Oba of Benin Suspends Royal Praise Singers Over Igbinedion Birthday Breach

​The ancient stool of the Benin Kingdom has cracked down on a severe breach of palace protocol, slamming an indefinite suspension on the revered Isikhuan royal praise-singing group.

​The disciplinary action, announced on Sunday, September 6, 2026, follows an unauthorized performance by the group at the 92nd birthday celebration of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion.

​According to a statement issued in Benin City by the Oba’s Chief Press Secretary, Osaigbovo Iguobaro, the group staged a traditional musical rendition strictly restricted by ancient custom and taboo to the hallowed person of the Oba of Benin. Performing this exclusive rite outside the palace walls and without express royal clearance was deemed a grave sacrilege against the monarchy.

​The monarch’s verdict was handed down during an emergency session convened at the palace. Delivering the royal directive, the Obazelu of Benin Kingdom, Chief Osaro Idah—flanked by senior palace chiefs including Chief Ada Igbinovia, Chief Imade Osamuyi Amos, and Chief Enoma Ogiesughe—expressed deep dismay at the public display of disrespect.

​The council of chiefs voiced strong concerns during the meeting, pointedly questioning why Chief Igbinedion, a high-ranking statesman intimately familiar with Benin traditions, permitted the exclusive royal praise singers to perform at his private anniversary event.

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​The backlash intensified after a video capturing the performance circulated widely across social media platforms, drawing sharp public criticism. Confronted with the evidence and following an internal review where members were allowed to speak, the leader of the Isikhuan group, Juliet Omogui, admitted to the infraction.

​Consequently, the palace stripped Omogui of her traditional title of Okao. She has been formally ordered to return her traditional headgear, the Okuku, to the palace, awaiting further directives from the monarch.

​The sweeping sanctions highlight the strict enforcement of traditional boundaries by the Benin throne, ensuring that rites tied directly to the crown remain preserved and protected from unauthorized public replication.