Historical Analogies by Friday Omoruyi

With the type of goal conceded by Nigeria goalkeeper in that friendly with the Egyptian,it gives me concern about our performance in this nation's cup.

From my record book,the first Bini man to captain the national team was Bright Omokaro.That was the world cup qualifiers 1985 against Tunisia at national stadium in Lagos The match ended 1-0 in favour of Green Eagles.The lone goal was scored by Okey Isima.Tunisia was captain's by Ben Yahia.

Resentment and envy is like drinking poison hoping it will kill your enemy.These negative virtues are self destructive.

HAS DEATH PENALTY SERVED AS A DETERENT IN NIGERIA
BY FRIDAY OMORUYI- EGUAEHOLOR-ISI

Death penalty by definition is the taking of the life of offender of certain crime. These include murder, Armed robbery, treason and at a time drug trafficking. In biblical narrative, Cain son of Adam and Eve the direct creation of God Almighty took the life of his brother Abel. God was lenient with him by not passing capital punishment on him. In subsequent Jewish history, death penalty was prescribed in the Moasic Law.

In Benin history, offenders of certain laws were to be put to death by cutting the neck from the back. If a Noble wrong the law he was told to ZEGBELE. That is to fall on a sword by himself. From the colonial era, death penalty has been part of the penal code. Under this law were OLOGBOSERE, OBADESAGBON, USO and OBAYUWANA executed following the Benin massacre of 7 Britons at UGBINE.

It has been in use all through the colonial era until independence in 1960. On the advent of military rule in 1966 and coup de ta became frequent, the military government of Obasanjo then made attempted coup plot to be a capital offence following the assassination of Gen. Murtala Mohammed on 13th Feb. 1976. About 39 men were executed by firing squard at Bar Beach in Lagos and Kirikiri prisons.

Before then in March 1970, Gen. Gowon enacted a decree that stipulated death penalty for armed robbers. Hundreds of men including a lady in Benin have been shot. At a point in the early 90s in Enugu 33 men were brought out to be executed. These include the three men that robbed and shot Col. Robert Akanobi, the then Governor of Anambra State. After the ex*****on as the corps were been loaded into a tipper to take them for burial, one was found out not to have died. He requested for water. Nduka Obaigbena of THIS DAY NEWSPAPER should tell us if the man later survived as his Newspaper carried the report then.

Gen. Buhari took the act of ex*****on to a new crescendo in 1985 when he approved of the ex*****on of Lawal Akani Ajulope, Benard Ogedegbe And Batholomew Azubuike Owoh for pushing co***ne even before the law was enacted. A CASE OF RETROACTIVE JUSTICE.

In all these, has ex*****on been a deterrent to would be offenders. Between 1970 when ex*****on of armed robbers stared and 1979 when the military exited power statistic shows that armed robbery not only quadrupled. It became more violent. After Obasanjo executed 39 men for the 1976 abortive coup a more deadly attempt led by Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar on April 22nd 1990 to remove I.B.B. was foiled and the culprits were rounded up and over 80 personnel were executed by firing squad.

The above shows that capital punishment has not serve its purpose of deterrent. It might have served as a punitive measure, but the basic essence of law to be corrective and reformatory has been defeated. Suffice to say the ritual of bloodletting has made criminals to be more deadly as OSUNBOR said, I owe government one bullet but before then I will do possible maximum damage. There could be error of judgement as exemplified by the case of Police Commissioner J.D. Gomwalk who was executed along with Dimka on 15th May 1976 for allegedly writing a speech that was never read by Dimka

Till date the people of Plateau state still believe in his innocence as they name their government house as JOSEPH GOMWALK SEC. in JOS. Life is so fragile once taken, no restoration. There is a saying that it is better for 99 offenders to go free than for one innocent to be punished. Death penalty is a symptomatic management of an ailment call Crim. It is like killing mosquitoes whereas the pond breeding the mosquito is left unattended to. As you kill each mosquito, more comes out. Enabling environment for people to thrive doing business should be paramount to the authorities and well to do individuals.

As the academics are integral parts on the chain of industry, so also the Artisians indispensable lubricants. Doctors need mechanics, Professors need computer operators. Dignity of labour is the overriding factor. In few advance countries were capital punishment still take place, they subject the judgement to the highest judicial scrutiny and forensic science analysis are employed to verify the culpability of the offenders. Even some already executed convicts were granted posthumous pardon when evidences that were not available then surfaced.

As a privilege person on a prison visitation in late 90’s and onset of this millennium, most of the inmates on death row have moderated their radical views and some are in the vanguard of prison evangelism as they said their past acts were as a result of youthful exuberant. Every man should be given opportunity to repent of his sins. It is not the wish of God for a sinner to come to destruction but for him to come to repentance.

Friday Omoruyi
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This is 2025 historical calendar

If you have food in your fridge and clothes to wear and roof over your head you are among the 17percentof the world privilege ones.Life shouldn't be about complaints but by showing gratitude to the benevolent God.

[3/19, 2:31 PM] Daddy 2: AGHO OGBEIDE OYO (A.K.A OBASEKI)
THE BRIDGE BUILDER THAT TOOK ANCIENT BENIN
TO A STATUS OF MODERN CITY STATE

Obaseki of Benin 1889 – 1994.
Iyase of Benin 1914 – 1920

By

FRIDAY OMORUYI
Eguaeholor – Isi

The story of Ago Ogbeide Oyo is that of a dependably, efficient and capable agent of the British imperial regime who filled the vacuum created by the deportation of Oba Ovonramwen in September 1897. He assume a leading role among Benin Chiefs as a result of his foresight of accepting the policies of economic emancipation and embracing education for his wards even when the elites were apathetic to these policies.

Whichever way power is exercised, power provoke envy, admiration; jealousy and at worst retribution and hatred. With the above in mind, Agho dominant position during the period of interregnum won him friends and enemies alike.

Agho was the son of Ogbeide Oyo, Ogbeide Oyo was the young boy taking from Ike Village by Osemwende during his flight from his brother who usurped the crown from him when he was going to Evbokhimwin. Ike Village is in the former Akugbe District now in Isi North of Uhunmwonde L.G.A. Ogbeide became Omo-Ada and later on invested with the title of Arase by Oba Adolor. With the rank of Arase, he was to be one of Ine of Ibiwe Society. It was during this time that Idugbowa was born and put under the care of Ogbeide. Idugbowa later became Oba Ovonramwen.

Agho’s mother was Enohwenkhuen from Okha in Usen District.

Firstly, Agho was placed under the care of his brother Ozuwa after his father’s death later under the care of Ogbomon the father of Chief Eghobamen.

Agho early relationship with the royalty could be traced to the time Idugbowa left his house taking Eghobamen and the children of Ogbomon including Agho to his new abode in Ogangun’s house who was later accused of causing Idugbowa’s illness in 1884.

Agho endowed himself to the crown prince that he was given the necessary human and material resources to start trading to the water side on behalf of the crown prince. The product of trading this time was palm kernel and palm oil. Royal Niger Company was prominent then.

Agho distinguished himself so much that when Prince Idugbowa became Ovonramwen in 1888, he created the title of Obaseki and bestowed it on Agho his friend and trader in 1889. Obaseki title belongs to the Iwegue palace society.

Oba Ovonramwen’s love for Agho did not end at bestowing the title of Obaseki on him. He gave him over one hundred slaves out of the Iyase Okizi’s captives from the Unwakun war of 1891. Long before the capture of Benin by the British forces February 1897, Obaseki had become prominent and wealthy from profits made from trade to the water side and gifts from the benevolent Oba.

Agho was so cloe to Ovonramwen that he was one of the few chiefs that accompanied the Oba to the bush after the fall of the city to the British. It was when the Oba sent Agho to Benin to see which way the wind of change was blowing in the city that he was seized by the British officer Alfred Turner when his identity was revealed.

The first appointment from the British for Agho was as early as September 1897 when Agho and other chiefs were made members of the Native Council Authority by Alfred Turner, the British Resident.

Agho distinguished himself so much that by 1915, Agho was made the District Head of Benin Division with an initial annual remuneration of five hundred and fifty pounds. By 1920 when Agho died, the salary had gone up to Eight hundred pounds.

District Heads wielded a near despotic power as they were in charge of collecting taxes. Supervision of public works also fall under their purview.

To cap it all, Agho was made the president of three native courts in Benin, Ehor and Ekewan.

This awesome affluence Agho found himself made him more influential and to some extent despotic.

It was a reward for his loyalty to the pay master, the British. The Oba acknowledged this colossal image of Agho his Iyase that in June 1919, he gave out his second daughter Ebose in marriage to him.

Agho was a quintessential diplomatic even though he had no formal education.

Agho represented Benin to give the Benin view point on the origin of Lagos that was an offshoot of a war camp established during the reign of Oba Orogbua in the 1550s.

He also went to Zaria to understudy the native administration system.

Agho’s greatest gift to modern Bini was his investment in the education of his children. As at 1916, when statistics of chiefs children in school was taken, Agho had 13 children while the Oba had only 3 children.

Agho’s eldest son WILSON AIGBEDO was educated at Hope Wadel Institute in Calabar. He was employed as a time keeper in 1905 in P.W.D. He later became a nurse in hospital and on retirement became a produce buyer at Uhi.

Agho second son AGBOIFO went to Government School between 1907/1912. He served as a clerk at the P.W.D. He exited public service in 1929.

OSEMWENKHA was Agho third son. He schooled in Benin and after passing his standard six, he became one of the first Nigerian to drive a locomotive engine. He died in 1921.

JACKSON AIYAMENKHUE (A.K.A. EMPERORO OF ORHIOMWON) started school in 1907. He is more renowned for his business prowess.

He established a timber business along the Orhionmwon river bank. It was his exploit in this business that earned him Emperor of Orhionmwon. His business acumen and shrewdness was so much that the Binis then formulated a song to equate his shrewdness.

The song goes like this: EKI AYAMENKHUE LOGHU DO VBEN GBE IGHO MAN YO, IGHO MA RE.

Aiyamenkhue love for education was epitomized with the establishment of Obaseki Memorial School way back in 1935 at Abudu, the school still exist.

Perhaps the most influential of all the children of Agho was his eight son, GIUS IKUOBAOYENMWEN OBASEKI. Born in 1897, he started Government School on February 1908. After his standard six, he went to School of Survey in Lagos. He got his first employment as an interpreter in the Benin province administration. He rose to become a chief clerk before he retired in 1944 and went into business and politics. His business success is epitomized with his purchase of a saw-mill on his visit to the United Kingdom in 1950 at a cost of twelve thousand pounds. The relics of this sawmill can be seen at Idahosa Street, Off James Watt Road, Benin City.

On the political front, be became a member of the Western House of Parliament in early fifties. Agho investment in education still lingers as the Obasekis occupy high positions in their chosen careers i.e. Justice Otutu, Jackson Gius Obaseki and recently Godwin Obaseki as governor of Edo State.

In trying to perpetuate Agho’s love for education, his grand-daughter Deaconess Mrs. Victoria Ogiemudia of the Baptist Faith in 1983 established a school in memory of the family name Obaseki (Gaius Obaseki Group of Schools) at Mission Road. She died in the 1st quarters of 2023. In Benin, Agho built a formidable bridge that has taken Benin from the ancient status to modern city state that can stand its own among its contemporaries.

By

FRIDAY OMORUYI
Eguaeholor – Isi
[3/19, 2:31 PM] Daddy 2: The period of he being obaseki was between 1889 to 1914.

EVENTS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE BENIN MASACRE THAT LED TO THE DEPORTATION OF OBA OVONRAMWEN
The music video by Monday Edo released just before the 1897 Century celebration in 1997 which I shared recently has attracted reactions from over 100 people, it is now expedient on me to give a historical background view of events, before, during and after the 1897 invasion that culminated in the banishment of Oba Ovoramwen to Calabar.
Following the abolition of slave trade and the industrial revolution in Europe, the European super powers then had need for foreign territories to source for raw materials for their industries. The rush almost degenerated to skirmishes e.g. King Leopold of Belgium with the French in the Congo Basin.
The the German Chancelor Otto Von Bismack Convoke a conference in Berlin in 1884 to settle disputes arising from these scramble for the partitioning of Africa. We historians call, that conference, BERLIN CONFERENCE of Nov. 1884 – Feb. 1885. There the Europeans shared Africa among themselves with no African present.
What is now today Nigeria fell under the purview of the British. With the annexation of Lagos in 1861 and the deposition of king kosoko of Lagos, they them turn eastward and found themselves at the Nigeria/Delta basin.
Their first confrontation was with Jaja of Opobo whom they diported to West Indies. The next was Nana Olomu of Itsekiri whom they deported to Ghana but allowed to return in 1906 and founded the present day Koko following the Ebrohimi war of 1894 their next target was BENIN. Following that Nana war 1894, Benin had to set up a garrison at Ughoton which was the expected point of their coming. By early 1897 JAMES PHILIP with about 7 Britons plus over 100 native carries mostly Itsekiri were coming on a visit. The overzealous Benin chiefs led by Chief IRABOR, the Ologbosere of Benin ambush the entourage at Ugbine and Massacre six of the Europeans and almost all the native carriers who were carrying gift for the Oba house hold.
Two Europeans escaped and wandered in the bush for 5 days before they arrived at Gwatto were the laid the report.
When the news got to the Oba in Benin, he told the Chiefs to get ready for the consequence of their actions. Ologbosere and Obakhavbaye boosted that nothing will come out of it.
By Feb. of 1897 the British mounted three prong attack against Benin from Ughoton, Sokponba and Ologbo axis were they fired a calibrated maxim Cannoon gun that landed at the palace and set it ablaze. This led to the capture of Benin on 17 Feb. 1897 and the Oba fled into the hitherland were he stayed for six months before he surrendered to the British.
After the Oba surrendering, the trial started on Wed. 1st of Sept. 1897 at palava house at the present day museum ground. On the strengthen of evidences given four chiefs were taken into custody. They were Obakhavbaye, Usoh, Ugiagbe and Obayuwana. Inside the guard room Obayuwana cut his throat with a knife in he inside his wrapper.
It will take a full publication to write about this topic. It will also form part of my Benin history book were I have generated 360 pages. You can chip in your assistant to help actualize this project soonest.
The summary is that the other two chiefs were executed the next day for their roles in the killings at Ugbine. Ugiagbe was granted pardon on account of young age.
For Oba Ovoranmwen not appearing before Ralf Moor on the appointed time to discourse on how Benin will be administered in modern way was the reason he was deported to Calabar as they agreed that Ovoranmwen never sent anybody to kill his men as evident from all the testimonies. Chief Irabor, the Ologbosere who went on the run was later captured at OKEMUE near Ehor on 26th June, 1899 after more than two years and was brought to Benin and hanged on 27th June 1899.
One remarkable quote by the king as he was being taken away to Calabar from Benin on 15th Sep. 1897 that still resonate in the life of the Benins is the betrayer he suffered in the hands of the Benins.
“I appeal to Almighty God and the spirits of the departed Obas to judge between me and the Benins who will advised me and cunningly sold me to the hands of the British troops in Search of their own liberty and benefits. Oh Benin, merciless and wicked. Farewell! Farewell! There shall never be unity among you”.
This was a bitterly and unhappy day the Oba emback on a journey of no return. This was a day of melancholy that still resonate in the life of the Benins after 125 years.
Chief Irabor, the Ologbosere who got married to the eldest daughter of Ovonramwen, Princess Evbakhavbokun in 1889 was the instigator of the massacre. For that action of his, nobody has been invested with that tittle ever since.
His house is at Akpakpava, Opposite Bamawo Junction.
With the banishment of Ovonramwen her father and the ex*****on of her husband Ologbosere, depression set into the life of Evbakhavboku that led to her death in 1906 same year Ralp Moor committed su***de.
Pray for grace and chip in your assistance to complete the book that carries the comprehensive history of Benin from 900 A.D to Benin monarchy under modern Era.
Friday Omoruyi Eguaeholor-Isi

Hear the infamous saying of IAN SMITH the one time white prime minister of southern Rhodasia in the peak of agitation for the independence of Zimbabwe 'The act of good governance is outside the capabilities of an average black man.Living them to take care of their governance with out SUPERVISION will lead to rancour and arcrimony".He was branded a die hard racist.After six facades of most black Africa independence,was he right of wrong? Food for thought.

The faliure of the so called giant of Africa is making North Africans to illienate themselves from Africa.The preferred to be referred to African Arabs.Check the Moroccan celebration of their world cup feet last year.