The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has condemned the suspension of six traditional rulers in Igbanke clan, Edo State, by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, labeling the action as an unjustified interference in the cultural autonomy of an indigenous Igbo community. In a joint statement by Secretary General Ifeanyichukwu Nweke and National Publicity Secretary Ukpabi Michael Authority, the OYC accused the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) of attempting to impose a Benin identity on the Igbanke people, dismissing their longstanding Igbo heritage. The suspension, formalized in a letter dated April 30, 2025, and endorsed by prominent Benin chiefs, followed the Igbanke community’s public reaffirmation of its Igbo identity through the Okiko Uwa Sociocultural Group, which declared on April 23 that Igbanke has no ancestral ties to Benin.
The OYC criticized the Oba’s decision as a disregard for historical truth, urging him to cease meddling in Igbanke’s cultural affairs. Under the leadership of National President General Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, the council announced plans to expand its advocacy for Igbo unity beyond the Southeast to include diaspora communities in the South-South and North Central regions, particularly in Kogi and Benue states. This initiative follows the historic election of Comrade Azuka Oka Etumudon, an Igbanke indigene, as the OYC’s National Organizing Secretary during its February 8 convention in Owerri—a milestone hailed as a breakthrough for broader Igbo solidarity.
The group called on Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by President General Senator Azuta John Mbata, to amend its constitution to formally recognize Igbo communities in Edo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, and Benue states. Highlighting linguistic and cultural distinctions, the OYC emphasized that Igbanke’s use of the Ika dialect and traditional titles like Ezeand Obi align with Igbo traditions, contrasting sharply with Benin customs. They appealed to Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo to intervene, cautioning against attempts to distort Igbanke’s history through “lies and conspiracy.”
Reiterating their commitment to safeguarding Igbo identity, the OYC vowed to resist external assimilation efforts, asserting that no intimidation would erase Igbanke’s self-awareness. “The Igbanke people know who they are,” the statement concluded.
