Benin National Congress

THE BENIN AGENDA- A RADICAL PERSPECTIVE BEING AN OPEN LETTER PRESENTED BY MR. AIYAMENKHUE EDOKPOLO- PRESIDENT OF THE BENIN NATIONAL CONGRESS ON SATURDAY 8TH APRIL 2006 TO THE BENIN LEADERS OF THOUGHT.

We salute the convener, Prince Edun Akenzua, All Chiefs, Enigies, Political leaders, Ladies and Gentlemen; we bring you greetings. Wa obe –evbaru. The Benin National Congress has been at the forefront of the resource control struggles and such other struggles that bother on justice, equity and fair play. Most importantly, the Benin National Congress (B.N.C.) is committed to the emancipation of the average Benin Man and the protection of his integrity.

The phrase “Benin Agenda” has assumed ambiguous definitions and dimensions because, most Edo State Politicians have adopted it as a ploy to psychologically coerce some Binis into their Political Program. The term became localized and freely used by disciples of some Politicians who are yet to articulate and present to all and sundry their blueprints that will see to the overall development of Edo Land. Sadly, as commanding and popular as the term (Benin Agenda) sounds, the selfish disposition of its proponents tends to ridicule the lofty objectives it promises were it properly articulated ab initio.

We have resolved to contribute meaningfully to the articulation of the Benin Agenda because as concerned citizens of Benin Nation, we draw inspiration from renowned socio-political authorities. According to Franz Fanon “we are nothing, if not first the slaves of a cause, the cause of the people which is the cause of God”.
The convener and every Leader here present, we wish to submit that the Benin Agenda should refer to “ the promotion and protection of Benin Interest”. This definition would be grossly abused if we reduced our concerns to a particular political position say the office of the State Governor or Deputy Governor or a Minister. Rather, we could convene a conference of Benin people irrespective of class to define in clear terms the developmental needs of the Benin Nation. In our opinion, we believe that the Binis could determine who becomes the Governor, Deputy Governor, Speaker, Minister from Edo State, Local Government Chairmen in the 18 Local government Areas, Senators, and House Representative Members of Edo State etc. if we have articulated the package (Benin Agenda) and set in motion sound political machinery that is devoid of parochial politicians. One way of achieving this is to appreciate all opposition Parties in the State and at the same time wooing them to take a look at our Program of good Governance.

We wish to state unequivocally that the Benin National Congress will chart a different cause in the countdown to 2007 election if the “Benin Agenda” as a people – oriented phrase is reduced to the struggle for the seat of the State Governor or Deputy. But as long as the Benin Leaders of Thought keep an open mind in the propagation, promotion and defense of Benin Interests so long the Congress will offer its support to the wide-range of struggles ahead.

BENIN YOUTHS AND THE CONSEQUECES OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Authorities and organizations have defined the term youth variously. The Webster’s encyclopedic dictionary defines it as “the State or quality of being young”. Commonsensicaly, we can say that the youths of Benin will form the buck of the Benin National Army in case of any eventuality, God forbid, there is a tribal or civil war. Nature has imposed a significant responsibility on Governments to ensure the provision of basic education for its youths and reasonable employment opportunities, which to a very large extent will guarantee relative peace and security. The Federal, State and Local Governments have failed in this regard so much so that youths are not even encouraged to initiate entrepreneurial programs.

The Political classes over the years have taken undue advantage of this significant part of our population by offering them dangerous jobs of thuggery and ballot stuffing during elections. It is in the face of this very frustrating scenario that some youths of Benin extraction have left with no choice but to go into armed struggle for the agitation of resource control and federalism in the creeks Niger-Delta, which has culminated, to hostage-taking and other militant tendencies.

If the truth be told, the agitation for resource control especially the armed-struggle dimension it has assumed is not because it promises job opportunities for some of our youths that are involved in it, but they see it as a vehicle for expressing their anger and frustrations against the three tiers of Government especially the Federal Government for its insensitivity to the plights of the downtrodden people of the Niger-Delta in the last fifty years and Nigerians at large. When the issue of Government mal-administration is zeroed to Edo State, for instance, the scenario presents a State without a government. Even in the “State of Nature” according to Jean Jack Rousseau “Men enjoyed very promising atmosphere”. Between 1999 and 2006, the State Government is yet to present a developmental blue print even after the ephemeral broken-chain of godfatherism recently given the disguised conflict of interest within the ruling elite of Edo State. The State is yet to witness any transformation.

A conscious traveler cannot reconcile the connection between Edo State roads (Local, State and Federal), which are near impassable, Hospitals lacking of elementary equipment and that of State like Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Kano, Niger etc with a near-perfection of the aforementioned infrastructures with a State that is oil producing, What an irony! We therefore wish to submit that the Chief Executive of the State should within 21 days explain the rationale behind the under-development of Edo State and take very reasonable steps to address same or he may have to contend with the public withdrawal of our support for his Government. It would be recalled that in February this year we thwarted the democratic coup to eject him from the State Government House by exposing the plan and warning of the grave consequences of his removal given our wholesale rejection of the plot. The process may be climaxed with a two-day-rally to drum up support for the Governor’s impeachment. This is against the background of the fact that our State is becoming “backward-driven” that it cannot be compared with “Stateless Societies” of old. It is better to have a good Governor or Leader than to be blessed with ”oil money” because oil money without a good Governor like Chief Chris Ngige of Anambra State or Governor Ambrose Ali of blessed momories, the so called oil wealth will go into criminalistic foreign investments; primitive accumulation of wealth and celebrations of ‘Owanbe’ Parties in Nigeria and abroad at the expense of the suffering Masses.

With the excruciating pains that abound, nonetheless we are optimistic that with barely one year to go, the Governor can still redeem his diminishing image.

THE STRUGGLES AHEAD

We must congratulate the leadership of this forum for their steadfastness and commitment to the restoration of our lost glory through wide consultation and proactive meetings. Let it be noted that the goodwill that this forum enjoys is largely as a result of people’s conviction that the forum is very clear-headed and absolutely different from the “former Forum” which chose to adopt the Governor as a Holy-son and abandoned its very promising objectives. You must continue to call a spade by its true name or worst-case scenario a shovel not minding whose ox is gored. This way, the forum will sustain its popularity and enjoy uninterrupted goodwill. We must pragmatically put our house in order and put on a microscopic lens to identify the “best” aspirants irrespective of tribes that can lead us in the next dispensation. We must seek to know who will be chairman in far away Esan Central Local Government and Akoko Edo Local Government Area because our sons and daughters resides everywhere in the State and we have the population, land mass and Oil as golden advantages.

We wish to rest our case believing that you will study our humble submission and apply same where necessary.

Thanks for listening
Oba gha t’ kpere…Ise. Cc:
His Excellencies, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and Chief John Oyegun.
His Royal Majesty,Omo n’ Oba n’ Edo uku akpolo kpolo Oba Erediauwa
The Ethnic Nationality Forum (E.N.F.)
Senators Representing Edo South
All House of Reps Members
All House of Assembly Members
All Local Government Chairmen
The Binis in Diaspora Organization (B.I.D.O.) United Kingdom
Religious Leaders of Benin Extraction