Not too long ago, the Comrade Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State, uncharacteristically went into a fit of “semantics” overdrive by casting the departed Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, in a demolition raiment against the general notion that the late oba was the repository of peace, concord, amity and sustainable development that enveloped Edo State since March 23, 1979, when the late oba ascended the throne of his forefathers. Oshiomhole had, in a moment of executive over-exuberance, erroneously conferred on the revered monarch a parting but demonising appellation of an “iconoclast.”
The governor was obviously carried away by the high-sounding elegiac word, specially chosen to wave good bye to his mentor of almost eight years. However, what the comrade did not bargain for was that an “icon” (which he intended to use) can never be an “iconoclast” which unintentionally crept into his highly-obsequious condolence message. It was clear that semantic diarrhoea, as exemplified by his Chief of Staff, Patrick Obahiagbon’s volcanic grammatical vituperations (those high-falutin words again!), has gradually crept into the governor’s speech-writer’s diction.
Immediately the condolence message hit the airwaves, it attracted serious reaction from well-meaning people who thought that the governor had goofed. They accused the governor of scooping more than he could swallow from the Alphabet Soup! Exactly 25 days after that onomatopoeic confusion of transposing “iconoclastic” for icon, Oshiomhole shot himself on the foot again. Last week, he added another faux pas. Precisely, in a fit of executive malfeasance, the governor, by executive fiat, sent an unprecedented “Letter of Appointment” to the new Edaiken N’Uselu, upgrading and promoting him to the Obaship of the centuries-old Benin traditional stool, as if the throne is an integral part of the state’s civil service.
As unknown and sacrilegious as this action may seem, the official “Letter of Appointment” dated May 24, 2016, purports to be one of the “lasting legacies” that Oshiomhole intends to bequeath to posterity while belittling the mystique, awe and respect the prime traditional and cultural entrepot of the Benin people, attracts within both the Nigerian nation and the African Continent.
This precipitate action taken by Oshiomhole relegated to the back-burner, the revered tradition, norms and lores of the Benin Kingdom, which guides the ascension of the most senior son of the departed monarch in a graduated process, from the position of Crown Prince to the Edaiken N’Uselu and then to the Obaship in a seamless mode devoid of any government interference, legitimisation or imposition. In fact, the throne is the cradle of the first son of an incumbent Oba of Benin. The tutorials begin at birth until coronation with no roles reserved for any politician or political organisation.
It is conventional wisdom that the Edo State government or any government at all, does not play any role or function in the choice of the Oba of Benin, except the presentation of a staff of office to the new Imperial Majesty, after the rites of coronation have been completed. In fact, the presentation is a ceremonial one that can be termed a hollow ritual that has no traditional relevance or importance. With or without a staff of office, the trajectory of a Crown Prince is known the day he is born and does not need the presentation of a government’s appointment letter to energise or legitimise the new Obaship of Benin Kingdom.
Political pundits believe that the series of anti-tradition happenings in Benin kingdom point to one and only one direction; the ambition of one man to install a successor at all costs. It probably began with the “treasonable” coronation of Chief Richard Arisco Osemwingie as the surrogate Ogiamen of Utantan Benin nation instead of the missing holder. Then the attendant attempt to balkanise a section of Oredo Local Government Area by Arisco and his cohorts. Others are: the incessant media war orchestrated by the rebel Utantan group with the publishing of a newspaper, Ogiamen Trumpet; the sudden emergence of the hitherto reticent Elawure of Usen, with an “Independence Doctrine “and a new traditional nomenclature that bespeaks his new status; the sudden claim to governorship by Godwin Obaseki on an alleged Governor Oshiomhole’s sponsorship and mentorship and the resultant season of resentment from a concerned section of the Benin Palace against the bid. Last on this list is the semantic misadventure of Oshiomhole in labelling the departed Oba Erediauwa an “iconoclast” instead of an “icon” which he really is, as well as the rapid, terse Appointment Letter and the “Disappointment” Letter sent to the Edaiken N’Uselu on May 24 and withdrawn on May 25, respectively. All these may have been bits and pieces of a carefully-woven and activated plot to demonise and demystify the Benin Obaship, in preparation for a Godwin Obaseki governorship which will prefer to deal with a comatose and weak royal palace in the face of the ingrained century-old animosity between the Obaseki family and the royal family.
It is also believed that the aforementioned happenings in and around the solemn traditional setting of the Benin Royal Palace, which is the engine room of the Benin Kingdom, are designed by a consummate puppeteer, to “castrate” the palace in order to gain political mileage. Perhaps, it becomes exigent as a much younger person (with a different worldview and orientation) is in the process of ascending the throne of his forefathers imbued further with new ideas, zeal, tolerance and forbearance peculiar to him.
The fire brigade approach to the resultant impasse and resentment to the issuance of the Letter of Appointment authorising the Edaiken N’Uselu, Ambassador Eheneden Erediauwa, to ascend the revered throne of the Benin Kingdom, with the government claiming that it was done in “error”, is complete hogwash. Rather, it appears the Oshiomhole administration flew a kite to test the waters of resistance, reaction and resentment of the Benin people and the Royal Palace itself, to the Letter of Appointment.
Palace sources say that the oba-designate took very strong exception to the content, intent and purport of the misguided correspondence. It is more so, considering the fact and coincidence that the letter came from the Oshiomhole administration just as the programme of the traditional rites of passage of the departed Omo N’Edo Oba Erediauwa was released. It is crystal clear that by this executive misadventure, a curious and esoteric twist has been added to the ongoing undeclared fray to soften the turf for Oshiomhole’s anointed candidate for the September 10, governorship election.
Prior to this remarkable blunder, an online media outlet edoworld.net, had drawn a parallel that connects the departed Omo N’Oba Erediauwa with the Obaseki family, albeit spiritually, in a bid to lessen the public outrage that has attended Godwin Obaseki’s declaration for the Edo 2016 governorship election. Whatever the veracity of this packaged story, the fact remains that the entrance of Agho’s biological grandson, Godwin Obaseki, into the 2016 Edo State governorship race, is causing disquiet and unease in the Benin Royal Palace and among the citizenry.
Oshiomhole’s hidden agenda is to use Obaseki to demystify the Benin throne through an unprecedented procedure of “legitimising” the ascension of the Edaiken N’Uselu to the throne by issuing an official Letter of Appointment which will in turn empower the Oba-to-be to endorse Obaseki for the governorship of Edo State. The grain of thought within and outside the palace is that Oshiomhole wants to colonise the royal palace for selfish purposes. It is quite unfortunate that a man, who, a short while ago, openly boasted that the era of godfathers in Edo politics is gone and gone for good, is now turning round to position himself as the new godfather of Edo politics. His desperation to strengthen his new status may be headed for a brick-wall after all. What a pity!
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