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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
A group, Ogbakha-Edo, on Friday, demanded for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed bill before the National Assembly, which seeks to constitutionally enshrine the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as permanent co-chairmen of the Nigerian Council of Traditional Rulers.
Besides, it demanded that the position be made non-permanent and rotational amongst the first class traditional rulers in the country.
The group in a statement on behalf of Benin people signed by its Chairman, Prof. Sam Guobadia and Dr. Andrew Osaretin Izekor, the secretary, said: “We reject in totality, any attempt to undermine or diminish the authority of the Oba of Benin.
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“We find it highly inappropriate to perpetually subjugate the Oba of Benin by way of an illogical constitutional enactment.”
Expressing their deep-seated disapproval and profound indignation at the widely circulated reports of the proposed bill, Ogbakha-Edo stated that: “This ill-conceived and historically unjustifiable proposal is not only logically flawed but also provocative, divisive, and culturally offensive. It represents a blatant attempt to institutionalise supremacy where none exists, and to exploit past protocols of convenience-wherein certain decisions are made and certain actions taken for the sake of political expediency.
“The Benin people, anchored in centuries of cultural pride and historical sovereignty, vehemently reject any move that seeks to subordinate the imperial and highly revered throne of the Oba of Benin to any other traditional or religious authority under the guise of national unity or representational balance.
“While the Oba of Benin is currently categorised among the highest-ranking traditional rulers in Nigeria, it is absolutely unacceptable-indeed, an affront to justice and history-to diminish his stature through such unwarranted and biased constitutional manipulation.”
