The Oba of Benin, HRM, Ewuare II, has banned his ex-sceptre bearer, Roland Omo-Ekhoe Ogbebor from the palace functions, including festivals, shrines and spiritual groups over issues bordering on land grabbing, and giving directives for illegal installation of Dukes and chief priests.

The secretary of Benin Traditional Council (BTC), Mr. Frank Irabor, stated the punitive measures to journalists in Benin City Tuesday. He said the directive for the installation of dukes and priests is given directly by the Oba with the chiefs and members of the relevant communities.

The BTC secretary said such directives by the ex-palace functionary who was discharged in November 2018, gives a false impression that they were directives from the palace.

Irabor pointed out that, “the dukes and community heads involved must present themselves in the palace if they are innocent and pray to be exonerated.”

He stated ufrt6her that there had been several verbal and written reports bordering on other fraudulent activities including extortion by the ex-palace functionary.

He accused the ex-scepter bearer of “parading himself as deputising for palace authority to the extent of being addressed in an abominable manner as the second in command to His Royal Majesty.

“This is sacrilegious and an abomination punishable by customary laws of our tradition.

“Any person or village that has issue with Roland especially on land grabbing, extortion, intimidation, impersonation and fraud is advised to send written complaints to the secretary of BTC or the police and DSS,” Irabor stated.