By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Newly constituted Governing Council of the University of Benin, led by Chairman, Olorogun Dr. Sonny Kuku, has pleaded with the Benin Monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II to assist the council reclaim all UNIBEN lands which have been encroached upon.
In his speech during a courtesy call on the Oba by members of the Council on Tuesday, Dr. Kuku said they were at the Palace to introduce the new team, and seek royal blessings for the development and progress of the institution.
“UNIBEN was built with a capacity for 10,000 students but today we have over 60,000 students. This means that to cater to the needs of this large student population, we would be needing more space to do this,” Kuku said.
Members of the newly constituted Governing Council who were at the palace of the Benin Monarch included: Olorogun Dr. Sonny Kuku (Chairman), Prof Lilian Salami (Vice Chancellor), Prof Moshood Tijani (member), Prof Fidelis Okafor (member) Ambassador Amosa Yusuf (member), Hon Nze Esiaga (member), Mrs. Gbemisola Olaniyan (Rep of the Education Minister) and Prof Adesuwa Osahon (DVC Admin).
Others were Prof David Izekor (DVC academic), Prof John Ogene (DVC Ekewan Campus), Mr. Ademola Bobola (Registrar & Secretary to Council), Dr Victor Imagbe (Bursar), Dr Luke Obasuyi (Librarian), Prof Efosa Oviasu (Rep of Senate), Prof Ekuise (Rep of Senate), Prof Ilevbare (Rep Senate), Prof Ebomoyi (Rep Senate), Prof Ikponmwosa Omoruyi (Rep Congregation), Mr. Godwin Osadolor (Rep Congregation) and Dr Benedicta Ehanire (University PRO).
After welcoming the visitors with customary traditional gifts, Oba Ewuare II prayed for peace in Edo and Nigeria. He promised to look into the problem of the UNIBEN lands that were allegedly encroached upon.
“The state government recently strengthened laws relating to land grabbing in Edo. We hope it is well-implemented. The Palace supports the effort to ensure that incidences of land grabbing in Edo state is brought to a minimum level. We will keep on working on it…we want to ensure that Community Development Associations, CDA, remain that way instead of being Community Destructive Associations.”
The Benin Monarch told his guests that one month after he became the Oba, he admonished leaders of the CDAs to stop all illegal land grabbing activities in Edo state. The Oba said that land grabbing as a phenomenon led to disrespect to elders of Edoland.
“We are happy to tell you that the youths involved in these activities eventually began to stop these illegal activities. We will not relent in our efforts to curb the unacceptable actions of these land grabbers in Benin and Edo State,” Oba Ewuare said.
Subsequently, Oba Ewuare mandated Secretary to Benin Traditional Council, Mr. Frank Irabor to give a background to the UNIBEN lands being allegedly encroached upon. According to the Secretary, the complaint of encroachment on UNIBEN land is not “a new development and it has been on ground for some years now,”
“The problem is that encroachment took rapid dimension during time of these prohibited CDAs. We were aware that UNIBEN lands were being encroached upon from east, west and south. What we observe though even though UNIBEN is a Federal University, Prof Salami’s predecessors did not do much to safeguard the territorial boundary of UNIBEN.
“This was what gave the CDAs a field day to encroach on those lands. We advise UNIBEN to identify those who have encroached upon those lands. We also want UNIBEN to avail the palace a copy of the survey plan of the area of land allocated to UNIBEN by the authorities at that time,” Irabor said.
Oba Ewuare II said that after UNIBEN makes available those documents, the Palace would be in a position to make informed decisions on the matter.
“We would assist UNIBEN to engage the state government on this matter,” Oba Ewuare assured the UNIBEN Governing Council.
In an interview with journalists after the courtesy call, UNIBEN VC Prof Lilian Salami said that she was satisfied with the response from Oba Ewuare. “We will ensure to do all that our revered father has requested, at least, if nothing else but for the encroachment to stop.”
Olorogun Kuku said that the highlight of the visit to Oba Ewuare II by the Governing Council was the royal blessing they received.
“We are pleased that his Royal Majesty is thinking very seriously about encroachment on UNIBEN lands. Two thirds of the land has been grabbed and that cannot do for the University. UNIBEN is the second arm of town – the university is the gown and the town and the gown need to work together to form a unit and work together’. Olorogun Kuku said to journalists. Olorogun said however that even though the matter is in court, recourse to the Palace is in seeking to settle the matter ‘in good time’.
Recall that on August 27, 2020, Alltimepost.com, with a report titled: UNIBEN On Collision Course With Edo Community Over Disputed Land, had exclusively reported on how the institution undertook to audit what it claimed are its lands taken over by residents of Uteh-Ekoh and Aduwawa communities.
The said land measuring about 265.511 hectares was said to have been allocated to the University in 1971 by the Samuel Ogbemudia of the defunct Bendel state. Some of the communities within the area of land allocated to UNIBEN were unsatisfied with the said allocation, and thereafter took the matter to court.
Last year, apparently in a bid to recover the lands said to have been allocated to UNIBEN, Prof Lilian Salami embarked on a ‘marking’ exercise of buildings on land allegedly belonging to UNIBEN in those communities.
Nobody is sure how the dispute between the communities and UNIBEN will play out. The game changer however may be in the ability of the University to produce the documents requested by the Palace, and how they are put to use to an amicable resolution of the dispute over the lands in question.
Etemiku is Alltimepost.com Special Correspondent in Nigeria and Editor-In-Chief, Bob MajiriOghene Communications.
