of Edo South Senatorial District, the Enigie are chiefs representing the Oba in the various communities or domains to which they are sent.
“That all the Enigie are required to relate with the Oba of Benin through the Palace Chiefs of the Oba being the traditional channel of communication, unless waived by the Oba.
“That this age-long traditional hierarchy is undisputed and fully captured under Benin Customary Law which is also affirmed and declared in the Traditional Rulers and Chief Edict 1979 (as applicable in Edo State). See in particular Second Schedule at page Al 28 to page A139 of the Edict.”
The Benin Traditional Council has therefore called on Benins and other Nigerians to disregard the “misinformation” being spread around.
“In light of the foregoing, we firmly advise the general public to take notice of this traditional structure of the Benin Traditional Council and disregard the misinformation being spread about the status of traditional-title holders in the Benin Kingdom.” The BTC advised!