The People of Ihovbe Village in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State recently came together pleading to the Palace of the Benin Monarch for forgiveness of their suspended Enogie, Iduriase Adun Oyemwensere
The gathering included the elders, youths, and other members of the community, the meeting was held to show their support for their kind and loving Enogie, asking the Benin Traditional Council to lift his suspension.
However, Chief Iduriase Adun Oyemwensere, Enogie of Ihogbe has come to plead to Oba of Benin again, as he said while on his knees during a Television interview, in his statement he said "I CAN'T DISRESPECT OBA, I CAN'T INSULT YOU, I HAVE BEEN LOYAL AND I WILL CONTINUE MY LOYALTY, YOU ARE MY FATHER, PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGY MY FATHER"
Here is the conversation between the Enogie and the presenter:
Presenter: We heard the suspension letters that was given to the Enigies that disrespected the Palace, was also given to you, is that true
Enogie: Yes, it is true, it was given to 67 Enogies and after 1 week, mine was served.
Presenter: Are you part of the Enogies that disrespected the palace?
Enogie: No, never, I cannot disrespect my father, I cannot be an enemy of the Oba, it is an abomination and I can't commit what I know.
Presenter: We heard that the former governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki called the Enigies for a meeting, were you part of those that Obaseki called.
Enogie: Yes I was part of them, we were over one hundred that were present.
Presenter: In the meeting, was there any important discussion there?
Enogie: No, nothing important, they said all that was needed to be said and then asked for bank account details to send money to us, and we sent it to them.
Presenter: When the meeting became known to the public, we heard that some Enigies returned back to the palace, where you among them.
Enogie: Yes I was part of them; when I heard what was happening, I came back to our father and wrote a letter of apology to my father to forgive me that I didn't know what was happening, that If I knew I wouldn't have gone there. I submitted the letter of apology to him and also to frank Irabor the Secretary and then left.
After 1 week, we went to the palace, and then, we held a press conference and after went to the office to
greet our father. After greeting, he said everything is okay and also gave us gift, all of us, we were happy with it. The present was huge, my car was packed full, he gave us rice, garri and about 50kg corn and from that time on, I have been going to the palace.
Presenter: When you all, went to government house for the meeting to drops your account numbers, did they pay the money they said they will pay?
Enogie: They paid, they paid the first time and then the second time, but the third was not paid and I called Egbaen Siluko, that I haven't seen my money since two weeks now and he said because I don't come for meetings that's why they refuse to pay me and from there I rested.
From when I left them, they haven't paid me again, I have all the evidence on my phone.
Presenter: You said you weren't suspended, then how is your name on the list of those suspended?
Enogie: The letter of suspension that was sent to me, there is one thing between me and a palace Chief, who
entered Egbemwindun, the ancestral land we drag ourselves to our father in the palace, the Oba, that he has entered our Oba ancestral land, the Oba sent some persons to confirm if it is true, and they checked, they found out that it was true, that Egbemwindun is truly there, then he sent Ihogbe, Ihogbe came to see for himself and reported back to the palace that it is true, so now I am shocked that two of us now have issues, he lied against me because I refused to allow him take over the ancestral land.
As I was served the suspension papers in the morning around 10am, same day around 12noon, he brought some Hausa work men to clear the land and start digging foundation. He removed the sign board placed on the land to let people know to keep off the land saying the land belongs to the Oba and also came to my compound to destroy my signboard.
Later, the community heads came to stop him that if he doesn't know that the Egbemwindun belong to the Oba.
However, he had already started digging foundation, put over 4000 blocks on the land, the heap of sand there was about nine, he was bringing a heap of gravel but was also stopped by the Community heads on the same day.
Therefore, this is the reason why he lied against me.
Presenter: Since they serve you the letter of suspension, have you been acting as the Enogie of the community?
Enogie: No, I haven't been acting as the Enogie of the community since the Oba served me the suspension letter. I have not been doing anything that concerns Enogie, I only entered my house and remain because I don't want to offend my father. I had to reply with a letter of apology to my father after I was served the letter that I didn't insult and disrespect him at all that I stand with the Oba and no one else.
The Press Conference we did three years ago in the palace that we used to reiterate our position, from that time till now I haven't been there. I am just tired that I received the letter of suspension. I didn't disrespect nor insult the Oba, I can't disrespect the oba because he is my father.
I beg my king to look into my suspension, no matter what you have been told, please I want you to know I didn't insult nor disrespect the palace, I can never disrespect you my father because I am your child and not a bastard, I belong to you with everything I have including my money, my family, all belongs to you, I can never disrespect or insult you at all, please my king.