Addressing a press conference in Benin City, the Iyase (Prime Minister) of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe who spoke on behalf of the chiefs and enigie said there was no proper consultation with the Oba of Benin Palace before the criminal charges were withdrawn.
He said Osemwengie cannot claim to be the Ogiamien which he said is a title in the palace and belonged to the Uzama N’Ibie group alleging that he is only maternally related to the Ogiamien. “We the Benin Chiefs and Enigie are very much aware of Chief Osarobo Ogiamien, the Ogiamien of Benin Kingdom, who is a member of Uzama N’Ibie at the Oba of Benin Palace. Chief Osarobo Ogiamien, is the existing Ogiamien of Benin Kingdom because the family of Ogiamien has not informed the Palace of his demise.
He said Osemwingie and his accomplice have committed a sacrilegious offence against the Benin customs and traditions and have been adjudged enemies of the Benin palace and people insisting that he should tender an unreserved apology to the Benin people in threenational newspapers.
On the stolen artefacts following the British invasion of Benin in 1897, the chiefs commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments for supporting the return of the artefacts back to the palace which is the original owner and called on the state government to fulfill its pledge of supporting the proposed Benin Royal Museum with N500m which is to house the returned artefcts as contained in the 2019 budget of the state.
The chiefs noted that the Traditional Institutions respect the constituted authority and appeal to the constituted authority to reciprocate the same.
Reacting to the allegations, the Director of Information and External Affairs of Ogiamen family, Monday Wehere said. “The Ogiamen title came to be in 1200 AD, it predates the Oba Eweka dynasty. It has been on and from that time till now, we have installed 24 Ogiamiens and Arisco the 24th Ogiamien. There is never a time we have installed Ogiamien and we take permission from the state government or the palace of the Oba of Benin. The only one they can abolish is the one they created by themselves in 1979”
On the Osemwingie’s paternity, Wehere said he is a direct descendant of Ogiamen and the direct male child of Late Prince Daniel Osemwengie Orumwense who he traced to Pa Idu Ogiso while he said his mother’s ancestry could be traced to the Iyasouthwestin Ovia South West local government area of the state.
