Edo: Court admits traditional council as party in stay of chiefs’ case | The Guardian Nigeria News

• Government highly appreciates Oba of Benin – Nehikhare

An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin has admitted the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) as a party in a suit brought by two suspended (Enigie) Dukes of Benin against the Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba Ewuare II.

However, proceedings at the Sapele Road court were marred by protests from over 100 priests, priestesses and palace heads who stormed the premises. At the resumed hearing, they rained curses on the enemies of Oba Ewuare 11.

Amid the heavy presence of security personnel, the protesters, who sang solidarity songs along the ever-busy Sapele Road, disrupted traffic throughout the session.

The two suspended Enigies, Prof. Greg Akenzua of Evbuobanosa and Chief Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen of Egbaen Siluko, had sued the revered Benin monarch on behalf of others, challenging their suspension from office.

The duo had also claimed on behalf of others that only Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and not the monarch could remove them from their positions.

Justice Peter Akhihiero ruled on an application at Thursday’s session, granting the first defendant’s application to add BTC as the third defendant in the suit marked B/250os/2023, while Oba Ewuare II and the Edo State government were the first and second are defendants or

The judgment came in response to an application by the lead counsel for the 1st defendant, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie and his team against the plaintiffs, Prof. Akenzua and Chief Ogiegbaen, both of whom had taken over as Oba in Benin will face trial over their suspension as Dukes of Evbuobanosa and Egbaen Siluko in Edo South Senatorial District by Oba Ewuare II in 2023.

Justice Akhihiero led the parties in the suit, the Edo State Government represented by the Attorney General and the State Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, Prof. Gregory Akenzua and Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen, both through their lawyers led by Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, through the counsel of Oba Ewuare II, had objected to the application to amend their relevant documents in the case to reflect the decision.

Meanwhile, the Edo State government immediately announced that there is no trial in court against the revered royal father, Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin. Edo State Commissioner for Communications and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said the rumor circulating on social media about impending trial was the handiwork of enemies of the state and should be ignored.