May 15, (THEWILL) – The Benin Traditional Council (BTC), has recalled the Enigie, who were suspended from the Council last year.
Their readmission into the Council was cemented recently at the Palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, who is the Chairman of the BTC. They were also hosted to a feast where they went home with gifts from the Palace.
THEWILL recalls that the Enigie were suspended in November 2022, after they called for proper functioning of the BTC across the seven Benin-speaking Local Government Areas in Edo South Senatorial District, an action that was interpreted as a palace coup.
However, sources with knowledge of the development, told THEWILL that the suspended Enigie were readmitted into the BTC in the wake of moves by the Edo State Government to harmonise the traditional system in the state.
The State government had insisted that “more of the resources allocated to the BTC should be allowed to spread to all the actors within the system just as is obtained in Edo Central and Edo North.”
The norm was that the State government related with the traditional councils of the three senatorial districts in the State through their chairmen.
Findings by THEWILL, showed that the system operated seamlessly in Edo Central and Edo North, but not so well in Edo South.
The source, who noted that the move by the state government was intended to restore order, said: “As far as Edo State Government is concerned, traditional rulers are part of institutions that ensure social cohesion which leads to enhanced security and peaceful co-existence in communities.
“For this to happen, the institutions must be harmonised and all resources, both man and material, must be seen to be percolating to the lowest organs within the traditional system. This was not the case before and had to be corrected.
“It was against this backdrop that the move was initiated to ensure order and harmony within the BTC in Edo South. This has led to this resolution and a truce within the council. The Edo State Government has committed to support the Oba of Benin, as the leader of the council as well as all the other traditional leaders in Edo South and ensure that they live up to their obligations to serve the people within their domain.”
