Youth leaders from Edo State have issued a stern warning against any form of disrespect to the Benin Throne, declaring it sacred, inviolable and central to the cultural identity and ancestral heritage of the Benin people.
In a strongly worded statement dated December 30, 2025, the groups, who described themselves as “footsoldiers of the great Benin Kingdom”, said the Benin Throne must never be ridiculed, insulted or dragged into controversy under any circumstance, insisting that such actions amount to an affront to the people, their ancestors and the land.
The statement stressed that reverence for the throne is deeply rooted in Benin tradition, drawing parallels with long-established cultural norms.
“In Benin culture, insulting one’s parents is regarded as madness — it is not debated and it is never excused,” the youth leaders said, adding that the same uncompromising standard applies to anyone who speaks against the Benin Throne.
Emphasising that their position was neither political nor rhetorical, the groups said the issue touched the very core of Benin identity.
“This is not politics, and it is not empty noise,” the statement read. “It is about heritage, ancestry and identity.”
The youth leaders rejected what they described as attempts to trivialise or justify comments they consider sacrilegious, insisting that the Benin people do not require external validation to defend what they hold sacred.
According to the statement, the throne symbolises all that is holy and untouchable in Benin culture, and any display of “reckless words, loose tongues or cultural arrogance” would be met with firm and collective rejection.
The groups urged restraint, wisdom and respect in public discourse, reiterating that the Benin Throne remains beyond reproach.
The statement was jointly signed by Mr Iyamu Osaro Culture, President of the Aiguobasinmwin Movement Worldwide, and Mr Uwadiae Iyoha, President of the Otedo Youth Union, both of whom reaffirmed their organisations’ resolve to uphold and defend Benin cultural values.