Oba of Benin ostracises suspended chief priest

The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) yesterday announced that the suspended chief priest, Nosakhare Isekhure, has been ostracised.

The disclosure was made by the Obasogie of Benin, Eduwu Ekhator, who led other top palace chiefs to the ancestral palace of the Isekhure.

This followed the threat by his Ihogbe N’Ore family to sue the palace after the expiration of its 14-day ultimatum to the BTC.

Ekhator said it was strange for an individual to threaten a court action or give an ultimatum to the Oba of Benin, when he knew the traditional consequences.

As part of the process of expelling him, members of the Association of Igiohen (chief priests) and Ihogbe youths led some men to his residence along Sakponba road to pull down his statute and other structures.

One of the palace chiefs, who asked not to be named, told journalists that their mission was to take possession of the property belonging to the Oba’s palace.

He listed them to include artifacts, relics and other paraphernalia of the office of Isekhure.

He explained: “For now, Isekhure has been completely ostracised. The real powerhouse and items that belong to the Oba of Benin were located in his place. We had information that some of the items had been tampered with.
It is worrisome that some important artifacts in the palace were now in the wrong hands.