The Benin Traditional Council has suspended indefinitely, the Enogie of Utesi in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, Chief Osazuwa Napoleon, for alleged defiance against the revered Benin throne and tradition.
The suspension, contained in a letter referenced BTC.A40/VOL.LVVI/351 and dated February 18, 2025, was signed by the Secretary of the Benin Traditional Council, Frank Irabor, and addressed to Chief Osazuwa.
The letter highlighted the charges against the Enogie, including his attendance at a 2022 meeting hosted by the suspended Enogie of Egbaen-Siluko, Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen.
At the said meeting, he and others allegedly made a vow “to abstain from, and in every way withdraw from paying any form of allegiance to the Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin.”
According to the letter, Chief Osazuwa “swore on oath that you will no longer visit the Palace of the Oba of Benin. Swore on oath not to answer to any summons or invitation by the Oba of Benin nor participate in any activity of the Omo N’Oba and the Palace of the Oba of Benin.”
Swore on oath not to pay traditional homage to the Oba of Benin.”
The council condemned this act as a deliberate and baseless challenge to the authority that created his position.
The letter further stated, “The atmosphere and mood in that clandestine meeting was as if His Royal Majesty had done something so terrible to you that you and your power-hungry co-conspirators didn’t like. But, as you very well know, His Royal Majesty has never done anything to undermine or embarrass the Benin traditional institution. On the contrary, His Royal Majesty is not known to undermine traditional values and norms.”
Emphasizing the Oba’s duty as a custodian of Benin’s rich cultural heritage, the letter stressed that his reign had upheld and strengthened the kingdom’s traditions despite external pressures.
The council decried the alleged conspiracy as an attempt “to provoke a total fragmentation of the kingdom as we know it to enable you become an independent traditional ruler in a piece/part of the fragmentation. Indeed, you, together with your co-signatories/conspirators, wanted to scatter/disrupt a tradition and heritage of a people centuries old, admitted and renowned worldwide, which the British already tampered with in 1897 but failed. And you, too, now have failed very woefully.”
“In view of this gross insubordination, I am directed by His Royal Majesty to inform you that you are hereby suspended indefinitely from your position as Enogie of Utesi. Consequently, you are henceforth suspended from all traditional roles and activities in Utesi and the entire Benin Kingdom.”
The letter further stated, “Take notice that you are barred from introducing and addressing yourself as Enogie. You are also forbidden from dressing in an outfit that gives the impression that you are still an active Enogie, appearing in white robes with sometimes red down the middle, and wearing the red round cap. You are no longer entitled to use the prefix ‘HRH’ with your name because you were never entitled to it in the first place, as you are a chief of the Oba of Benin.”
It also mandated that “your traditional insignia, including the traditional coral beads referred to as ‘Ikele, Udaha, Odigba’ etc., are now withdrawn from you and should be surrendered to Iwebo in the Oba’s Palace within seven market days. Failure to do this may attract a traditional penalty. Your Enobore (and any traditional personnel attached to you) are hereby withdrawn from you for the period of your suspension. All affected Enobores attached to you should take note. If they continue to perform as Enobore, it will amount to impersonation punishable by law. Your Ukhure (traditional staff of office given by the Oba of Benin) is also withdrawn from you. Ihogbe has been advised accordingly to do the needful. Ihama representative attached to you is also hereby withdrawn.”
The council warned, “Any violation of this notice will be deemed an impersonation punishable by law.”
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