The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Benin

  • Economic crisis: Blame past governments – Edo Commissioner

    The Edo state commissioner for solid minerals, Hon Saturday  Uwulekhue has posited that the current economic crisis being experienced in the nation is as a result of the failure of previous government to peg budget based on economic reality.

    He said records have shown that previous governments did not take into consideration the reality in international market while using the dollar as a benchmark in preparing the budget

    He added that because the price of crude oil in the international market does not correspond with the reality on ground, the nation was bound to fall into the crisis we are now.

    He further added that these suffering should have long been expected stating that “What we are observing today should have been expected by the previous government and by those who were saddled with the responsibilities of advising government. For instance the price of oil was based on the abnormalities in the prices of oil in the international market and people were working the budget based on the abnormalities.”

    “The issue is that what we are seeing at the international market is that we were living in a borrowed economy because of the crisis in the international market.”

    “They would have prepared the budget based on the reality on ground. Budgets were based on these abnormalities. I believe that the issue of diversification should have long been taken care off before now. We should have done that over 20years ago. As I speak no state government has any other source of revenue other than oil. No machines are on ground to explore or exploit solid minerals, all that is happening is that private sector participation. What the government do is just collect its taxes and haulage and personal income tax.”

  • Oshiomhole’s aide resigns over alleged corrupt practices

    Oshiomhole’s aide resigns over alleged corrupt practices

    An aide to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on the board of Edo state Produce committee, Sir Peter Oba, on Wednesday resigned on grounds of corrupt practices by the Chairman of the committee.

    A copy of his resignation letter made available to newsmen in Benin city, Sir Oba alleged that over eighty percent of the revenue generated is paid as cash into the chairman’s personal account.

    The resignation letter read in part: “There is a high level of corrupt practices perpetuated by the present chairman of Edo state produce Committee,

    “The Chairman of the Committee illegally constituted a parallel committee that now performs the function and duties of the committee put in place by the office of the Governor. It is pertinent to know that these illegal activities of the Chairman have been in place on, before and after the inauguration  of the Committee

    “Over eighty percent of the revenue generated from the produce bits across the state are paid in cash to him in some cases to provide accounts. This is gross corruption.”

    “However, for record purposes,I wish to dissociate myself from these acts, especially at this period of the fight against corrupt practices. I wish to state clearly that with effect from today,29th February, 2016,I seize to be a member of Edo State Produce Committee.”

  • Girl, 18 narrates how grandma was Killed

    Joy, an 18-year-old secondary school student in tears yesterday narrated how her grandmother, Mrs Clara Uwaifo, 65, a retired headmistress was shot dead by a neighbour whose family has been at loggerheads with her grandmother.
    Weeping uncontrollably, Joy said: “At about 3:00p.m when my friend and I entered my street returning from school, I sighted my grandmother walking opposite my direction, she was holding a bag and walking towards our house with one Agbangbanyan son following her closely. As I ran to assist her take the bag inside, I accidentally hit my foot against a stone.”
    Narrating the killing of her grandmother further with tears rolling down her cheeks, she said: “Then my grandmother was approaching the gate, suddenly, I saw the Agbangbanyan son who was wearing blue jeans trouser and a light milk shirt raised his shirt, brought out a short gun and shot my grandmother on the back and ran away.
    According to her: “My grandmother fell down, I ran and raised her shouting mama stand up!, mama stand up! Help! Help! Help me!, mama looked at me, shook her head, I begged my grandmother not to die.
    “One brother now rushed out from our house, joined me and my friend to carry her in Keke Nape (tricycle) to hospital where they said she was dead”.
    Joy had linked the killing of her grandmother to a quarrel between the two neighbouring families to the day a member of Uwaifo family entered the compound of the Agbangbanyans’ to pick their fowl that strayed into the premises.
    She alleged that members of the Agbangbanyan family started accusing her slain grandmother and her children of being responsible for the death of their daughter one Oghomwen, who died in Indian.
    As the quarrel persist, joy said and threat to kill their grandmother, a petition was written through their lawyer to the commissioner of police, as nobody was invited for interrogation.
    Inside sources, however, linked the incident to cultism as the male children of the Uwaifo alleged to belong to a rival cult group of that of the Agbangbanyan’s.
    The Agbangbanyan’s family compound is currently deserted as non of the family members are ready to speak to press.
    The Public Relations Officer, Edo State Police Command DSP Osifo Abiodun said the suspect is a teenage cultist and serial killer on the police wanted list.
  • Benin Crown Prince begins journey to history

    Benin Crown Prince begins journey to history

    For the first time in 36 years, the people of Uselu Community in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State now have a traditional ruler. The Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, was installed as the Edaiken N’ Uselu. The last time an Edaiken was installed was in 1978.

    Uselu, which is regarded as Evbuo-Iyoba (The Queen mother’s community) existed since the era of the Ogisos but it got its present status, housing the Eguae-Iyoba (Palace of the Queen Mother and Egua-Edaiken were gotten during the reign of Oba Ewuare and Oba Esigie.

    Oba Esigie established the Eguae-Iyoba for his mother, Queen Idia, who was a warrior that fought wars. The domain was carved out for her to prevent a power tussle between the Queen mother and the King. Queen mothers are presently sent to live in Eguae-Iyoba after her son had become king.

    The Edaiken N’Uselu title was established by Oba Ewuare when he sent his son to hold brief for a man called Iken of Uselu. Iken was a powerful warrior who challenged the authority of the Oba. He was said to have prevented Uselu people from paying tributes to the Oba. When the people of Owo revolted against Oba Ewuare, the Oba sent Iken to quench the revolt. Iken was also not to return from the war alive. He was killed on his way back.

    Oba Ewuare had to send his son Kuoboyuwa to hold brief for Iken and named him the Edayi N Iken. It was since that period that the first son of every Oba is conferred with the title of Edaiken. He lived at the Palace until he is called upon to ascend the throne in Benin as Oba. The Egua-Edaiken is a temporary abode for the Crown Prince. Buildings erected on the vast land are left to rot until another Edaiken is installed.

    The journey Prince Erediauwa to the throne of Edaiken N’ Uselu began with a seven days initiation into the Royal House of Iwebo which is one of the many Benin Palace societies headed by the Uwangue.

    Initiation into the Royal House of Iwebo was observed within the confines of Iwebo chambers inside the Oba’s Palace under the supervision of Chief Eribo in the absence of an Uwangue.

    After the initiation into Royal House of Iwebo, the Crown Prince was conferred with the Uko N’ Iwebo.

    He was conferred with the title after performing some rituals at the Ugha-Erha-Oba after which he visited some shrines within Benin City metropolis. Among the shrines visited included the Aro-Edion-Edo, Ekpenede, grave of Iden N’ Okpokhuo, Aruo-Emotan amongst others.

    He was escorted by a large crowd including his wife, Princess Iroghama and first daughter, Princess Ikuoyemwen Aimiuwu and guided by members of the Royal House of Iwebo, one of the top societies in the palace.

    Members of the Isekhuen group stood guard and prevented people from getting close to the Prince wife and daughter.

    Seven days after being conferred with the Uko N’ Iweo title,  Prince Erediauwa performed the Iguohun ceremony (propitiation of his destiny). The Iguohun was done in appreciation of divine grace and good fortune of his destiny and served as a final rites to the Iwebo society initiation.

    The occasion was marked with a feast, spiritually infused choral renditions by the lsekhuian Royal Palace women group and other traditional musicologists that spiced the ceremonial arena.

    The Iguohun ceremony (propitiation of his destiny)  created the opportunity for the spiritual renewal and fortification of the personage of the Heir-Apparent to the Benin throne and an occasion to ask for God’s continuous guidance, blessings and protection for the Edaiken, the Royal households and the Benin Kingdom.

    The Crown Prince then proceeded to the Uwen and Ora Shrines at the palace of the Oba of Benin Kingdom, Chief Johnson Usen and the palace of Chief Ambrose Osuan, Osuan of the Benin Kingdom. Chief Osuan and Chief Osa were twins that accompanied Oromiyan from Ife.

    It was part of the traditional rites that the crown prince has to undergo in the royal house of Uwebo which were a test for spiritual strength and growth of the crown prince.

    Ora is a deity that represents weapons and aggression while Uwen is a deity who is concerned with healing, fertility, and obstetrics. The joint Ebo n’Edo altar refers to the joint worship of the gods by a small circle.

    Prince Erediauwa also visited the Isienmwenro Guild at Sokponba road. The Isiemwenro are the big ants that sting the Oba’s enemies.

    On the day of his formal installation as the Edaiken, Prince Erediauwa accompanied by a large crowd left his Benin City residence to the Oba’s Palace. After some indoor ceremonies, the Leteman held a traditional staff and announced to the people that the Oba has named his son as Edaiken N’ Uselu.

    As in the ancient custom, Prince Erediauwa had to trek to Uselu accompanied by Chiefs from the father’s Palace. The Chiefs followed him to the popular five junction which is the traditional boundary between Benin and Uselu community. At the Five Junction, the Benin Chiefs handed him to Chiefs and elders of Uselu who were already singing and dancing.

    From the junction, the Crown Prince moved to his temporary palace amidst singing and  dancing. The Crown Prince was accompanied by Governor Adams Oshimhole, business mogul, Captain Hosa Okunbor, Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, Godwin Obaseki, Matthew Iduoriyikemwen and other top personalities in the state.

    Some Uselu residents, who were at the place, said it was a glorious thing for them to witness the  installation of an Edaiken. It is expected that the Crown would fill some Chiefs whose former holders were dead.

    Significantly, this event has raised a poser that first came up when the Crown Prince’s father, Oba Erediauwa, suddenly stopped attending public functions – leading to speculations that the coast is now clear for the son to take over.

    At the time, the Benin Tradition Council (BTC), in a statement, said:  “It is hereby announced for the information of the general public that the Palace parlance, Uhunmwun ve Ekpen vb Ato has come into effect. The explanation is that Omo N’Oba N’ Edo, UKu Akpolokpolo Oba Erediauwa is indisposed.

    “Public engagements including courtesy visits, hearing of complaints from individuals, families and communities, and in particular, complaints over inheritance and land disputes, are therefore suspended until further notice. All palace chiefs and functionaries are to note that their routine traditional duties continue as usual.”

    But when not long after the statement, the palace initiated Crown Prince into the Royal Palace Chamber of Iwebo tongues went wagging again. The colourful event, which lasted seven days, took place in the Royal Chambers of Iwebo group. It was presided over by Iwebo chiefs.

    A statement issued by Donald Odemwingie from the palace said: “Having successfully undergone the seven days intensive events, with its attendant elaborate rites, thousands of enthusiastic Edo and non-Edo people joined the retinue of palace chiefs and functionaries to accompany the celebrant, Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa from Benin Royal Palace Courtyard of Edaiken in the cynosure of all eyes.”

    As usual, there was no official explanation as to the implication of the initiation rites, but it raised a poser: why the initiation rites if the monarch is still alive? A similar poser came up with the Crown Prince’s installation as the Edaiken N’ Uselu.

    The way things are, only time will answer the poser in the mind of many.

  • Benin Crown prince installed

    Benin Crown prince installed

    The Crown Prince of Benin, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, was formally installed as the Edaiken of Uselu on Saturday in Benin City, the Edo state Capital, following the successful completion of the mandatory raditional rites.
    The event attracted a large crowd of supporters that thronged the palace, while shops and other business outlets were shut temporarily on Saturday morning as a mark of honour and solidarity with the Crown Prince.
    The Oba market and some streets, as well as roads housing some traditional shines were cordoned – off by security personnel and manned by colourfully dressed palace chiefs.
    The move was to assist officials of the Federal Road Safety commission (FRSC) assisted by traffic policemen with useful tips to ease human and vehicular movements of persons.
    Women groups adorned in Benin traditional attire, drummers and entertainers, youths and visitors, palace chiefs including politicians and government officials led by Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, defied the scorching sun to await the arrival of the royal father.
    The arrival of the convoy of the Crown Prince in company of some first Class Benin Chiefs and combined security team from his private residence in Benin to the palace, marked the commencement of the ceremony at about 2pm.
    After a brief consultation with palace chiefs and the performance of traditional rites at the palace, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, clad in a white and red traditional regalia with a pair of dark glasses was installed.
    The heir apparent to the traditional stool, at about 4pm, rode on a long convoy with Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy, Pius Odubu in company of other top government officials and palace chiefs to Edaiken palace to at Uselu in Benin.
    The Edaiken is expected to go through some raditional rites before takes the traditional stool of Edaiken of Uselu which will become his temporal place of abode which predates ancient times.

  • Edo: Prophet remanded for defiling daughter 

    Edo: Prophet remanded for defiling daughter 

    An Ogbeson Magistrate Court has remanded one Prophet Benjamin Bernard to prison custody for allegedly defiling his seven years old daughter.

    Prophet Benjamin, aged 41, is one of the presiding pastors of Destiny Explosion Ministry located in Benin City.

    He was alleged to have committed the incest on 26th January 2016.

    The victim was his third daughter

    Prophet Benjamin pleaded not guilty to the offence. 

    The victim during her testimony by the prosecuting Counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, Kenneth Ugiagbe, told the court that her father used a white handkerchief to clean her private part after committing the act.

    She said her father warned her not to mention the act to anyone or he would kill her. 

    Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Taye Omoruyi ordered the accused remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to March 16 for further hearing. 

  • Man jailed three years for defiling minor

     

     

    A 45-year old man, Joseph Okoye, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a four year old girl.
    Joseph, a palm wine seller was said to have in August 2014, lured the minor from her great grand mother’s apartment to his shop, where he was said to have sexually defiled her.

     

    Delivering  judgement, Presiding Magistrate Prince M. Oare, described the action of the convict as wicked and evil,
    According to him, “I have listened to the plea for leniency by the Convict. I have also taken into consideration that the convict is a first time offender. However, taking the age of the victim into consideration, the act of the convict will not only be regarded as wicked, but evil.”

     

    “In this regard, an option of fine cannot be considered. The Convict is accordingly sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour. The term of imprisonment is to commence from when he was admitted into Prison Custody in 2014, since bail was not granted”.
    Programme coordinator of BraveHeart Initiative, the group that spearheaded the case, Priscillia Usiobaifo, said her continued visit to the victim’s grandmother and family served as assurance that the victim would get justice for crime committed against her.

  • Fed Govt donates vehicles, motorcycles for Benin polls

    Nigeria has donated 15 Hilux vehicles and 100 motorcycles to the Independent National Electoral Commission of Benin Republic to enable it conduct credible presidential election.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulus Lolo, who presented the items in Cotonou, said free, peaceful and credible election in the neighbouring country was of interest to Nigeria.

    The presidential elections will hold on March 6 and 36 candidates will contest, according to  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Lolo encouraged the people of Benin and the electoral commission to conduct the elections in a transparent and credible manner.

    “Nigeria and Benin are neighbours; what happens in Benin is of immediate impact and interest to Nigeria and what happens in Nigeria has impact and is of interest to Benin.

    “Besides, we are one and the same separated by colonial rule and because of this separation with a borderline; we tend to think we are different people.

    “Therefore, our being here today to support the electoral process in Benin is a clear demonstration of our solidarity, brotherhood and friendship,” he said.

    According to him, Nigeria wants to share its experience with Benin to encourage the people that there is no alternative to democratic governance.

    “You are witnesses to the landmark change that took place in Nigeria in 2015, following the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in a peaceful, transparent and legitimate election without rancour.

    “That election in Nigeria was a landmark because for the first time, a ruling party that had been in power for 16 years, was voted out of office.

    “Through the free will of the Nigerian people, the election ushered in an opposition party for the first time,” he said.

    Lolo, however, said the peaceful change could not have been possible were it not for the courageous and independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He said: “Today, the support we are rendering to Benin is to enable the Commission Electorale Nationale Autonome (CENA) stand firm and ensure that the votes of the people count.”

    The President of CENA, Tiando Emmanuel, hailed Nigeria’s support to Benin, saying the donation will assist the electoral body to enhance its performance.

    “The quality of relationship between Nigeria is demonstrated by the frequent meetings existing between the two countries.

    “During the last meeting with INEC, I told the INEC chairman that Nigeria is the elder brother of Benin and the elder brother cannot abandon the younger brother.

    “This gesture will allow CENA to reach the farthest parts of Benin during the election and will reinforce our democracy in Benin and democratic values in Africa,” Emmanuel said.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Dr. Lawrence Obisakin hailed Buhari’s leadership quality, saying he had supported democracy in Africa since he assumed office.

  • Benin DisCo resolves 50,572 customers’ complaints

    The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has, through its new payment channels, metering programme and  Customer Complaint Unit, resolved over 50,572 customer matters.

    Corporate customers on its network have also begun to enjoy better and quality power supply, the firm said.

    “We have deployed new payment channels, such as Point of Sales (PoS), web-based payment, bank payments, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and scratch card payment. We have recorded successful metering of all 33kv outgoing feeders in the newly constructed Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) stations in Asaba, Oghara and Omotosho.

    “We have also achieved extensive metering of 216 numbers of 11kv feeders; carried out the successful deployment of 922 High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS) poles mounted meters in Etete business unit as a pilot scheme and developed a standard process flow for other business unit to follow,” the company stated.

    Other achievements recorded by the company, according to a statement made available to The Nation, are the engagement and training of 120 analytical graduates with specialties in Electrical/ Electronics,Mechanical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Accounting with Vigeo Power Academy and Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State.

    “BEDC has since it commenced procurement and kitting of technical staff, such as linesmen, meter engineers with safety kits to roll off disaster management plan initiative, set up very effective Customer Complaint Unit that has resolved over 50,572 customer complaints.

    “With the new feeder separation, corporate customers, such as Guinness Nigeria Limited and Delta Steel Mills in Delta State, are enjoying better and quality power supply. We constructed over 360 route length of new distribution network to strengthen and expand our infrastructure,” the company added.

    On metering, BEDC said the number of customers that have pre-paid meters installed in their premises have risen to 43, 612, adding that 47 injection substations and 500 distribution transformers have been installed to provide relief to overloaded transformers and injection substations.

    The utility firm said it also constructed 10 dedicated transformers for key customers and replaced failed transformers, with additional injection of 398 distribution transformers.

    “We installed 40,612 meters under the Credited Advanced Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) and metered 3,000 pre-CAPMI customers, commissioned 18 new transformers in various districts across BEDC coverage states,” it said.

    BEDC recorded a major milestone as the first distribution company to benefit from a grant funding by United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). This feat was achieved at a time when global lenders were beginning to evade investment in Nigeria’s power sector due to fears that the electricity tariff order in operations could not guarantee good returns on investments for the new owners of the power assets.

    BEDC’s core investor consortium Vigeo Power Limited (VPL) with the assistance of Citi Asset Management Limited (CAML), initiated offshore funding to ensure that strategic investments initiatives to be taken by BEDC will be based on adequate research and planning. The grant funding was offered for the purpose of Technical Assistance (TA) to update and modernise the electricity distribution network for BEDC in Nigeria.

  • Benin DisCo votes N2.7b for meter acquisition

    The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has set aside N2.7 billion to acquire smart meters for the over 741,000 customers in its network, The Nation has learnt.

    The Chief Executive Officer, (BEDC), Mrs. Funke Osibodu, stated this during an interaction session with reporters in Lagos. She said the company will start with installation of over 100,000 customers in the first instance.

    She  said the firm is aggressively addressing the operations, maintenance, and human resources challenges it inherited from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). She listed some of the operations and maintenance issues BEDC inherited to include, aged and poorly maintained system, unreliable and overloaded system, low demand side management (DSM) initiative, corporate governance challenges, lack of technology intervention to curb revenue leakage and lack of skilled manpower.

    She noted that since takeover of the utility in November 2013, several upgrades have been carried out, and still ongoing, while reliable energy audit figures are unknown. Revenue Assurance Unit commenced with 250 feeder check meters in place for energy accounting, while enumeration and customer regular energy audit have commenced, she added.

    Osibodu stated that major improvement in safety practice has also begun to address the poor safety practices and unsafe network for the public, caused by non-abidance to standard safety procedures and regulations before undertaking network maintenance work, adding that improvement in safety standards and equipment are impressively in progress.

    On manpower challenges the company inherited, according to Osibodu, include untrained manpower to handle preventive and breakdown network maintenance, indulgence in unethical activities by the field force leading to customer mistrust in the DisCo, de-motivation amongst employees leading to lack of will to perform, lack of performance oriented culture, and large workforce with inadequate skill set, among others. The BEDC chief, however, said large scale training has commenced at all levels, and commercial disciplinary process put in place while performance-oriented culture has been entrenched with recruitment of over 500 skilled workforce.

    Osibodu said the BEDC has 741,376 customers and to give top service to them, the firm has recruited 250 young graduates, adding that the recruitment was carried out in two batches. The first batch consisted of 100 young graduates who have since completed their training, while the second batch of 150 young graduates are currently undergoing training.

    She expressed confidence that the N2.7 billion investment in metering project will adequately address customers meter challenges. She lamented that the BEDC took the blame for every problem in the power sector because it directly interfaces with the power consumers, adding that the customers don’t know that the distribution company doesn’t have control over the generation and transmission companies.

    “We don’t have control over generation and transmission. We are like collection agents for the entire power industry. Across the power supply value chain in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), we collect the entire money but just get 25 per cent of the total collections.

    “Once we collect the billing from the customers, the generation companies (GenCos) get 60 per cent and pays the gas suppliers, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) gets 11 per cent, while the regulator, bulk trader and market operator get the remaining four per cent.

    “We are directed to meter all our customers within one year, but we are constrained by the limit of capital expenditure (capex) that we can invest. We at BEDC cannot spend above N4 billion per year as capital expenditure and if we invest above that, we won’t be able to recover our investment due to the present tariff structure,” she added.