INTERVIEW: Oba Ewuare 11 would do better to help match-make the tiers of government with the Traditional Council of Edo State progressively, in which he permanently presides, Arc Emuan assures Edolites.

Arc Austin Ilenre Emuan

AUSTIN ILENRE EMUAN, Chartererd Architect, Distributive Development Expert, Environmentalist and Moral Economist is full of praises for the newly coronated 40^th monarch of the Benin Kingdom, Oba Ewuare N’Ogidigan II, for his swift moves to better the lives of the Edo people. EMUANharbours such motivating and revolutionary views for the spectacular and upscale movement of the Nigerian nation from the valley, particularly Edo society, which brings him to the same school of thought with the new Oba of Benin. In this interview, as with some others he had with our reporters. ARC. EMUAN, is also a Neo-Structural Scholar, Bi-Cultural proponent and former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) political party, in the most recent election in Edo State, talks mostly about the prospects of the Edo people, amongst other issues.

Que: The coronation of the 40^th Oba of Benin was concluded about a week ago. What are your impressions about it?

Emuan: Indeed, the very colourfulcoronation of the Oba Ewuare N’ Ogidigan, the 40^th Oba of the Great Benin kingdom has come and gone, but a memorable impression has been left with peoples of the world that the Bini Empire of the old, now Edo State,remains the cradle of sustainable culture that earns its respect and originality around the globe.Behold the coronation, following its meticulous planning and pageantry, is akin to the usual ascension to the throne of Queen Elizabeth, the monarch of the Great Britain. Witnessing it is a lifelong souvenir for me, because I was very young to grasp the depth of similar experience in 1979, when the last Oba Erediauwa was installed.I dare say that with the display of such cultural supremacy, I am proud to be an Edo Man!

Que: What is your take as the Oba Ewuare the II, shortly after the coronation events, started actualizing some of the pre-coronation promises he made to his people?

Emuan: I thank His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare N’ Ogidigan II,for not only professing such remarkable and public-uplift policies, but without taking a break after the rigorous and tiresome coronation process; embarked on the delivery of his promises to the Edo people. This definitely speaks boldly that our dynamic Oba Ewuare II is ready to serve his people and bequeath to them and the Nigerian societyat large, a legacymuch better than the one he inherited. Intrestingly, he is already living up to his title of Oba Ewuare N’ Ogidigan II, continuing and upscalingthe commendable reformed works of the old Bini Empire, as once carried out by the monarch of all time;Oba Ewuare N’ Ogidigan I, who reigned from 1440 to 1473 A.D., and whose great works he seeks to take after,and even surpass. With the thorough grooming and exposure of our current Oba, Edo would witness great innovations than that of Oba Ewuare I, who till date is unarguably regarded as the greatest Oba in Edo history.

Que: Could you tell us some areas of reformation you think the new Oba has begun to make the desired impacts?

Emuan: I was very touched by his humble pleadings with government to make life bearable for Nigerians through the provision ofgood quality governance. He also passionately and courageously told the Nigerian ruling class that Nigerians are hungry and impoverished and that something urgent has to be done to remedy the ugly situation. This will enhance speed in the implementation of people orientated programs of Buhari/APC government.

 That shows that he has the true royalty and the milk of human kindness flowing in his veins. It demonstrates that he has a very soft spot for the poor and needy. His appeal to government to develop the Gelegeleaccess road and river port, in Edo, was very apt. This Project has and is still close to my heart and having strived to bring some Japanese investors to develop the river port some years back, I know the importance of the project and what government must do tobring such laudable projects into reality.

Que: What about his suspension of Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the seven local government areas of Edo South zone?

Emuan: It is the best and justified decision to take particularly when the CDAs are mainly implicated in going against some of the very principles for which they were established. To me, it is a calculated step towards achieving a sustainable peace in Edo and the people are very happy with the decision. And without prejudice to the purpose for which the CDAs were set up, the Oba in his wisdom has directed that there activities be overseen by Edionweles and Enogies so that He can adjudicate over issues more effectively. This stand, I advise should permeate the rest zonesof Edo State and a further and proper framework worked out for traditional institutions, Government and non-governmental entities to work harmoniously for the betterment of the Edo people in such areas as Security, Coordinated community development, Social and Cultural Integration etc.

Que: But often, the functions of government clash with that of traditional institutions?

Emuan: With the ascension to the throne of our erudite Oba, those grey areas are bound to be sorted out for the grassroots people to benefit. An item of my governorship agenda pursuit, under the All Progressives Congress (APC), in last primary election, is Biculturalism which is: A Strategy of theintegration of homegrown norms with that of other selected good impacting Cultures with the sole intent to deploy them for a holistic and dynamic development boost. Even then, with the memorable reign of Oba EwuareI several centuries ago, bi-cultural policy transformation had brought Bini to greater leaps and global prominence, because Oba EwuareI combined native intelligence and external policy strategies of foreign climes like Britain, Portugal, Spain, Dutch etc., which the old Bini Empire shared relationship with. Like I expressed before, our present Oba is more equipped to reinvent Edo, in the current vogue of globalization.

Que: As a man from the Esan speaking area of Edo state, how come you speak so authoritatively about Benin? Are you a historian?

Emuan: I am not a historian but only have a good sense of our history. Again, I will remind you that there is no difference between a Bini, Esan, or people from Etsako, Owan, Akoko Edo etc. Of course, all the people from here are children of the same parentage. Benin City is our common centre and capital of the state and a home to all. As it is usually said, Benin City is the sitting room of the home,where everybody sits and relates, while the different Edo towns are the bedrooms of the same home. We are all chips from the same ancestral stock. Edo Is One! Like I always and still opine in my political campaign mantra.

Que: Is that not wonderful?

Emuan:‘Edo Is One’, happens to have been the slogan of my governorship campaign outfit. By the way, it would interest you that I was born and given early upbringing in Auchi, Edo North, whereas Egoro Kingdom, in Edo Centraldistrict of Esan LGAis my origin. Benin City is a place where I had a very great orientation, under the mentorship of the Late Rev. (Fr.) Theophilus Uwaifo. And my setting up and sponsorship of the Oba Erediauwa Green Award is in honour of our last Obas, who had joined our ancestors. We as Edo people must NOT see Edo as  different tribes and divisions.

Que: Really?

Emuan: Edo is homogenous. Unfortunately, it is people with selfish tendencies that try to create big gaps between the co-joined units that make Edo because they want to unduly benefit from a divisiveness that is virtual. That is why we should all work together to make Biniwith extracts from other dialects in Edo, a common language spoken throughout the state. Here, I task our Linguists to blend that and develop a lingua-franca for Edopeople.The promise of the choice of Bini language to be taught in elementary and secondary schools in the state, alongside other dialects, is a good step to promoting unity amongst the Edos. The clamor to re-introduce indigenous history in our school curriculum by our new Oba would also give a sense of knowledge of indigenous history, patriotism and nationalism to our younger generations, who do not know much about their culture and history.

Que: But, can Bini history spur the love for the Edo society and Nigeria?

Emuan: Indeed, Bini history is very rich and as a matter of fact, Edo pre-colonial and pre-independence history is known to be richer than that of the whole Nigeria put together. Edo, before the colonial era was the greatestempire in Africa and also well known as the cradle and Centre of black civilization. Our generations of young and adult Edos and Nigerians would find as mentoring examples in great kings like Oba Ewuare I (who was actually very great) and others whose manlike exploits like the Octopus, stretched the influence and sovereignty of the old BiniEmpire within and beyond the Nigeria country of today. Everyone  marvels how with bare hands and manual labour ancestral Binis were able to excavate the deep and gigantic Bini moat work that is over 6,000 kilometers distance, which is regarded as the largest manual earthworks, on earth with the famous Chinese walls next to it? The knowledge of indigenous history could motivate our today’s people to excel the feat of the Bini moat, which is still very difficult to achieve today, even with the deployment modern bulldozers and other earth moving equipment.

Que: Perhaps, this is what some group of thought means by the choice of Oba Ewuare II by the new Oba, as having been inspired by the great feats of the Oba Ewuare N’ Ogidigan I?

Emuan: Absolutely so!

Que: With all these already said, what other areas of reformation would you recommend for the new Oba, so that his era would be first in Benin history?

Emuan: That his reign should strive to unite all Edo people at home and in the Diaspora, with him as a father to all. He would do better to help match-make the tiers of government with the Traditional Council of Edo State, in which he permanently presides, in order to attune the Edo public to his truly reformed agenda to help the people.

Also desired is a move to influence Edo traditional rulers and traditional institutions to abstain from partisan politics, as it stalls even development and cause division amongst the people. I also advocate for the development of the entire Edo rural area, particularly in Edo south senatorial district, where villages are abandoned for urban centres, for non-Edo indigenes to take over. In future,if not now, original ownersof the lands usually find it difficult to retrieve their lands from the settlers. This if not taken serious is a potential source of conflict waiting to happen. My policy trust on this was an approach I christened EDO ECONOMIC VILLAGE RENEWAL aka ‘YOURS EVER’. This was a strategy to ensure that our communities become the core and driving arm of distributive development from where authentic development radiates and permeates to other parts of the State.

Que: Prying into the future, how would you describe this new era of our Oba?

Emuan: First of all I think the choice of the title, Oba Ewuare N’ Ogidigan II, is indicative of the factthat he will be up in tandem with the great exploits of his progenitor Oba Ewuare I. Secondly, the new Oba has set an unusual precedent by proving historians wrong that he is not the 39^th but 40^th Oba on the list. There is an Oronmiyan, the first Oba who we may interpret to mean that a Greater Bini era has just begun, since it is universally believed that “Life actually begins at 40”. To me “Oba Ewuaren’Ogidigan II is the veritable symbol of a greater and modern Edo.”I congratulate the whole Edo people on been blessed with our OBA in THRONE! OBA TOKPEEA!!, ISE!!!