Benin Traditional Council suspends Isekhure of Benin, to be replaced by Ihama – The inside story

 

 

 

Benin Traditional Council suspends Isekhure of Benin, to be replaced by Ihama – The inside story 



 

The Benin Traditional Council, BTC, in a signed declaration by many high ranking chiefs including the Iyase, the Oliha and the Odionvbere of Benin plus the Secretary of the Palace, has pronounced an indefinite suspension on Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, stopping his duties as the chief priest of Benin.

Notably the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, did not sign the declaration, a copy of which was made available to pressmen.

 

Isekhure was hitherto a top palace chief, (He is supposed to be a confidant of the Oba) who hitherto performed the duties of the Chief Priest of Benin.

 

According to an order signed by Chief Sam Igbe, Chief Edebiri, Chief Oliha, Secretary Irabor and other very senior chiefs of Benin Kingdom, the Iyase of Benin, Chief Isekhure is suspended indefinitely and his former duties will now revert to Ihama n’Ihuogbe who, the report stated, was the original performer of that function.

 

The pronouncement read in part,

 

“We recommend in the circumstances therefore that he (Isekhure) should be suspended; and with the authority of Oba Ewuare II he is with effect from today suspended indefinitely from performing the duties of Isiekhure title which he now bears. Those duties were originally performed by the Ihama of Benin. They will now revert to the Ihama N’Ihogbe”. The declaration stated.

Chief Nosakhare Isekhuere was installed by Oba Erediauwa Uku Akpolokpolo in 1982 after his father, who Oba Erediauwa described as close confidant in his book, died in 1980.

The now suspended former chief priest of Benin Kingdom, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, holds two masters degrees having been educated in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States of America. He also practised as a journalist.

 



 

 

 

 



 

Isekhure is a man who has earned a reputation in the media for his candour and narrative skill so characteristic of a tested journalist.

 

Chief Isekhuere, whose surname is also his title, was born in 1950 into the family of Ugho Eguavoen Isekhure, who was the eldest son of Eguavoen Isekhure, the 30th Isekhure of Benin Kingdom.

His father was the 31st Isekhure of Benin Kingdom. And he is, according to available record, the 32nd Isekhure of Benin Kingdom in the line of succession since 1255 A.D duri. account is according to historical records, as stated by the Isekhure while he was still the chief priest of Benin. The account by the Benin Traditional Council however puts the date as “about 1280” the reign of Oba Ewedo.

 

According to the BTC, “the present duties of the Isekhure were part of the the traditional duties of the Ihama”.

 

Among the many reasons given for his suspension, which apparently has the endorsement of the Oba, because they made it under His authority, the Isekhure was accused of dereliction of duties, overstretching of his boundaries, claiming to be the head of the Benin Royal Family and sundry offences. According to the report, his behaviour had been untoward for about two years now.

Chief Nosakhare Isekhure had his primary education at St. Matthew’s Anglican Primary School, Benin and Benin Divisional Primary School, Benin.

 

For his secondary education, the young Isekhure attended St. Patrick’s Secondary Modern School, Benin.

 

His tertiary education was done outside Nigeria, in several institutions including Franklin College, Lugano, Switzerland; British Institute, Naardeen Bussum, the Netherlands; Concordia University, Montreal, Canada and Century University, Beverly Hills, California, USA.

 

The deposed Isekhure holds a Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc) and a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree.

He took a break from his studies in Canada to attend the burial rites of his father in 1980. Afterwards, he went back to Canada and having completed his studies, he returned to Benin and was eventually installed as Isekhure in 1982.

 

He did his National Youth Service with Radio Nigeria in Benin City serving as the News Editor of the station for nine months. He worked with Radio Nigeria until 1984 when the military took over power. Afterwards, he worked as a member of the Board of Directors of the then Bendel Television and Radio Corporation for five years.

 

Isekhure served the Gen. Babangida Administration as a member of the Constituent Assembly in Abuja in 1987. This committee, which was charged with the responsibility of drafting the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, lasted for nine months. In the same year, 1987, he also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the then Bendel Development and Properties Company (BDPC).

Isekhure holds also the award of Justice of the Peace (JP) and the Fellowship of the Institute of Peace Studies.

 

As a prolific writer, he has written more than 300 articles in several newspapers and journals. He has authored one book and co-authored more than three books.

 

He inherited the position of Chief Priest of Benin Kingdom by birth. The Benin tradition stipulates that once an Isekhure dies, his eldest son succeeds him. So, that was his case.

 

However, the succession process for an Isekhure is not just automatic or expressly done. The mantle does not just fall on the eldest son of any late Isekhure. The Oba has to ratify the choice.

 

A new Isekhure is eventually installed after the performance of the rites of passage. Afterwards, the Oba confers the title officially on him in order to give the incumbent, the necessary legitimacy.

Chief Nosakhare Isekhure’s father passed on in 1980 and he was officially installed by the former Oba of Benin, HM Oba Erediauwa in 1982.

 

However before his official installation, he had to perform the ‘Ikpuikpura’ ritual, meaning the final rites of coronation which were not performed by his late father. He had to perform the rites on his late father’s behalf before he could legitimately, by tradition, carry out the burial rites.

 

Isekhure’s House, along Sakponba road, between Igun and Erie streets in Benin City, is not designed like the ordinary, conventional buildings. It is like a typical worship temple. It is a shrine which bears the relics and adornments of Bini ancestral worship. The shrine provides the avenue for the maintenance of spiritual activity within the kingdom.

 

Isekhure’s major role as the Chief Priest, is to hold the fort for the Oba of Benin on spiritual matters. The Oba of Benin is of course, the spiritual head of the Edo nation and by implication also the head of Isekhure and all priests.

 

The Isekhure functions as the Chief Priest because the Oba himself cannot perform all the royal rites by himself alone. Instead, he (the Oba) DELEGATES the authority to the Isekhure by issuing him with a staff of office known as ‘Urhototo’, which means the scarlet staff that no ordinary man can hold. It is highlighted here that the Isekhere exercises only delegated authority for the Oba, the authority belongs to the Oba.

 

As a member of the Bini royalty, it was Isekhure’s prerogative to offer prayers for the Oba of Benin and for the princes and princesses of the kingdom, the chiefs and titled men as well as every other individual who deserves to be prayed for at any point in time.

As Isekhure of Benin, the suspended Chief Isekhure performed the highest chieftaincy rites in the land. He administered all the traditional rites on all the chiefs of Benin Kingdom at the instance of the Oba.

The Isekhure or whoever occupies that position has the duty to preside over all spiritual matters during the coronation of an Oba. The late father of the present Chief Isekhure performed the coronation rites for Oba Erediauwa when he (the Oba) was Edaiken of Uselu preparatory to his final crowning. The chief priest offer prayers and protection so that there could be peace in the kingdom. He is however not permitted to abdicate from this sacred duty.

 

With Oba Ewuare II’s latest pronouncement (assuming that he actually endorsed the suspension) exercising his right to redelegate or appoint the Ihama n’Ihogbe as the new chief priest of Benin, it is unlikely that the duties of chief priest of Benin Kingdom may revert to Chief Isekhure anytime soon because in Benin custom the Oba does not go back on his decisions.

 

Chief Isekhure himself once explained why the Oba does not go back on his words.

 

“The Oba of Benin is the owner of taboos. The Oba does not visit anybody’s house. It is forbidden for the Oba to shake hands with anybody. The Oba must not fail to perform the rites which tradition has vested on him. The Oba does not go back on his words. His words are his bond. He must not revoke any of his pronouncements.” Chief Isekhure stated.