Peller Palava: Queen Ewuare Comes Out Fighting — "The Benin Traditional Council Lied Against Me" — Full Story, Reactions And What This Means For Nigerian Social Media Culture
By Hotgist9ja News Desk | Entertainment | Breaking News
Okay so if you have been on Nigerian social media in the last few days, you already know that the Peller-Benin Palace drama has been absolutely everywhere. But just when people thought the story was dying down — Queen Ewuare entered the chat. And she came in swinging.
The queen went on TikTok. She held up a letter. She looked straight into the camera. And she said words that have since set the entire internet on fire:
"The Benin Traditional Council lied that Peller's visit was unauthorised and that I brought him to the palace. Look at the stamp on this letter — it shows it was received by the Benin Traditional Council. But they are all lying against me."
E don enter. 😂🔥
In one TikTok video, the Queen of the Benin Palace — a woman facing possible banishment from one of Nigeria's most revered royal institutions — publicly accused the very council that suspended her of lying to the public. With documentary evidence. On social media. For millions of people to see.
Nigeria has not recovered since. And the conversation is only getting louder.
🎬 First Things First — How Did We Get Here?
Let us rewind to how this whole thing started — because the full story is even more interesting than the headlines suggest.
Habeeb Adelaja — known across Nigeria and beyond as Peller — is currently on a highly publicised 2026 nationwide tour. The TikTok superstar has been travelling from city to city across Nigeria, meeting fans, creating content and basically turning every location he visits into a viral moment. The tour has been a massive success — until Benin City.
On March 6, Peller and his entourage arrived at the Palace of Oba Ewuare II — one of the most sacred and historically significant royal institutions in all of West Africa. The visit, which was captured on video and shared online, showed Peller and his team moving through the palace grounds, interacting with palace officials, and creating content — including a moment where Peller reportedly addressed a palace chief using the Yoruba title "Kabiyesi" instead of the appropriate Benin royal title. He also reportedly made a light-hearted joke about asking palace officials to "hold the rain" — a casual remark that did not go down well in the sacred environment.
For a palace that is described as "the ancient and spiritual seat of the Oba of Benin, governed by centuries of tradition, custom and sacred protocols" — this was never going to end quietly.
⚡ The Benin Traditional Council Responds — And Goes Hard
When the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) reacted, they did not use small words.
In a formal statement signed by BTC Secretary Frank Irabor, the council described the visit as a "serious breach of protocol and desecration of the sacred precincts of the Palace." They confirmed that Peller gained access without the requisite permission from the council — and that his conduct within the palace caused "significant embarrassment and a breach of the peace."
The punishments handed down were serious:
- 🔴 A palace chief implicated in facilitating the visit was suspended indefinitely
- 🔴 A palace staff member — identified as Mr. Omuemu — was detained by police and charged to court for breach of peace and aiding unauthorised entry
- 🔴 A palace queen featured in content from the visit was placed under serious disciplinary proceedings — which could result in her removal and banishment from the palace
- 🔴 Peller himself was summoned to appear before a committee of chiefs to explain himself and tender an unreserved written apology — or face legal action
The council also announced sweeping new security measures at the palace — including mandatory written applications, prior approval for all visits, and an official access pass system. No more casual walk-ins. Not for anyone.
The BTC also made clear that Peller had ignored their earlier invitation to appear before the investigative panel — which is why they went public with the summons. In their words: "His unapproved visit has caused untold distress to so many people."
👑 Enter Queen Ewuare — And She Did NOT Come To Play
Now here is where the gist gets really interesting.
The queen in question is Queen Ewuare — a palace queen with a verified TikTok account that boasts over two million followers. She regularly shares photos and videos of palace life, royal ceremonies and personal moments with the Oba of Benin. She is, by any measure, one of the most digitally visible members of the Benin Royal Palace.
When news broke that she was facing possible banishment over the Peller visit, many people assumed she would stay quiet and navigate the crisis through internal palace channels. After all, that is how these things are usually handled in royal circles.
Queen Ewuare chose a different path.
She went on TikTok — her platform, her audience — and she came with receipts.
Holding up a letter dated February 23, 2026 — signed by Uyiekpen Ogiefa, son of Chief Courage Uyi Ogiefa (the N'Ozeben of the Benin Kingdom) — Queen Ewuare showed the world that a formal letter had been submitted to the Benin Traditional Council weeks before the March 6 visit. The letter bore an acknowledgement stamp from the BTC — proving, she argued, that the council was fully aware of the planned visit.
Her words were direct and explosive:
"The Benin Traditional Council lied that Peller's visit was unauthorised and that I brought him to the palace. Look at the stamp on this letter — it shows it was received by the Benin Traditional Council. But they are all lying against me."
— Queen Ewuare, speaking on TikTok
The video went viral immediately. Millions of views. Thousands of comments. The hashtags exploded. Nigeria chose its sides — and the debate has been raging ever since.
📣 Peller And His Management Speak
Amid all the chaos, Peller himself finally broke his silence — in a livestream that gave fans a glimpse into just how caught off guard he claims to have been.
"My manager instructed me to go to the Oba of Benin's palace. I was unaware until he informed me that they wanted me there. Any consequences should be handled by him. I did nothing wrong — my hands are clean. When I arrived, I greeted everyone, including children, with respect. Everything now seems orchestrated."
— Peller, speaking in a livestream
His management team issued a formal statement that added important context. According to the statement, Peller's visit was arranged by Uyiekpen Ogiefa — son of a senior palace chief — who submitted the formal letter on February 23. The team confirmed that they were informed ahead of time that Oba Ewuare II would not be available, but that they were nonetheless welcomed into the palace by Uyiekpen Ogiefa and palace chiefs, who guided them through the premises while educating them about palace history and traditions.
The management acknowledged that some moments during the visit "may have appeared inappropriate" but insisted these were caused by excitement and the warmth of the reception — never by disrespect. They reiterated Peller's passion for promoting Nigerian culture and apologised for any offence caused.
📱 What Nigerians Are Saying — The Street Is DIVIDED
If you thought everyone would take the same side on this one — think again. Nigerian social media has been deeply divided, and both camps have made compelling arguments.
Team Queen Ewuare and Peller:
"You are a beacon of light and a worthy representation of Edo women."
— TikTok user Riemen, commenting on Queen Ewuare's video
"Someone is behind this. Same person behind his not meeting IShowSpeed and it's also the same person that pushed that girl to sue him. But God dey."
— Peller fan on Instagram
"God will continue to see Peller through. All their evil agenda will never work on him in Jesus name Amen."
— Instagram user
Team Benin Traditional Council:
"A letter being acknowledged does not mean approval has been granted. There must be a formal response confirming the visit."
— Facebook user Osasuyi James
"The palace is not a marketplace. It is a sacred place of tradition. We must respect our heritage."
— Facebook user Liberty Okoromi
"Peller calling a Benin chief 'Kabiyesi' is disrespectful. You go to someone's kingdom and use another kingdom's title? That alone shows the visit was not properly planned."
— Twitter/X user
"Why is Peller always in trouble? First the restaurant video, now the palace. At what point does it stop being bad luck and start being a pattern?"
— Twitter/X user
⚖️ What Analysts And Culture Experts Are Saying
Beyond the social media noise, cultural analysts and commentators have offered more measured perspectives on what this drama really means.
"The Peller-Benin Palace incident exposes a fundamental tension in modern Nigeria — the collision between digital culture and traditional institutions. Social media influencers are accustomed to access. Their entire business model is built on gaining entry to spaces, creating content and sharing it widely. But some spaces in Nigeria are not content playgrounds. The Benin Palace is one of them. And the price of not understanding that distinction has proven very high for everyone involved."
— Cultural Affairs Analyst, Daily Post
"Queen Ewuare's decision to go public on TikTok is historically unprecedented. A Benin palace queen publicly contradicting the Benin Traditional Council on social media — with documentary evidence — is something that simply has not happened before. Whatever the outcome of the palace proceedings, this moment has changed the relationship between traditional institutions and digital media in Nigeria permanently."
— Media and Culture Expert, Premium Times
"The key legal question here is straightforward: does an acknowledgement stamp constitute authorisation? In most institutional frameworks, it does not. Receiving a letter and approving a request are two different things. The BTC's position — that no formal approval was granted — remains legally defensible even if the letter was received. Queen Ewuare's evidence is powerful for public opinion, but it may not be sufficient to exonerate her in internal palace proceedings."
— Legal Analyst, Vanguard
"This incident should serve as a wake-up call for content creators across Nigeria. The rush for viral content has led influencers into hospitals, schools, mosques and now a royal palace without fully understanding the protocols and sensitivities involved. The consequences in this case have been severe — and rightly so. Clout cannot be an excuse for cultural disrespect."
— Digital Media Analyst
😅 The N395 Million Lawsuit Nobody Is Talking About
And as if the palace drama was not enough — Peller is also dealing with a ₦395 million lawsuit filed against him by a Lagos woman identified as Osarobo Odigie.
The suit — filed through lawyers at FA Garrick & Co. — accuses Peller of defamation, cyber harassment, invasion of privacy and emotional distress, following an incident at Folixxx Lounge in Lekki, Lagos in January where Peller allegedly insulted her, recorded their confrontation without consent and shared the viral video online.
The breakdown of the claim:
- 💰 N200 million — defamation
- 💰 N100 million — emotional trauma
- 💰 N75 million — cyberbullying and distress
- 💰 N20 million — legal fees
Peller addressed the lawsuit in his livestream with disarming honesty:
"I don't have the money to give to the woman suing me. I already apologised to her in January. Critics are attempting to force me into financial ruin."
— Peller, in livestream
The combination of the palace drama and the N395 million lawsuit has made this one of the most turbulent weeks in Peller's young career.
🔮 What Happens Next?
Several questions remain unanswered as this story continues to develop:
- 🔹 Will Peller appear before the BTC committee of chiefs — or will he continue to ignore the summons?
- 🔹 Will Queen Ewuare be banished from the palace — or will her documentary evidence save her?
- 🔹 Will the BTC release the official response to the February 23 letter — which would settle the "authorised or not" debate once and for all?
- 🔹 Will the N395 million lawsuit proceed to court — or will it be settled privately?
- 🔹 Will this incident permanently change how Nigerian influencers approach content creation in sacred and traditional spaces?
Hotgist9ja will continue to monitor all developments and bring you updates as they happen.
🗣️ In Pidgin — As Naija People Dey See Am
Abeg make we gist this matter well well because e too sweet to rush.
So Peller — the same guy wey dey everywhere, wey meet IShowSpeed, wey dey do nationwide tour — him go enter Oba of Benin palace without proper permission. Him call Benin chief "Kabiyesi." Him even tell them to "hold the rain." For Oba of Benin palace. 😂
Naija people, the Benin palace no be joke. This na one of the oldest, most powerful royal institutions for the whole of West Africa. You no just enter anyhow. E get protocol. E get tradition. E get rules wey older than your great-great-grandfather.
But instead of the matter to end quietly, Queen Ewuare — the palace queen wey dem wan banish — enter TikTok with letter and evidence. She tell the world say the Benin Traditional Council dey lie. She show letter with BTC stamp as proof. And two million people don watch the video.
Now the whole Nigeria don divide into two camps. Some people say the queen na hero. Others say acknowledgement stamp no be approval. The lawyers don enter. The analysts don enter. The fans don enter. Everybody don enter.
Meanwhile Peller still dey face N395 million lawsuit from the Lekki restaurant matter. The boy get more palava than peace this period. But as Naija people know — when rain fall for one person, e no mean say sun no go shine again.
The question wey everybody dey ask now is simple — who truly dey lie? The palace or the queen? And only time — plus maybe that official BTC response letter — go give us the real answer. 🦅🇳🇬
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Sources: Punch, Vanguard, Daily Post, Premium Times, Legit.ng, The Nation, P.M. News