The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) has warned journalists against breaching protocols by addressing Enogies in Benin Kingdom as traditional rulers in their reports.
Speaking with journalists in Benin City at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Press Centre on behalf of BTC, Prof. Omoregie Edoba warned that any further breach of this traditional protocol would be considered by the BTC as a serious affront to the entire Benin People and the Palace of Oba of Benin, which breach will be visited with serious consequences under the law.
Prof. Edoba was flanked by a retinue of high Benin chiefs including Chief JE Oviasogie, the Eribo of Benin Kingdom; Chief SO Obamwonyi, the Esere of Benin Kingdom; Chief Osaro Idah, the Obazulu of Benin Kingdom amongst others.
He said by virtue of Benin Customary Law, which is part of the existing laws of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and earlier affirmed in the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law, 1979 (as applicable in Edo State), the traditional chieftaincy title of Enogie of any community in Benin Kingdom is the creation of the Oba of Benin and under the authority of the council.
Edoba said that it was baffling that despite the unambiguous Benin Kingdom tradition which is well codified in the existing laws, members of the print and electronic media have resorted to erroneously addressing Enogie of the various communities in Benin Kingdom as traditional rulers.
He fumed: “This is a serious breach of traditional protocol which has caused unnecessary confusion to many unsuspecting members of the general public who are unaware of this serious sacrilegious blunder.”
Edoba, a professor of Law recalled that on August 20, 2023, a “Clarification on the Structure of the Benin Traditional Institution” was issued on the authority of the BTC, adding that what obtains is that upon appointment, an Enogie is assigned as a Chief of the Oba Palace to a community as a representative of the Oba of Benin in that community; but never as a traditional ruler as there is only one traditional ruler in the whole of the Benin Kingdom, who is the Oba of Benîn.
He insisted: “The BTC therefore use this medium to strongly urge and admonish all members of the print and electronic media to refrain from further reference to the Enogie of any community in Benin Kingdom as a traditional ruler, but only as a Chief of the community to which the Enogie has been appointed by the Oba of Benin.
