The Queen Ewuare of the Benin Kingdom has publicly disputed claims by the Benin Traditional Council that social media influencer Peller’s visit to the royal palace was unauthorised, presenting evidence she says confirms prior approval.
The controversy erupted after Peller’s March 6 visit as part of his nationwide tour, which traditional authorities described as a “desecration of the sacred precincts of the palace.”
The council subsequently suspended Queen Ewuare and demanded that Peller appear before chiefs, explain his actions, and apologise in writing.
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In a statement signed by Frank Irabor, Secretary of the Benin Traditional Council, the body said the visit was a “breach of protocol,” adding that Peller and his team entered the palace without approval, causing embarrassment and disrupting peace.
Reacting on TikTok, Queen Ewuare called the council’s narrative “misleading” and challenged their claims.
“Hello everyone, the issues at hand aren’t just because Peller came to the palace or because I gifted him; a lot has been happening behind closed doors,” she said. “The Benin Traditional Council lied that Peller’s visit was unauthorised and that I brought him to the palace. I hope I will be able to convince you all that Peller’s visit was authorised. Look at the stamp on this letter; it shows it was received by the Benin Traditional Council, but they’re all lying against me. But this isn’t even the main problem; there are other issues far bigger than what you all think.”
Queen Ewuare shared a letter, stamped and acknowledged by the council on February 23, 2026, formally notifying the palace of Peller’s visit. Titled Courtesy Visit and addressed to Oba Ewuare II, the letter requested a brief audience with the monarch and was signed by Uyiekpen Ogiefa, son of Chief Courage Uyi Ogiefa.
“With utmost respect and humility, we write to formally inform the palace of the planned visit of a very prominent online streamer, Peller, to Benin, and to the revered palace of the Oba of Benin on March 3, 2026,” the letter partly read.
Despite the letter, the council maintains that the visit breached protocol, insisting that the palace is “not a public thoroughfare or a location for frivolous content creation” and describing it as “the ancient and spiritual seat of the Oba of Benin, governed by centuries of tradition, custom, and sacred protocols.”
Peller’s management, meanwhile, defended the visit, attributing any perceived missteps to excitement and the warmth of the reception.
“This was fully respected, and the visit proceeded accordingly. That said, we understand that certain moments during the visit may have been perceived as inappropriate. We sincerely wish to clarify that this was never the intention. Any mispronunciations or actions were unintentional and purely human, possibly influenced by excitement and the warmth of the reception,” the statement read.
“Peller is deeply passionate about promoting Nigerian culture, and it would never be his intention to disrespect the very heritage he is committed to showcasing to the world. At no point was it the mission or intention to offend or disrespect the culture in any way,” the statement added.
