When chiefs, Isekhure battled over Benin Kingdom
The crisis between the embattled Nosakhare Monday Isekhure and the Benin Traditional Council was seen as a child’s play in the beginning, but when the suspension hammer fell on him, it became clear that things had fallen apart with the once revered chief priest and the palace.
Before the coronation of Oba Ewuare II, there was the rumour that Isekhure was at loggerhead with the palace as a result his unwillingness to perform the traditional rites during the burial ceremony of the late Oba and the coronation of the new king. There were other allegations. Isekhure’s absence during the coronation of the new Oba and his subsequent suspension from royal duties gave credence to the rumour.
Isekhure is the chief priest of the Benin Kingdom who takes custody of the Isekhure shrine and presides over all spiritual matters in the city.
According to the Benin oral history, the Isekhure title was created in 1255 A.D. As the chief priest of the kingdom, Isekhure’s residence is a typical worship temple which bears the relics and adornments of the Bini ancestry. The shrine, it was gathered, provides an avenue for Bini people to maintain spiritual authority and discipline.
Findings by Daily Trust on Sunday showed that the major role of the Isekhure is to perform all royal rites on behalf of the Oba. Since the Oba cannot perform those royal rites by himself, he delegates the authority to the Isekhure by issuing him a staff of office known as Urhototo, which means the scarlet staff that no ordinary man can hold. Part of the duties of the Isekhure is to offer prayers for the Oba and all the princes and princesses of the kingdom, the chiefs and other titleholders, as well as the ordinary man. He presides over all spiritual matters during the coronation of any Oba. It was the present Isekhure’s father, who passed on in 1980, that performed the coronation rite for the immediate past Oba of Benin when he was the Edaiken of Uselu.
Every newly installed Benin chief is mandated to visit the Isekhure for traditional anointing and prayers. He personally anoints the Oba of Benin while he delegates his fellow members of the Irhuogbe royal family to attend to other classes of chiefs.
It was further learnt that there are other functions of the Isekhure that are not made public. Those functions are shrouded in secrecy. The prayer for the Oba is believed to pass through the Isekhure to the ordinary man on the street of the Benin Kingdom.
Isekhure was so close to the late Oba Erediawa that he represented him in most functions and events. But after his demise, the relationship between Isekhure and the Benin Traditional Council took a new twist as a result of unresolved issues, which latter resulted in his suspension.
Chief Isekhure was accused of running a parallel palace and refusing to perform the traditional rites during the demise of Oba Eradiawa and the coronation of the new Oba, among other allegations.
“Isekhure used his position to influence new chiefs, celebrating their investiture to perform certain rites in his residence. He declared that chiefs were not senior to him and refused to accord them respect as palace culture demands.
“We cannot believe that any Benin person who knows the culture and tradition of the land and has won the toga of a Benin chief could do what Isekhure did in the last two years.
“We recommended that he be suspended. And with the authority of Oba Ewuare II he has been suspended indefinitely from performing the duties of the Isekhure title, with effect from today, January 17, 2017. Those duties were originally performed by the Ihama of Benin, so they will now revert to the Ihama N’ Ihogbe,” the Iyase of Benin, Sam Igbe, who announced the suspension at a press conference said.
But few days after the suspension, Isekhure replied through the Ihogbe N’Ore family and gave the palace 14 days to prove the allegations against him or face court action. This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Osagbakhoe Ogbemudia.
Describing the allegations as cheap blackmail, Chief Isekhure said, “How on earth will somebody turn to the Isekhure for another round of justice, where he or she would be forced to pay gratification after getting judgement in the palace without paying money.
“This is a case of giving a bad name to a dog in order to hang it. To this end, we demand to see and verify the people that Chief Isekhure demanded money from so that members of the public will be convinced.
“We are of the view that the Benin Kingdom is highly respected, therefore, such matters shouldn’t have been discussed on the pages of newspapers.
“New chiefs coming to perform some rites as part of their investitures at some designated houses and shrines started as far back as 1255AD during the reign of Oba Ewedo. Such visits were accompanied with 8 kolanuts, a bottle of hot drink and 13 Shillings and 6 pence, now about N2,000.”
On the allegation that Benin chiefs visited Isekhure to perform traditional rites, the family listed other places visited by the new chiefs to include the Ogbelaka shrine, Ekpenede 1 and11,Uhuoba shrine, Iyase N’ Ohenmwen shrine, adding that Chief Isekhure never took more than what was required.
On the allegation that Chief Isekhure refused to perform his duties during the Emwinekhua and subsequent coronation, the family explained that the Benin Traditional Council created the impression that he had nothing to do with the royal burial and coronation. They added that he did not get any invitation, saying that Isekhure would have played his traditional role if he was invited. “Chief Isekhure is a lover of the Benin tradition and custom,” the family stated.
Daily Trust on Sunday further learnt that two days after the ultimatum to the palace, chiefs and members of the Association of Igiohen (chief priests) stormed Isekhure’s house, saying they wanted to take over Oba’s property.
They stormed the residence, located along Sakpoba, about 9 am and pulled down the statue of Chief Isekhure and ornamental decorations in front of the main building.
A witness said there was altercation between Isekhure’s family and the chiefs, but since no one dares to resist Oba’s instruction, they watched helplessly.
A top palace chief, who led the operation, told journalists that their mission was to take possession of the properties belonging to the Benin palace. According to the chief, who did not want his name mentioned, the properties include artifacts, relics and other paraphernalia of the office of Isekhure, which he said belonged to the Oba.
Speaking on the suspension of Isekhure, the palace chief said, “For now, he is completely ostracised. What you have seen is a proof that he has been ostracised. The real powerhouse and items that belong to the Oba are here. Information reaching us is that some of those things were being tampered with. The Oba is the owner of the place; he magnanimously put him there to take custody of the place. He is like the sceptre bearer of the Oba. He (Oba) has asked us to secure the artifacts and possibly make the area formidable.
“The Oba has already asked him to take possession of the extension he built there. But the original foundation of the palace should remain where it is. It is a monumental structure and we have to fortify it because of what it contains.
“I think the processes required had been concluded. Nobody ever raises an arm against the Oba, but Isekhure was going out of his way and raising an instrument against some of the chiefs.’’
The embattled Isekhure of Benin Kingdom, who holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees, was born in 1950, into the family of Ugho Eguavoen Isekhure, who was the 30th Isekhure. His late father was the 31st Isekhure. The suspended Isekhure is 32nd in the line of succession since 1255 A.D. He became the Isekhure in 1982 when he was just 32 years. He was the chief priest of Benin Kingdom for 34 unbroken years until the present crisis.