The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is currently questioning a former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion over what a source described as alleged criminal diversion of public funds to the tune of N1.6bn.
The former governor who arrived the headquarters of the EFCC at Jabi, Abuja around 2pm, November 11, 2021 was still being quizzed as of the time of filing this report.
Shortly after his exit as governor in 2007, Igbinedion was prosecuted by the EFCC and convicted of corruption. But the new investigation is based on fresh evidence that the former governor diverted a loan obtained by the Edo State Government to finance an investment during his tenure, in settling the financial indebtedness of a company in which he has interest.
Wilson Uwujaren, spokesman of the Commission, who confirmed the invitation of the former governor declines further comment.
The President of Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) Worldwide, and Private Land Recovery Agent to the Oba of Benin Kingdom, Ambassador Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo has commended the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolor, Oba Ewuare 11 Ogidigan for his unpresidented strides since ascension to the throne of his forbears five years ago.
Elder Ugbo, described the monarch as a father who is keen at ensuring peace across communities and overall development of the kingdom and state at large.
The patriotic Benin freedom fighter, disclosed this at a thanksgiving service of the Oba Ewuare II at the Holy Aruosa Cathedral, Benin City, Edo State.
He posited that the various steps taken so far by the royal father, including the abolishing of CDA, illegal extortions Okaeghele, including the invocation of deadly ancestral course on human traffickers who were at discrediting the Benin race, have brought some respite to the land.
“We thank God Almighty and our ancestors for the five years His Royal Majesty’s five years on throne. Our Oba has brought great relief to the kingdom and the state at large.
“Our monarch has broken an imaginable grounds especially the prescribing of the deadly activities of CDA, human traffickers as well as illegal extortions by some faceless Okaeghele. Our Oba has achieved in others areas which has further the course of development in the kingdom. We must all join hands with our great Oba to develop Edo state,” Ugbo stated.
While calling on all to support the monarch in developing the kingdom, Ambassador Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo stressed that Benin kingdom must attained it’s desired lofty height.
The dust has finally settled after years of controversies and heated arguments who the real owners of present day Lagos are, the whole of Western Nigeria and the East of the Niger down to the Nigerian south Atlantic Coast.
The Oba of Lagos, His Royal Highness, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has finally told the world via a historical narrative and background the real owners of Nigeria’s economic capital city of Lagos and parts of neigbouring Benin Republic.
Lagos, he said, belongs to the Great Benin Kingdom and has never been part of Yoruba land.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Lagos Monarch which was released from his palace.
The statement reads:
“Coming from the palace, with what I was told by my late paternal grandmother who is a descendant of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi and also reading from factual Historical books, let me share this Knowledge with you all on Eko/Lagos.
“Modern day Lagos was founded by Prince Ado, the son of the Oba of Benin,
Prince Ado was the first Oba of Lagos, the son of the Bini King, Prince Ado, named the town Eko until the Portuguese explorer Ruy de Sequeira changed the Maritime town to Lagos, which at that time from 1942 was Portuguese expedition center down the African Coast.
“It was a major centre of the slave trade until 1851. Lagos was annexed by Britain via the Lagos treaty of cession in 1861, ending the consular period and starting the British Colonial Period.
The remainder of modern-day Nigeria was seized in 1886 when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria were established in 1914 Lagos was declared its capital due to the struggle of the Bini King.
“Lagos experienced growth prior to the British Colonial rule and even more rapid growth during the Colonial rule throughout the 1960s, 70s, continued through the 80s and 90s till date.
Thanks to the Awori’s, Bini’s, Yoruba’s, migrants across the nation and the world at large, as no particular group of people can take the glory alone.
“Lagos is made up of Lagoons and creeks.
The Lagos lagoon, Lagos Harbour, five cone creeks, Ebute-Metta creeks, Porto-Novo creeks, New canal, Badagry creeks, Kuramo waters and Lighthouse creeks.
“The Awori’s and Bini’s are known to be the first settlers of the Eko land.
The Awori’s are speakers of a distinct dialect close to that of the Yoruba language with a rich Bini mixture.
Traditionally, Awori”s were found in Ile-Ife, they were known to be the Bini’s who followed their self-exiled Prince, the first son of the Ogiso (now called Oba) of the Benin Kingdom, whose step-mother was after his head.
“The exiled Benin Prince Izoduwa known to the Yorubas as Ooduwa (Oduduwa) was made the ruler of the Ife people due to his powers and followers from the Great Benin-Kingdom.
“Izoduwa (Ooduwa) was made the first King of Ile-Ife in 1230 AD. His followers from his father’s Kingdom in Benin are the today’s Awori people who settled in Eko now called Lagos.
“In 1300, the King of Benin-Empire heard from one of his traders who was a settler in Eko on how the Bini’s were treated by the Awori’s who lived in their area.
Upon hearing this, the King of Benin commanded the assembling of a war expedition, led by his son, Prince Ado, which headed the settlement of the Awori’s and demanded an explanation.
“On arriving Eko, Prince Ado and his Army were more than received. The Aworis asked the Bini Prince to stay and become their leader.
Ado agreed on the condition that they surrender their sovereignty to the Oba of Benin, to which the people agreed. Hearing this, the King of Benin gave his permission for Prince Ado and the expedition to remain in Eko.
“The Oba of Benin sent some of his chiefs including the Eletu, Odibo, Obanikoro and others to assist his son, Oba Ado in the running of Eko.
“From the crowning of Prince Ado as the first Oba of Lagos (then called Eko), Lagos served as a major center for slave trade from which the Aworis, the Oba of Benin and his son the Oba of Lagos and all the children/descendants who took over as his successors for over four centuries supported the trade.
“The Oba of Benin was the head of the Benin Empire which is the present-day Western, Southern and Eastern modern day Nigeria.
The King never obliged anyone to speak the Bini language as he believed everyone was entitled to their own choice of language.
“The name Eko was given to it by the first king of Lagos, Oba Ado, the young and vibrant Prince from Benin.
Eko was the land now known as Lagos Island, where the king palace was built.
“The palace is called Idugaran meaning “palace built on pepper farm”
Oba Ado and the warriors from Benin together with the early Bini’s settlers in Eko and the Awori people settled in the southern part of Eko called “Isale Eko”. “Isale literally means bottom”. Must have been used to indicate downtown (as in downtown Lagos)
“Until the coming in of the Benin’s 1300AD, Lagos geographical boundary was Lagos mainland, Lagos Island, the seat of the Oba of Lagos then consisted of a pepper farm and fishing post. No one was living there.
“About 1450 AD some Yorubas who hailed from Isheri in Ogun-state and Ekiti were allowed by the King to settle in Eko during a war, they came in a very large numbers thereby surpassing the numbers of the Awori’s and Bini’s. (Hence Yorubas claim to own Eko due to their numbers).
“Oba Ado fell in love with a beautiful woman whose father was Awori and mother a daughter to one of the chiefs; they had two sons and also a daughter Erelu Kuti, who begot Ologun Kutere who later became King.”
Based on historical facts available to them collaborated by oral traditions.
Oba of Lagos said he is a Benin man,
Obi of Onitsha said he is a Benin man,
Osemawe of Ondo said he is a Benin man,
Eze of Oguta said he is a Benin man,
Eze of Enugu Ezike said he is a Benin man,
Olu of warri said he is a Benin man,
Ovwie of Okere( Urhobo) Kingdom said he is a Benin man,
Obi of Isele Ukwu said he is a Benin man,
Obi of Agbo said he is a Benin man,
The king of Ibuza said he is a Benin man,
Orodje of Okpe said he is a Benin man,
The Dukes of Oleh and Ozoro( both of Isoko) said they are from Benin,
Udezi( Deji) of akure said he is a Benin man,
The Dukes of Ikwerre said they are Benin men,
The King of Ogbia Kingdom said he is a Benin man,
The paramount ruler of dahomeans in Republic of Benin said he is a Benin man.
These are major traditional rulers in southern Nigeria and beyond and yet some dare open their mouth to denigrate Benin history and even call Edo people a minority stock when history and cultural evidence show Edo is the largest ethnic group in Nigeria until it was decimated and adulterated by the sinister manipulations of the colonialist and their in-house collaborators.
Dr. Samuel Okafor, the Igbo scholar In an article made available to News Express, Okafor responds to critics of his claims and sets the records straight on great Nigerians, mainly of the past, from various parts of the country. He also explains his motive and suggests the way forward in Igbo-Yoruba relations. Please read on:
I had earlier made a submission stating that the Binins were the first to be exposed to Western education. This very position which I presented was not well received by a lot of my Yoruba brothers who have gone to great lengths to discredit this true historical fact.
Some have even resorted to outright fabrication of history. They have based their own position on sentiments which have no bearing to known historical research. I have thus decided to provide further historical evidences to further substantiate my previous position, because the very essence of historical research is not to belittle any ethnic nationality but to provide a deeper understanding of our history with a view of correcting some wrong pre-conceived notions held or being propagated by some ethnic nationalities.
In historical research, when one disagrees with another position, that person must provide an alternative and completing evidence to the contrary, and also provide references that can be crosschecked for accuracy. My Yoruba brothers have failed to provide the much required evidence. They have simply stated an alternative position without showing that indeed their position on the balance of historical evidence is the one to adopt. This, as one of my great professors, Adiele Afigbo, would put it, is the lazy historical approach to historical research. I would now provide incontrovertible evidence that the Binis were the first to be exposed to Western education.
THE BINIS WERE THE FIRST NIGERIANS EXPOSED TO WESTERN EDUCATION
I would ask that readers google the name, Ohen Okun. Ohen Okun from historical records held in both Benin archives and in the annals of Portuguese history was the Olokun priest of the port town of Ughoton Benin. Oba Esigie the Great, who reigned from 1504 to 1549, sent the Ohen Okun to Portugal as the Ambassador of Benin to the Portuguese Court. While in Portugal, the Portuguese Affonso D. Aveiro remained in Benin as the Portuguese envoy. Ohen Okun was treated with respect while in Portugal. He later returned to Benin and is described as the first known Diplomat of Nigerian origin to Europe.
A BINI MAN WAS THE FIRST NIGERIAN GRADUATE
Let us go further; who was the first known Nigerian graduate? As this issue has generated so much controversy, it is important that I deal with it comprehensively and provide a clear evidence to substantiate my research. Readers, again kindly google the name Olu Atuwatse (Dom Domingo). Olu Atuwatse was the crown prince of the Bini Empire who was sent to Portugal in 1601 for advanced studies by his father, the then reigning Oba. He graduated from the University of Coimbra in 1611. He was the first Nigerian to obtain a European university degree. He later married the daughter of a Portuguese noble, Dona Feirs. Their son Antonio Domingo referred to in Benin history as the Golden Skinned King succeeded him to the throne in 1643.
Antonio Domingo, a Christian who wanted to spread Christianity throughout the Empire, wrote the Pope in 1652 asking for Missionary assistance. This is the oldest letter written in Nigeria. I think this lays to rest which ethnic nationality produced the first educated Nigerians. If required, I would provide other historical research to substantiate my position further. I ask my Yoruba brothers to provide the same.
ENLIGHTENMENT gathered that, a company called SEPLAT is giving out a free medical treatment at the Palace of Benin Monarch.
Treatment & Eye Glasses to be shared
If you have eye or BP problem, just come over to Oba Palace, King Square, Benin City. There are lots of Professional Doctors on ground to take care of your problems and its free. They are also giving out eye glasses to help you rectify your eye problems.
People receiving treatment at the Palace of Benin Monarch
The exercise will last for two (2) days, today and tomorrow. Please invite those you know that needs this treatment.
Prominent businessman, Captain (Dr) Idahosa Wells Okunbo, popularly known as Captain Hosa is dead.
Captain Hosa who has been described as one of the wealthiest men from Edo state died last night August 7th at a hospital in London after a year long battle with Pancreatic cancer. He was 63 years old. He moved to London in August 2020 to receive treatment for his ailment where he was told he had less than 9 months to live. He died 12 months later.
Captain Hosa is survived by wife, Nosa Okunbo, and children. May his soul rest in peace, Amen
Still on Jubilation in the Great Benin Kingdom as the 5th wife of the Royal Father, Oba of Benin, Ọmọ Nọba Nẹdo, Uku A kpọlọ kpọlọ, Ọba Ewuare ll No Ogidigan, Queen Esther Ewuare ll give birth to Quadruplets (Three Boys and a Girl).
A big congratulations to the Oba of Benin and the Edolites as well.
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