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By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City.
The Enogie of Utekon Community in
Ovia North East Local Government area of Edo State, His Highness Eguagie O. Imasuen (Enogie of Utekon) , has debunked an alleged statement credited to Harrison Okao, who until recently was the Priest of Holy Aruosa Church, that he ( Imasuen ), took our Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa to court.
Harrison Okao,in an interview with a Benin based Television station , has alleged that the Enogie , Eguagie Imasuen took his Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa to court.
His Highness Eguagie O. Imasuen speaking with journalists in Benin City, said he never at anytime took the Royal Majesty to court, that Harrison Okao lied against him.
He gave Okao 48 hours ultimatum to retrieve his statement , failing which he will drag him to court and also ensure that both of them go to the Palace to swear to the Oba shrine, ( Ogun Oba).
“It sounds ridiculous. How can an Enogie take Oba to court for appointing him as. his representative over a Dukedom? For what reason will an Enogie take the Oba of Benin to court?
‘ It is very obvious that they lied against me,the Enogie , and am at a loss that such an action can be happening in the palace of the revered Oba of Benin Kingdom, Oba Ewuare II, N’ Ogidigan.
“Harrison Okao, who until recently was the Priest of Holy Aruosa Church, ‘seems to be economical with the truth on the matter. He should be made to show forth the details of the court proceedings where I as Enogie of Utekon took our late Oba of Benin of blessed memories to court for verification.
“Such a taboo has never happened in Benin Kingdom before that an Enogie will take the Oba of Benin to court and this allegation should not be treated with kid gloves at all. .
Meanwhile, an elder of the Community, Isaac Ehanah said, it was the Aborigines of Utekon Community that took Harrison Okao to court for grabbing thier land.
Ehanah, said the papers are there for every one to verify, Enogie Eguagie Imasuen,was never a party to the suit.
” Harrison Okao, used his position as the High Priest of Holy Aruosa to victimise the people of Utekon by grabbing their acestral land.
We are appealing to the Oba of Benin Kingdom ,His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, N’Ogidigan , to please come to our aid and restate our highness , Eguagie O. Imasuen as the Enogie of Utekon.
In our asséssment, on the suspension of the Enogie is suspicious and calls for thorough investigation to clarify the reasons for the action and not to make an innocent man suffer unjustly.
Again, we are appealing to our Great Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II to look into this matter himself so that some mischief makers within and outside the Oba Palace will not place justice upside down.
” We know that our Great Oba of Benin stand for truth, justice and fair play ,our Enogie was not found wanting over the charges leveled against him.
The travails of the Enogie which was said to have lingered for over five years despite appeal that his case should be revisited when the person involved in the controversy has been found wanting by the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) and was subsequently removed as the Okao of the Benin Holy Aruosa remianed in answered.
