The Palace of the Oba of Benin has suspended five senior chiefs at the weekend, explaining that they were sanctioned because they disobeyed a directive that they should not have anything to do with the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, who is alleged to be facing a disciplinary action for impersonating the Oba of Benin.

Chief Priest of Benin Kingdom, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, who handed down the suspension alleged that the five chiefs who absented themselves from Ugie - Ewere ceremony on January 1 and the palace went to the house of the Esama at the same time to participate in a parallel ceremony.

The five chiefs under suspension are the Obarueyiedo of Benin, Chief Iyekoretin Obaseki; the Obasogie of Benin, Chief Eduwu Ekhator; the Efesoghoba of Benin, Chief M.E. Nehizena; the Osarenmwanta of Benin, Chief Scotty Asuen; and the Uwayoba of Benin, Chief Nosakhare Ogbewe.
According to the statement of suspension signed by Chief Nosakhare Isekhure and 20 other chiefs, the suspended chiefs were disciplined because they had continuously breached the traditional norms of Benin Kingdom .

“Consequently, they have been suspended indefinitely with immediate effect from all palace activities, and henceforth prohibited from wearing and adorning themselves with any Palace Paraphernalia earlier granted them by the Oba of Benin.”

“The Palace chiefs shall make further pronouncement on the matter concerning Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin, in due course,” the statement further said.
The suspended chiefs have however refused to respond to calls to state their own side of the story when reporters sought their opinions on the issue.