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Igbanke people fire back at Benin Traditional Council: We are Igbos, not Benins! (video)
The Indigenous People of Igbanke have, in strong terms, refuted the assertion made by the Benin Traditional Council that they are Benins and not Igbos.
The Benin Traditional Council domiciled at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City had recently, in a statement obtained by Diaspora Digital Media (DDM), claimed that the people of Igbanke originated in the ancient Benin Kingdom.
This contained in a press release dated 30th April 2025, with file number BTC.A40/VOLLVVI/517, issued by the council.
How the Igbanke saga began
The statement has “The Igbanke people are Benins and domiciled in Benin Kingdom: putting the records straight” as its title.
The statement reads:
“The Benin Traditional Council has watched with utter consternation the attempt by some self-styled individuals parading themselves as Igbanke elements to turn history on its head with respect to the place of the Igbanke people in the Benin history.
“More concern is their false narrative and claims that they are Igbos without pointedly identifying their roots in Ibo land.
“Against the background of this false narrative by these ignorant and unscrupulous persons, it is therefore important to set the record straight and to state unequivocally that the Igbanke people who are known to be enlightened and very hardworking ethnic community in Edo State have their ancestral links with the Benin even though over time their language have been influenced by their location and interactions with other ethnic groups from Delta State, particularly the Ika speaking people.
“They are historically and genetically Benin people whose ancestors have constantly paid homages to the Oba of Benin on whose traditional land they inhabit.
“One curious aspect of the false narrative and claims by the so-called lgbanke dissident group is that their erstwhile traditional heads were identified as Obis and Ezes.
“This is strange as right from the time of the Midwest and even before then, up to the enactment of the Bendel State Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict of 1979, no Obi or Eze or any such Igbo title existed in Edo land and Igbanke for that matter.
The recently suspended Enigie in lgbanke were among the other Enigie in Benin Kingdom with long undeniable history of affiliation with the palace of the Oba of Benin, whose final authority and prerogative of Benin Kingdom rulership was necessary for any Enogie to be recognized and installed across the Benin Kingdom.
“In addition, the Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba of Benin, had for a long time recognized Igbanke people as Benins.
“The Igbanke people migrated from Benin City in history to settle in their present location in Benin Kingdom and present Edo State. Records have explicitly shown this for long and in the Benin Traditional Council.
“The Enigie that have lived in Igbanke have all been loyal and played their traditional chieftaincy roles loyally in history to the Oba of Benin as other Enigie in the rest of the Benin Kingdom.
“Their recent acts of rebellion in which they sought to undermine the long standing tradition of Benin Kingdom by their acts of sacrilege were actively carried out by the suspended Enigie including those of lgbanke.
“Some pertinent questions to be asked are: If they claim they are not Benin people, under what law are their so-called Obi and/or Eze recognized in old Midwest, Bendel and now Edo State?
“The Benin Traditional Council wishes, therefore, to inform the general public, particularly the security agencies, to take particular note of acts capable of causing breach of public peace which these persons of lgbanke stock have now embarked upon through illegal and unlawful claims/means.
“The Igbanke people are naturally peace loving and law-abiding community and must not allow some misguided elements and miscreants to railroad them into needless acts of infamy.
“A word is enough for the wise!
“Oba ghato ‘kpere, Ise.”
The document
Seven officials of the council signed the document shown below as follows:
- Chief George Igie Ekhator-Obasogie, Obasogie of Benin
- Chief Edionwe Oliha Oliha of Benin
- Chief Stanley 0. Obamwonyi, Esere of Benin
- Chief Osaro Idah Obazelu of Benin
- Chief Ada Igbinovia, Eribo of Benin
- Chief Isaac 0. Ogiemwense Oyeoba of Benin
- Chief Okunoghae Edomwandagbon Ine of Benin
See a copy of the statement below.
Responding to the spurious claims by the Benin Traditional Council, the people of Igbanke resorted to a recorded conference to “set the record straight”.
One Pastor Nwachukwu James Ukpekele read out the statement.
Pastor Nwachukwu, whose name bore all the hallmarks of Igbo on it, clarified that Igbanke people are in way related to Benins.
According to him, they were sojourners like other settlers but are originally Igbos.
Watch the video clip below:
The press statement issued by the Benin Traditional Council:
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