Traditional priests and priestesses, acting on the express directive of His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, have performed ancestral rites and invoked curses upon kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminals across Edo State and Nigeria.
The spiritual exercise – which the Benin Palace said is intended to complement government efforts against insecurity – commenced with a procession from the Oba’s palace and reached its zenith at the main entrance in Benin City.
Participants, comprising traditional priests, priestesses and physicians known as Ewaise, donned ceremonial regalia and wielded traditional spiritual objects. They poured libations, conducted propitiatory rites and called upon ancestral spirits to bear witness against perpetrators and their accomplices. The ceremony also featured fortification rituals aimed at shielding the land from banditry, alongside prayers for peace and continued development.
The palace directive, issued last Wednesday, summoned various traditional worshipper groups within the Benin Kingdom to revive ancient methods to counter the worsening security crisis.
Speaking after the exercise, the head of the Ewaise Palace group, Chief Osemwonta Iguezigbon, said the monarch’s action was prompted by escalating violence nationwide. “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 stated.
The Chief Priest of the Ayelala deity, Chief Clement Edegbe, expressed confidence that the spiritual intervention would expose criminals and their collaborators, thereby curbing violent crime. “A lot of things have been going wrong in Benin. Some people are no longer respecting elders. There has been a great deal of kidnapping and other crimes,” Edegbe noted.
The Oyeoba of Benin, Chief Isaac Oghafua Ogiemwense, explained that the exercise was designed to strengthen the land spiritually 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 revitalising traditional spiritual practices as a tool to confront criminality.
The Benin Palace clarified that the rites are not a replacement for conventional security measures but are intended to bolster ongoing efforts by government and security agencies to restore peace and safeguard lives and property in Edo State and across Nigeria.