The Benin Traditional Council, BTC, has given Clarifications on the structure of the Benin Traditional Institution, thereby placing a caveat on addressing the Enigies also known as Dukes in the Kingdom as Traditional Rulers.
Making the clarifications on Friday in Benin City, on behalf of the Benin Traditional Council, Professor Edoba Omoregie, SAN, disclosed that the palace gravely frowns at some media organizations for addressing the Enigies as traditional rulers.
The clarification document was signed and made available to the press by Chief J.E Oviasogie, the Eribo of Benin, Chief Oviensoba, Chief Osaro Idah, the Obazulu of Benin
Professor Omoregie said the Enogie is only assigned as a chief of the Oba Palace to oversee the community at the instance of the Oba of Benin.
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He added that they are never appointed as traditional rulers as there is only one traditional ruler in the whole of the Benin Kingdom as stipulated in the Benin Customary Law which is part of the Existing Laws of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and earlier affirmed in the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law, 1979 as applicable, in Edo State.
Professor Omorogie, SAN, described this as a serious breach and sacrilegious blunder of Traditional Protocol causing unnecessary unrest to unsuspecting members of the public who are unaware of the consequences.
He admonished the media organizations cut across print and broadcast as well as members of the public to discontinue the further referencing of Enogie, Duke, as Traditional Rulers in the Benin Kingdom as the BTC will consider the breach as a serious affront to the entire Benin People and the palace of the Oba which will be visited with serious consequences under the law.
The Benin Kingdom is cut across 7 local government Areas in Edo State which are embellished in the provisions of the Benin Customary Law within the Purview of the Palace of the Oba of Benin.
