DETAILS of the implications of the non-replacement of Egbesu Golden Sword allegedly stolen by Nigerian troops from the Egbesu inner shrine at Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of the Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have emerged.
The Ibe-Benemowei of Gbaramatu kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, spoke to the Nigerian Tribune weekend in Warri, on why some cleansing rites must be carried to replace the stolen golden sword within nine months.
The Pere-in-Council, after deliberations at Oporoza, announced a week ago at a press conference in Warri that since the timeframe for the return of the golden sword had elapsed, to avert anger of the gods against the kingdom, rites of cleansing to replace it had begun in earnest.
Consequences of non-replacement
According to Chief Gbenekama, who doubles as the spokesperson for the Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs, “the golden sword of authority, if desecrated, is expected to be replaced if not found within nine months.
If that is not done, the anger of the ancestors and the Egbesu deity would be devastating on the indigenes starting from the priests to the chief priest, the king and eventually the people.”
He added that “there would be untimely deaths, miscarriages and diseases that would defy orthodox medications.
Process of replacement
“To avert these evil days, the process for replacement is normally activated before the nine months elapse.
In case the golden sword is desecrated and left in the shrine if it is returned, the processes of cleansing is also done within the same nine months of its desecration to avoid the calamity that would befall the community,” Gbenekama noted.
Consequences on Nigerian troops
The Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs had also, during the press conference on March 24, had asked the Federal Government to forget returning the golden sword, warning those behind the theft and desecration to expect the repercussions.
Speaking exclusively to the Nigerian Tribune at the weekend, Chief Gbenekama said the effects on the Nigerian troops, who masterminded the stealing and desecration of the traditional symbol of authority, would be devastating.
“The effect on those, who desecrated the golden sword is better imagined. If the deity can deal mercilessly with indigenes, who may not have desecrated it, then you can imagine what would happen to the real culprits if they do not confess and apologise to the people and the Egbesu deity.
You should know that the Egbesu deity is a deity of protection and defence. More of what would have happened to the indigenes would happen to such individuals, ranging from miscarriages, unexplained deceases to mysterious deaths.
The gods are wise and they determine what punishment to give to individuals, depending on the level of offence.
But the punishment are normally swift and decisive. This is why the Gbaramatu people are taking the issue of the loss of the golden sword of authority very seriously, “ Gbenekama insisted.
Importance of the sword
The Egbesu golden royal sword is the traditional symbol of authority of the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, HRM Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe Agadagba, which bestows and confer on the king both spiritual and physical power and legitimacy as a custodian of the ancestral nuances of the people.
It will be recalled that the sword got missing from the Egbesu Shrine in Oporoza, headquarters of the kingdom on May 28, 2016 during military invasion in the wake of the resumption of hostilities against critical oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta region by aggrieved militants.
The FG has, after several pleas, ordered the Nigerian Army to return the sword to the kingdom with apology, but this order had not been honoured to date.
The timeframe for the return of the golden sword had elapsed, and the rites of cleansing to replace it had begun in earnest.
This, they said, was necessary to let the world know that the kingdom had to move on, in spite of its anger and displeasure over the refusal of the military authorities to return the royal symbol of authority with apologies as easier directed by the presidency.
Gbenekama had said: “we don’t want the old one (sword), let them keep it, they are capable of (the gods are capable) of fighting for themselves, so we want to move on.
We don’t want reparation or payment of damages; we don’t want anything, we just want to move on.”