Benin chief cautions against desecration of monarchy

THE cold war between the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) and a Benin family, Ogiamen, over a breaching of an alleged treaty identified as Ekiokpagha Treaty between an Oba of Benin, Oba Eweka I in 1170 AD the Ogiamen family raised its head yesterday again as a palace chief, the Ayobahan of Benin Kingdom, Osamede Adun called on the state government to cautioned the family over continued claim as the traditional ruler of Benin.

An advertorial in a national daily yesterday identified one Prince Rich Arisko currently standing trial in a court for impersonation as the Ogiamen of Utantan-Bini.

It would be recalled that an Oredo Magistrate Court late last year remanded Osemwingie and his brother, Patrick Osabuohien in prison custody for unlawful coronation of Osemwingie as the “Ogiamen of Utuantan Benin Nation” and referred to him as His Royal Majesty (HRM) without the approval of the Executive Council of Edo State. HRM is a title reserved only for the Oba of Benin.

Reacting to the advertorial yesterday signed by Professor Tony Ogiamen which accused the BTC of reneging on the agreement that he claimed has been met by successive Obas, Adun said the Ogiamen was a palace chief and that the family should find the whereabouts of the real Ogiamen who is said to have disappeared over two decades ago rather than looking for what is not real.

He said Ekiokpagha, which the family claimed symbolises the market place where the treaty was signed does not exist. “Ekiopgaha is a tree, it is not served by the Benins, and it is not a market. The markets we have are Ekioba, Ekiagbado, Ogiso market, Ekiosa, Oliha, Ekiuwa, Uselu market. All these markets belong to the Oba, tell me anyone that belongs to Ogiamen. Ogiamen is a chief. Is there Ekiopkagha in Sokponba road?

“Ogiamen is a chief known to everybody in Benin. After Edion, there is another group called Uzamanibie (Elders’ servant), that is the group Ogiamen belong to in the palace. If you say your father died 19 AD, why didn’t you come out that time to drag? The only king we have is the Oba of Benin. There are no two Obas in Benin.

“Benin people know that we have only one Oba, there is no other person called Oba in Benin Kingdom, they should be concerned about the missing Ogiamen instead of installing somebody who is not Ogiamen. Government should warn them over this issue because it is already in court, the man wants to cause crisis, and they should not play with the Oba of Benin except they want to bring crisis on themselves and their families.”