Metro

Benin Artifacts: Igun Bronze Casters Guild Dissociates Self From Newspapers’ Publication, Pledges Allegiance To Benin Monarch

Published

4 years ago

July 19, 2021

The controversy as to who take custody of looted Benin artefacts took a new dimension Monday as Igun Bronze Casters Guild, Benin City, protested an advertorial sponsored by some persons (claimed to be from same Igun) wherein they claimed that the soon-to-be-returned Benin artifacts belong to them (Igbesamwan-Owina Descendants Cultural Movement of Europe and America) and should be given to them and not the Benin palace or Edo State Government.

There have been controversy between the Edo State Government and the Benin Palace as of who should take custody of the artifacts when they are returned from Europe before the Federal Government eventually declared that it will take custody of the looted artifacts for the main time last week.

In the said advertorial claiming ownership of the artifacts, the protesters said the claim by the ‘self-aclaimed Igbesamwan-Owina Descendants Cultural Movement of Europe and America’ that “all the artifacts looted from the palace under the reign of Oba Ovoramwen were gifted to preceding Obas of Benin before Oba Ovoramwen” were all false.

The protesters, comprising of chiefs, who carried placards to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State secretariat with inscriptions as: ‘We dissociate ourselves from America & Europe fake descendants. We belong to Omo N’Oba’; ‘Igun comminity will always be loyal to the Omo N’Oba’; ‘We are saying that we are with His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin’, said those behind the said advert were commissioned to make mischief.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters (Igun Bronze Casters Guild), Chief Kingsley Inneh, the Ine of Igun and President, Igun Bronze Casters Guild, who was flanked by three other chiefs from Igun, said the Bronze assembly is solely attached to the Benin palace with total obedience to the wish of the Oba, stressing that they can never be at war with His Royal Majesty.

“All the Bronze work in the palace are ordered for by His Royal Majesty in line with the dictates of the time. So, saying the Oba was gifted the art works is not only far from the truth but is being peddled cheaply by those who desire to profit illegally from what they have no authority upon. (sic).

“We, the Bronze casters of Igun, are never and will never be at war with our father, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, N’Ogidigan. We operate directly under his instructions and guidance and we are of the sound view that he is the right authority to be handed over the soon-to-be returned stolen Benin artifacts and whatever that those doing the return deem necessary to be added as some form of restoration of a wrong conceived against the Benin kingdom,” he said.(sic).

While calling on security agencies especially Interpol operatives to identify and arrest sponsors of the said advert they regarded as impersonators, they further pledged their unalloyed loyalty to the Benin Monarch.

Chief Inneh said, “And to sum up our submiss, we wish to call on the security agencies, especially Interpol operatives, to spread their dragnet to get the real identities of the writers and sponsors of the letter who hide under what we equate to be false identity to perpetrate falsehood and chrarcter assassination their stock-in-trade.”

Metro

Why I Charged My Husband Money For Sex —Woman

Published

9 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

Matero Local Court, Zambia, has heard how a woman from Chisamba, sexually starved her husband for four years, after he failed to pay her K3,000 she charged him for having a child out of wedlock.

According to Zambia Observer, Sophia Kwale, 32, a teacher by profession, said in line with her tradition, as admission of guilt for having a child, her husband, Samuel Chongo, 38, was supposed to pay her the money commonly known as ‘ndapusa’ (admission of guilt).

“In my tradition, when a man has a child outside wedlock, he is supposed to apologise by paying ndapusa.

“This can be in money or material form.

“I asked him to pay me K3,000 only or he wasn’t going to have sex with me,” she said.

Sophia said her husband later refused to pay ndapusa but wanted to have sex with her, so she charged him K500 which he paid instantly before she allowed him to engage in the act.

“I charged him K500 to make love with me and he paid it instantly.

“This was only last month. Before that, we last had sex in 2021.

“I didn’t even enjoy the sex because it was forced,” she said.

Metro

Organ Harvesting: Ekiti Sacks Surgeon After Panel’s Findings, Suspends Support Staff

Published

9 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

Ekiti State government has dismissed the Surgeon who had primary responsibility for the surgery of a patient whose kidneys were removed from the service of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) with immediate effect.

This followed the submission of the report of the 7-man investigation panel chaired by Professor Francis Faduyile to the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani.

Recall the panel was constituted 11 days ago to investigate the claim made by a patient, Mr. Joshua Afolayan regarding a surgical procedure he underwent at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).

According to a statement by Filani, “Upon careful review of the report and its recommendations, the Ekiti State government has approved the following actions:

“That the surgeon who had primary responsibility for the surgery is to be dismissed from the service of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) with immediate effect.

“All members of the surgical team present in the theatre on the day of the operation are to be suspended from duty for a period of one month, pending further administrative review.

“The Ekiti State government will bear the full cost of a new kidney transplant for Afolayan, will take responsibility for his post-transplant care as well as transplant related medical maintenance for a period of two years.

“In line with the recommendations of the panel, a comprehensive reorganisation of relevant departments within EKSUTH will be undertaken to strengthen clinical governance, accountability, and patient safety.”

Filani said that while the Ekiti State government continues to stand firmly behind the many dedicated and hardworking health professionals at EKSUTH and acknowledges their sacrifices and commitment to service, it would not hesitate to take decisive action where professional standards are breached.

“The government remains resolute in its commitment to protecting patients, upholding ethical and professional standards in healthcare delivery, and restoring and sustaining public confidence in the Ekiti State health system.

“Necessary reforms will be pursued to ensure that incidents of this nature do not re-occur and that EKSUTH continues to serve as a centre of excellence in patient care.

“We thank the people of Ekiti State for their patience, and trust, and we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to continued improvement in quality health care, compassion, and responsible governance.”

Metro

My Ex-husband Has Refused To Give Me, Our Unborn Child, Money For Upkeep, Woman Tells Court

Published

9 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

Please, grant me time to settle the issue —Husband

A pregnant woman, Harira Aliyu, has asked a Shari’a court sitting in Rigasa, Kaduna State, to compel her former husband, Nasiru Al-Hassan to provide financial support for her upkeep.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the complainant also prayed the court to confirm one pronouncement of divorce made by Nasiru in March.

“I am eight months pregnant. Since our divorce in March, he has only been able to send me money for two months for my upkeep and our unborn child.

“It is important that he continues to provide for me as I await delivery in a month’s time,” she told the court.

In his defense, the defendant who spoke through his counsel, Abubakar Sani, said he was just briefed recently.

He asked the court to give him more time to respond to the petition.

The judge, Malam Mukhtar Aliyu adjourned the case.