By joshua 
NO EXISTENCE OF NDI-EZE IN IGBANKE COMMUNITY, Says Group
By Ikhili Ebalu, BENIN City
A Scio Cultural Group, the AIGUOBASINMWIN MOVEMENT have warned NDI-EZE IN IGBANKE COMMUNITY against false claims that Igbanke is not part of Benin kingdom under the Rulership of Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolo Kpolo Oba Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin.
According to them, Igbanke Community is just a subset of community amongst numerous communities and villages that made up ORHIONMWON Local Government Area of Edo State.
In a statement signed by Mr. Iyamu Osaro Culture-President and Osayuki-Osa Benson-Secretary said,
” the Odionweres and Enigie of the affected Igbanke Communities which is under the Rulership of Oba of Benin have been presiding over the affected Communities/Villages by the Benin before the British came to invade Benin Empire in 1897.”
The statement reads:-
Our attention has been drawn to the false alarm and claim made by some Ika people of Igbanke extraction led by one self made Chief Jude Ugbekile and 9 others who we are accommodating in ORHIONMWON Local Government Area which is under the Rulership of Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolo Kpolo Oba Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin.
For clarification, Igbanke Community is just a subset of community amongst numerous communities and villages that made up ORHIONMWON Local Government Area. Historically, Igbanke community is a mixture of both Benin and Ika people just like some part of Ikpoba-Okha, Ovia South West and North Local Government Areas where we have the Benin, Yoruba, Itsekiri and Ijaws. Therefore being accommodative and receptive, doesn’t give the Ika, Itsekiri, Yoruba and Ijaws who came to the aforementioned Local Government Areas of Edo South as settlers the right to begin to assume authority over the Benin who is their Landlord.
It is imperative to note that the Odionweres and Enigie of the affected Igbanke Communities which is under the Rulership of Oba of Benin have been presiding over the affected Communities/Villages by the Benin before the British came to invade Benin Empire in 1897. Thus, the Ika people in Igbanke Communities should not claim what they can never have in our Kingdom. Similarly, there is nothing like Ndi Nze(Traditional Rulers) in Igbanke Communities or any part of the 7 Local Government Areas that made up Benin Kingdom and we will not allow it in our land.
However, if the Ika people are hell-bent on their move to be on their own, they should go back to Delta state where they originally came from because we will not allow settlers/tenants to continue to undermine our receptiveness and hospitality.
To this end, the suspension of 4 Enigie in Igbanke Communities, ORHIONMWON Local Government Area which is under the Rulership of Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolo, Kpolo, Oba Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin Kingdom has come to stay and we are ready to defend the historical pronouncement made by our highly revered Benin Palace.
AIGUOBASINMWIN COMMUNITY!
OBA EDO GHA TO KPERE ISE!!!
Signed:
Mr. Iyamu Osaro Culture-President
Mr. Osayuki-Osa Benson-Secretary