Traditional worshippers in Benin City on Wednesday carried out a series of ancestral rites and invoked curses against kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminals, following a directive by the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, as part of efforts to combat insecurity in Edo State and across Nigeria.
The spiritual exercise, which the Benin Palace said is intended to complement government efforts to tackle insecurity, began with a procession from the Oba’s Palace and peaked at the palace’s main entrance in Benin City.
The participants, comprising traditional priests, priestesses and traditional physicians, known as Ewaise, were dressed in ceremonial regalia and carried traditional spiritual objects. They poured libations, performed propitiatory rites and invoked ancestral spirits to bear witness against those responsible for acts of violence and those collaborating with them.
The ceremony also featured traditional fortification rites aimed at protecting the land from banditry and other criminal activities, alongside prayers for peace, security and the continued development of Edo State and Nigeria.
The exercise followed a directive issued by Oba Ewuare II last Wednesday, in which he summoned traditional worshippers of various groups within the Benin Kingdom to revive ancient traditional methods of addressing the worsening security situation.
Speaking after the exercise, the head of the Ewaise Palace group, Chief Osemwonta Iguezigbon, said the monarch’s directive was motivated by the growing insecurity across the country.
“What happened today was directed by the Oba of Benin, considering what is happening not only in Edo State but also in Nigeria. Our Oba thought it wise to put a stop to it,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Priest of the Ayelala deity, Chief Clement Edegbe, expressed confidence that the spiritual intervention would expose criminals and their collaborators while helping to curb violent crimes.
“A lot of things have been going wrong in Benin. Some people are no longer respecting elders. There has been a lot of kidnapping and other crimes,” Edegbe said.
The Oyeoba of Benin, Chief Isaac Oghafua Ogiemwense, explained that the purpose of the exercise was to spiritually strengthen the land against criminal activities.
“The essence of this spiritual assignment is to fortify the land against insecurity in a traditional way,” he said.
Priestess Constance Eguavoen also commended Oba Ewuare II for reviving traditional spiritual practices as part of efforts to confront criminality.
According to the Benin Palace, the traditional rites are not intended to replace conventional security measures but to complement ongoing efforts by government and security agencies to restore peace and safeguard lives and property in Edo State and across Nigeria.
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