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The crisis involving the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and the Benin palace deepened on Wednesday with the declaration of Igbinedion as enemy of the Oba (Oghion Oba). Chief Igbinedion was also suspended and stripped of all the privileges attached to the Esama title indefinitely by the Oba of Benin, Omo N'oba Solomon Erediuwa II.
The crisis involving the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and the Benin palace deepened on Wednesday with the declaration of Igbinedion as enemy of the Oba (Oghion Oba). Chief Igbinedion was also suspended and stripped of all the privileges attached to the Esama title indefinitely by the Oba of Benin, Omo N'oba Solomon Erediuwa II.
A statement by the Benin Traditional Council, signed by 98 palace chiefs led by the Iyase of Benin kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, declared that any Benin person who relates with Chief Igbinedion as the ‘Esama' would be seen as a hostile person to the palace.
The palace also disclosed that a panel of palace chiefs would soon be constituted to look into the cases of the five palace chiefs that were earlier suspended in respect of the Ugie-Ewere ceremony organized by the Esama.
According to the statement, 'we, the entire palace Chiefs having taken notice of the unrelenting efforts at desecrating our revered traditional institution by Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama, and especially his malignant habit of presenting himself as our lord, His majesty, the Oba of Benin, and for other reason decide to meet and deliberate on the followings:
'Widespread sanctions placed on some offending palace chiefs. His recent utterances and publication in the newspapers using his university and other paid agents with the intention of causing disaffection between the palace and the general public."
Besides, Chief Igbinedion was accused of awarding the royal, 'Ikele" beads to his visitors just as he was also accused of not attending palace activities whenever the attention of chiefs and palace functionaries were required.
The Esama was accused of illegal use of Uguakpata cap, hostility towards the Benin culture and tradition.
It would be re-called that the Esama of Benin kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion was accused by the palace of awarding 'royal beads" to the visiting former Jamaican Prime Minister and the King of Ashanti kingdom, Osei Tutu when both men visited the Igbinedion University, Okada recently during its convocation ceremonies.