One notable aspect of change would be to look back at the glorious past of the famous Government College Ibadan, not as history, dead and buried, but as a season of wisdom and positive lessons to be learnt and put to good use for birthing and growing our country’s health and maturation into a great nation. Academic excellence, integrity, discipline, accountability, solid organisation, spirit of service and selflessness, unity beyond ethnicity, sense of secularity with no taint of the almighty corruption and quality leadership, are the qualities one remembers exemplified in the pre-Independence era of Government College Ibadan, an era to which our iconic Imperial Majesty, the Omo N’oba N’Edo, Erediauwa,Uku Akpolokpolo I, Oba of Benin Kingdom, belonged.
The Omo n’oba, from our records, was born in 1923 as Prince Solomon Akenzua. He came into Government College Ibadan in January 1940. His school number was 329 and he was assigned to Grier House. During his time, the school was all boarding. He was one of the 25 brilliant students assembled from all over the country, based strictly on merit, and not on ethnicity, religion or catchment area. His classmates then include Akingba J.B., Ogbeide M.I., George S.A, Feyide M., a former Secretary General of OPEC, Agboola S.A., Ifaturoti M.A., Morrison M.A., Olojede S.O., Bello Z., Animashaun M.A., Ediale P.M.I., George N.E., Adeoshun A., Balogun J.K., Wellington A.K., Okaisabor M.E., Imana J.O., Ogunnaike J., Andu J., Efuwape T.A., Ojo J.B.O., a one-time principal of the college, Daramola M.O., Osula W.I., and Ukpoma E.N. That was the roll call of the brilliant boys who dined with the Omo n’oba in school in his time.
We are told from his personal records that the Omo n’oba arrived at the college in January 1940 escorted from Benin by a palace messenger. After his box had been brought out from the vehicle near the European Housemaster’s office, the messenger carried the box and headed for the dormitory and the whiteman bellowed from his office, “Drop that box; let him carry the box on his head, by himself.” The palace messenger quickly dropped the box and beat a retreat. The Omo n’oba then carried the box on his head. That was the first baptism. We are also told that the palace messenger was to watch over the little Prince, even while sleeping, as that was his first travel outside the Benin Kingdom. The palace messenger was promptly dismissed and had to return to Benin.
Our records also showed that as the young Prince began to settle down to new life at Ibadan, letters came pouring in from the Kingdom addressed to him as Prince Solomon Akenzua. By the strong discipline in the school then, all letters must pass through the Housemaster, a European, who insisted that the word Prince must be written in Edo language because the only Prince to him, lived in the United Kingdom. That became the norm till he left school. It was his second baptism. These two examples were part of the formative years of the Omo n’oba which prepared him for the throne of his forbearers.
The Omo n’oba left Government College in 1945 and later attended the Yaba College, Lagos, and King’s College, Cambridge, United Kingdom, where he studied Law and Administration. The Omo n’oba had been groomed for service, so it was a success story when he joined the Eastern Nigeria Civil Service in 1957 as a District Officer and later the Federal Civil Service, where he retired as Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health in 1973.
The Omo n’oba had also been well-groomed for quality leadership, so it was another success story when he succeeded his father, Oba Akenzua II, on March 23, 1979 as the 38th Oba of Benin Kingdom and he reigned peacefully for 37 years.
The Omo n’oba cherished his alma mater, the Government College Ibadan. For him, it was always Government College Ibadan first, and all others thereafter. He worried continually about the decadence in the school, the inconsistencies of government policies on education, inadequate funding, poor quality teachers, abolition of the boarding system which destroyed school traditions, faulty admission policy, overpopulation in the school and indiscipline. He paid a royal visit to the school in 1990 and supported the creation of a N2m debenture stock to raise enough funds to assist in bringing back the GCI to its past glory. His support of the school was recognised by the Old Boys. He was honoured with the rare GCIOBA National Merit Award in 1990 and was made a Patron of the Old Boys Association.
The Great Monarch will be remembered for his good deeds. He lived a fulfilled life of service, as a servant-leader, humble in nobility, with impeccable character. He was quintessential, regal in posture and candour and always on the side of the truth. It will be remembered that the Omo n’oba was one of the few Obas who refused entreaties and baits from the military rascality of the Abacha administration.
The Omo n’oba also epitomised the rich heritage of Benin Culture. On each occasion, he left no one in doubt that he was indeed the spiritual and traditional leader of his people. What excites the younger Old Boys is the dexterity with which he was able to sustain the Benin tradition and culture against the backdrop of modernism and corrosive forces of religious bigotry. He was truly cosmopolitan, highly cerebral with an enviable mien. During his reign, as a true GCI boy, he managed successfully the recurrent conflict between Christian religion and traditional religion in his domain. In fact, he ensured that both religions were complementary.
As the Omo n’oba, the “Great Lion”, finally goes to the Savannah en route the journey to his Ancestors, we wish him eternal rest.
OBA GHA TO KPERE. ISEE
PUNCH
END
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