INDEFINITE suspension of the Isekhure of Benin by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, emissaries from the Benin Palace on Wednesday fenced off parts of the Isekhure residence, notably the shrine, which they described as the “Oba’s property”.
The Benin Tradition Council (BTC), acting under the authority of the Oba of Benin had last week announced the suspension of Isekhure (Chief Priest) of Benin but the Ihogbe N’ore, the Benin Palace group that Isekhure belongs, threatened to take a legal action against the BTC, if it failed to prove the allegations leveled against Isekhure within 14 days.
On Wednesday, however, some Benin Palace Chiefs stormed the residence of Isekhure located on Sakponba Road in Benin and demanded from Isekhure to make way for them to fence his residence off an adjoining shrine, which they said housed some traditional items belonging to the Benin Monarch.
Isekhurhe was said to have emerged from the building and queried the action of the chiefs before returning even as people gathered around the place.
Our reporter, who visited the place, observed that some armed security operatives from the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services were on ground at this point in time.
It was gathered that some youths, who were later instructed to demolish portions of the building which bore the symbols of authority of the title of the Isekhurhe, complied.
Our reporter observed that perimeter fencing was being erected around the adjoining shrine to the residence of Isekhure at about 4:30p.m.
The incident also grounded traffic temporarily as many motorists stopped to catch a glimpse of the demolition. A top palace chief, who did not want to be named, described the development as part of the process to ostracise the Isekhurhe and recover the monarch’s property in order to prevent it from being tampered with.
He explained, “For now he (Isekhurhe) is completely ostracised. What you can see is part of the process of ostracising him. The real powerhouse, items that belong to the Oba, is here. Information reaching us is (that) some of those things were being tampered with.
“The Oba is the owner of that place; he magnanimously put him there to take custody of the place. He is like the scepter bearer of the Oba. He (Oba) has asked us to secure the artifacts and possibly make the area formidable so that it cannot be broken.
“The Oba has already asked him to take possession of the extension he (Isekhurhe) built in there. But the original foundation of the palace guild should remain where it is; it is a monumental structure and we have to fortify it because of what it contains.”
Isekhurhe could not be reached for comments.