By Ishaya Ibrahim
Social media has been buzzing over a court summon slammed on Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II by aggrieved chiefs of the revered kingdom.
Two suspended chefs known as Enigie (Dukes) in Benin Kingdom, Professor Gregory Akenzua and Chief Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen filed a lawsuit against the Oba of Benin after their suspension.
But on social media, some Labour Party supporters claimed that it was the Edo State government that filed the case against the monarch.
One of the Labour Party supporters, Serah Ibrahim, more famous on X by her handle, @SerahIbrahim posted yesterday. “Wait. Hold on. What is this I’m hearing? Did Governor Godwin Obaseki and his State Chief Economic Adviser Asue Ighodalo really take the great Oba of Benin to Court? Tomorrow PDP Obaseki and Asue have asked Oba to appear in Federal High Court Sapele Road by 8am and they want to keep it a secret? Why? Are they ashamed?”
Asue Ighodalo supporters on X hurriedly put out a disclaimer, claiming Obaseki and Ighodalo had nothing to do with the case.
Ighodalo is the PDP governorship candidate of Edo State.
Meanwhile, the High Court, Sapele Road has been taken over on Thursday by supporters of the Oba who came to show solidarity.
The Oba was summoned to court in a suit marked B/250os/2023 filed by the suspended dukes.
They are protesting their suspension on the ground that their appointment as traditional chiefs enjoy recognition of the Edo State Government and that they were duly registered under Section 25(2) of the Traditional Rulers and Chieftaincy Law.
They also relied on Section 28 of the same Traditional Rulers and Chieftaincy Law to state that only the State Executive Council may sanction them if they were found wanting; noting that the Oba has no right to usurp the powers conferred by law on the State Executive Council.
They denied any wrongdoing exercising their right to freedom of speech by writing a letter to the governor of the state along with 94 of their fellow Enigie in 2022, in which they called on the governor to exercise a power conferred on him by law which they believe will lead to more rapid development to the rural areas of the state, particularly Edo South Senatorial District.
