Agha Ibiam
7 July 2009
analysis
Lagos — If there is any governor today that is faced with great task to develop his state, that person is Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. While other states inherited fat accounts and attained some heights of infrastructural development, Edo State has nothing to be proud of virtually in that regard. Indeed, some of the challenges facing the governor are enormous. Apart from provision of some social amenities to the people, another simple but appreciable task would be to renovate the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre, located at Airport road, Benin City. The building, which must have been built decades ago, is in a sorry condition. Such historical place, observers said should not be allowed to dilapidate just that way.
The cultural centre was the venue for this year's International Conference on "Aspects of the Foreign Relations of Benin Empire in History." The scholarly gathering was organised by the Tayo Akpata Foundation, in collaboration with Institute for Benin Studies. From all indications, the essence of the event was to throw light on the past and see how it relates to the present and the future. Even before the creation of modern Nigeria, it was argued at the event that Benin Empire has been interacting with the outside world, not just in matters of conquest or imperialism, but on aspects of cooperation between Benin and other people.
That is, people need to leave together in harmony and realise that what is available elsewhere is not available to them, but could have access to it by not through war but through cooperation and diplomatic contact, Prof. Osarhieme Osadolor, Dept of History, University of Benin and a guest speaker at the event said.
"Among the instrument of diplomacy, one can identify foreign relations, economic and military power which Benin had. We are merely saying that Benin had that diplomatic contact to appoint envoys that relate with the palace of Oba of Benin with other states and even with the Portuguese," he said.
On the other hand, the framer of the conference, Chief Tayo Akpata, who paid rapt attention through out the two-day period the conference lasted, maintained that the whole essence of the programme was for people to understand their environment and share knowledge through scientific ways. Another reason, he said is for people in the kingdom to divest themselves from the historic mythologies and questionable oral history and finally point out the close connections amongst the various communities in Nigeria and bring more amity and oneness in the country.
Various papers were presented at the event by eminent scholars who were drawn from home and abroad. Benin, according to the Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University Okada, Prof. Eghosa Osagie said "If you are looking for the significant of Benin through that historic excursion, it is to say that Benin gave birth to many other places that are in Nigeria," he said.
Searching through history, Osagie said one of the principle phases of development is social and national cohesion. If the people are not integrated, there will be no awareness with the rest of the people, therefore leading to no development. Even so, he opined that the country must first search for the things that bind them together if it must record any meaningful development and which invariably should form basis for discussion.
"We missed the mark at the point of British and European interregnum. And when we had that intervention we started to develop along different trajectories and those who were dealing with us had their own constitutive interests which were not entirely the same with our own interest. But what we need now is to reintegrate the country and have our historical freedoms," Osagie said.
But Prof. Peter Ekeh of the Department of African American Studies, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA, after his paper presentation on Benin and the Atlantic World, told THISDAY that the consequences of the European invasion into Africa opened up a new world which people participated, benefited and also suffered in. He said until the Portuguese came and opened up the continent of Africa including the Benin Empire, Africa was unheard and therefore the consequences of their action can not be blamed on them.
"Benin was organised at that point in time, and it was an up coming kingdom and it happened that the Portuguese came at the right time and saw an organised society. Though that is gone, but depending on what we do with our own future because the world is open for those who compete in it," Ekeh said.
But if there is anybody that is proud of Benin history and its foreign relations, it is Chief Tayo Akpata. He spoke about it with a passion and promised that on yearly basis such lectures would be organised to keep the history of Benin evergreen in the minds of the people, especially the young minds.
What is the essence? THISDAY asked. "Benin is my central focus because I am a Benin person. I was born here and I learnt from my grandmother and my parents moonlight stories. My writ of passage has been concentrated on Benin. I have the concept of how the world started and I was told that Benin was the centre of the world and so on.
"Also in history we know as a fact that Benin Kingdom extended to many parts of West Africa. Put differently, Benin influence was felt in many parts of West Africa particularly amongst our neighbours like Akure, Ekiti, Owo, Ilorin, Ikale, Ilesha and Eko-Lagos. A Benin Oba also founded Lagos and the ruling royal family in Lagos traces its origin to Benin and most of the chieftaincy titles originated from Benin.
From what we have learnt from history of the British invasion of the Benin Empire, it was always intact and never suffered foreign invasion, though there were encroachment from time to time and the people were beaten back. But over a period of time Benin developed a system of government and belief and powerful local army for Benin Empire, Akpata said.
Also what was reveled at the conference further buttressed the claim that Benin Empire was intact before the Portuguese visited the Kingdom in 1472. Starting from that time and spanning a period of almost a century, especially during the reigns of Oba Ozolua, Esigie, Orhogbua and Ebengbuda, the European as it was revealed were falling on themselves in Benin to establish trade link with the Empire.
Everything about Benin Empire was exhaustively discussed at the conference, including the religion of the people. Each of those discussions had an expert to dissect it. Osadolor, pointed out that religion occupies a very high position in the Empire of Benin particularly as it relates to the king and all the rituals ceremony that were connected with the cult of Oba of Benin.
For that reason priest and institutions were created by the Oba of Benin for the purpose of making religious observances either at the beginning, middle or end of the year. "In terms of religion in the Benin Empire, it is one aspect of Benin cultural practice that revolves around the Oba of Benin. The Oba will engage with some kinds of rituals which have to do with their own world view," he said.
But speaking on the impact of slavery and colonialism on the psyche of the Edo, the Obioro-Divine/Ethnopsychologist, Benin City and who does not shake hands with people either by virtue of his religion, R. Dahra Hargaaiga Senior, attempted to analyse the issue so that the people might discover and undo the negative impacts on one hand, and strengthen the positive impact on the other hand.
Impact of colonialism, according to him prevented the Benin from growing out of the mentality that justified enslavement in whatever form and relegating the majority of the population to the rank of lumped people. From his perspective, the average or common African including Benin/Edo Diaspora today seem to be confounded as to which family they truly belong; what to believe in; worship; call the virtuous life; or justification of existence. They have lost sight of transcendental goals of what to become at the end or in existence in the next universe or world.
Among such paper discussed include, "What Nigeria might have been and what it is: Historical Construction and National Cohesion," which was delivered by Prof. Osagie; "Nuances of Benin Influence on the Culture of Lagos;" "Benin and its Igbo Neighbours," delivered by Prof. Ijoma Okoro, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the "Owegbe Cult: Economic and Political Rivalries in early post colonial Benin," by Prof. Joseph Nevadomsky from the USA.
Other papers are "Edo Diaspora in Yorubaland: Akure, Ekiti, Owo, Ilorin, Ikale, Ilesha and Eko-Lagos." The chairperson at that presentation was Prof. E. Alagoa, Chancellor Niger Delta University, while Dr. Uyilawa Usuanlele, Department of History, Sunny Oswego, New York, presented a lot of papers, including one on origin, character and role of the Edo in Akure, amongst numerous papers.
However, Chief Akpata's closing remark, which was on the second day of the event held at the Motel Benin Plaza, was very apt, but punchy. He said, "as progressive Nigerians, with a sense of duty to our society and future generations to request that Nigerian governments restore the study of History in the curricular of educational institutions at all levels."
Notwithstanding, he decried that the decision to de-list History from the educational curricula was most ill-advised. The country he said need citizens who should know the history of their beloved country so that they will have a certain amount of self confidence, identity and pride. To this, observers said will completely rebrand the country.
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