The Igbo National Union (INU) has strongly criticized the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, for allegedly intimidating the Igbanke people in Edo State over their desire to reconnect with their Igbo heritage. According to the union, the inclusion of the Igbanke people in Edo State was a mistake influenced by historical factors such as state creation and boundary adjustments. The group stated that the Igbanke community was wrongly placed alongside tribes with vastly different cultural practices.
In a statement from the union, signed by Professor Justin Mgbajiogu, Chancellor, and Sir Justin Onyenso, National Secretary, the group emphasized that the Igbanke people are a part of the Ika-speaking community, which predates the 16th-century Bini culture. The group called on the Oba to stop the alleged intimidation of the Igbanke people and reminded him that the days of colonial-style oppression are over. Citing the words of Tanzanian leader Julius Nyerere and U.S. President John F. Kennedy, the INU warned the Oba against suppressing the peaceful aspirations of the Igbanke community.
The union also demanded that the Nigerian government address the long-standing desires of the Igbanke people by including them in the proposed Anioma State, which would bring them closer to their Igbo roots. They argued that the Igbanke people share cultural and traditional ties with other Igbo subgroups and that their reunification with their ethnic homeland is long overdue.
INU further stressed that the Igbanke community should no longer be treated as subordinates by the Oba or any other authority. The group affirmed its commitment to supporting the Igbanke people’s resolution to reconnect with their Igbo background and urged the government to correct past mistakes for peace and harmony.
