Prince Edun Akenzua, the Enogie of Obazuwa, Benin Kingdom, spoke with BEN OGBEMUDIA on the political situation in Edo State, zoning and the succession battle in the Southsouth state.
What is your reaction to Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s move to support a governorship aspirant as candidate of the APC in Edo State?
As a member of the Benin Leaders of Thought, and having been privileged to served as the chairman of that organisation, we have heard since last year that the governor has a preferred candidate. We discussed it as a rumour . I was mandated as the chairman to seek audience with the governor to get a subpoena on it. We don’t believe the governor will want to do what they are saying. We don’t believe because we don’t like godfatherism. The governor came to do his part . He didn’t like godfatherism . He said it everyday openly and since 2005, we have been fighting this kind of thing, until 2008 when he joined in. When people start talking, we wouldn’t believe because this kind of man who has been fighting this kind of thing. We heard it, but it is a rumour.
Have you confirmed from the governor?
Unfortunately throughout last year, from October to December, I wasn’t able to get his audience. Nevertheless, we will not act on what we consider a rumour, until he confirms the rumour. Politicians say a lot of things concerning themselves in a period like this. We will see the governor and confirm from him first to know if it is true or false.
You have confirmed from him?
We have. We wrote letters to Benin people because we want the proper person to succeed the governor. The Nine persons who showed interest for the gubernatorial race who honoured the letter by coming to us were surprisingly APC aspirantswho we screened because we want a proper person to succeed the governor. And a person was handed the results who would present it to the governor, before it is made public.
How soon?
As soon as the governor acknowledges our appointment that has been booked. Even, at a recent meeting, I presented another letter to him and he said it will be duly considered.
What if it turns out that the governor’s move to impose is true?
We hope to find out and know whoever is going to succeed him. I think we have to look beyond political interest and look for somebody that is competent. And since we are expecting him to be a Benin person, he must be someone we can be proud of at the end of the day, not one we will be ashamed of that he didn’t perform. So, because of that now, it is hypothetical. I will not answer that until we find out.
What is your advice to others as it is only one political party that showed up for the exercise?
It is all the same. Political parties will do their own. They are all going to the primaries. We will have our reports. We will see what happens when the general elections come up. The governor has done a lot for the state and it will be shameful, if the person coming cannot maintain the pace of the governor. It is also in the interest of the powers that be because whoever wins the primary will be supported by the Benin people. Edo cannot afford to be in the opposition. It was a miracle that Oshiomhole survived the period. We are lucky to have the APC at the federal and state levels and we must take advantage of it.
Recently, you organisation met with Fulani herdsmen and farmers over the incessant killings and rape…
I would say it was fruitful and I think it was very thoughtful for the governor to have summoned that kind of meeting. Herdsmen were represented, farmers were represented and the security people were also represented. Those present, including traditional rulers, agreed that there was need for co-existence between the two groups. The farmers who do the farms and the herdsmen who move the cattle, they need each other. So, that was the essence of the meeting and there was no doubt that the problems are there. Problems of killings, raping of women, rustling of cattle’s, killing of cows, problems of destroying the farms. There have been problems on both fronts. And what the governor wanted was the solution. It was decided that there will be committees in each local government, and another one at the state level, where farmers, herdsmen will be at peace because we need the famers and we need the herdsmen. The committees have not been set up yet, but the governor is going to direct the local government chairmen to establish these committees in their local government.
Are communal clashes and killings in Edo South over landed property not alarming to the traditional rulers? council?
It worries everybody; it worries the traditional institution. Benin has been known to be a very peaceful place long time ago. But ,the problem of community the development association that they are doing all over the place, I believe, is the cause of this upheaval in Benin. Before these things came up, there was the plot allotment committee set up by the Oba and plots where allocated. You could buy a piece of land, 50 by 50, and you would be in Lagos or wherever and you will be sending N5,000 or ten thousand naira to your parents or friends to help you mould block to build one small thing and it will be there for ten years or more and nothing will happen to it. But now, villages are being burnt, properties are being destroyed. I have watch people are being killed because of this development. And I think there is a misunderstanding about the purpose of this community development association set up by Babangida and the idea was for it to function as a co-operative society, whose members would mobilise their friends from wherever and to identify developments in that locality. ln the olden days, here in Benin, we used to have it. A community will levy members to raise some funds and when they have up to fifty thousand, at that time it was in pounds, They took it to the council and tell the chairman we have 50 thousand pounds; we want you to add some money to it to help us build a school or community town hall in our community.
That was what it was for then. It was not put together to sell the lands to generate money. Babangida did not expect when he was doing that kind of thing that the Community Development Association he was proposing, members will be selling lands to find money to develop that community. The CDA was not supposed to develop that community. Because development of that community belongs to the council and the state government. For the CDA, it will be easier for Oba or government to listen to a group of people asking for whatever than to listen to an individual. So, that was the idea. If you have this kind of group, they can now identify what they can do in their place, if they have some friends and relatives abroad who are wealthy and well to do. They can beckon on them to come and do something at home. That was it. The royal family is quite worried about this; not only the traditional institution. The people, generally, are worried.
