WELCOME ADDRESS - 4TH CHIEF (DR.) JACOB U. EGHAREVBA (MBE) MEMORIAL LECTURE

IS ROYAL MAJESTY OMO N'OBA
N'EDO UKU AKPOLOKPOLO,
OBA EREDIAUWA CFR, OBA OF BENIN,
HRH,OKPARA I, OVIE OF AGBON,

MY LORDS SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL,
MR. CHAIRMAN, DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMEN

On behalf of the Institute for Benin Studies, I
happily welcome you all to the 4th chief (Dr.) Jacob
Uwadiae Egharevba (MBE) memorial lecture. That we are
holding the fourth lecture today means that the
personality being honoured needs not much introduction
anymore. But for the benefit of first timers, Chief
(Dr.) Egharevba MBE who lived between 1893 and 1980
was the first indigenous Edo man to write and Publish
monumental works totaling thirty three books and
booklets on Edo history and culture as well as related
peoples. He was variously and well honoured in his
lifetime, but this occasion is only helping to further
the good works he started. We thank God and
congratulate ourselves for continuing the sustenance
of the seven years old institute and five years old
lecture series inspite of the serious financial
difficulties under which we work.  
The continued barrenness of our cultural landscape,
which is yet to experience any rejuvenation since the
exit of the military prods us to soldier on for the
Cultural development of our people. Though we have
been seemingly quiet in the past year, we are happy to
inform of new projects we are undertaking in the New
Year. Firstly, we are launching the Journal of Benin
Studies, which is ready for the press and would be
organizing an international conference on" Politics,
Society and rights in Traditional Societies in
collaboration with the Carnegie council for Ethics and
international affairs of New York in April, 2000.
This 4th lecture by distinguished Prof. Peter P. Ekeh,
which has brought the seemingly heterogeneous but
linguistically and culturally homogenous Edoid people
together today, we hope will help to stoke the fire of
unity among the Edoid people and foster oneness
through development of a common lingua franca.
We cannot end this address without first thanking our
Royal Father Omo n'Oba n"Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba
Erediauwa CFR for his financial and Moral support. We
also thank our special Guest of Honour and Royal
Father HRH Okpara I, Ovie of Agbon who took time off
from our teaming brothers and sisters in his domain to
join us in waving of the emblem of unity and oneness.
We thank our Guest Lecturer Prof. Ekeh for
contributing his time and resources to come from
America to give this lecture and further cementing our
oneness. This lecture would not have been possible
without the financial muscle of our brothers Dr. Nowa
Omoigui U.S. based cardiologist and cultural activist,
Mr. Victor Ogiemwonyi MD/CEO of Partnership Investment
Company who has virtually taken over as the major
sponsor of the lecture in the last two years, Engineer
Osarenkhoe, President of Edoma Club Lagos, Mr Andy
Ehanire,CEO, Ogba zoo and park and Chief Lugard
Aimiuwu. We appreciate their kind gesture.
_______________________

CELEBRATING LIFE

{Chairman's Address by Chief LEA Aimiuwu, FNIM, FNMA,
( The Osayuwanoba of Benin Kingdom), Management
Strategy Consultant, and Chairman, Edo Renaissance, of
the  4th Annual Egharevba Lecture, on "Ogiso Times and
Eweka Times" by Institute for Benin Studies, at the
Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre, Benin city on
14/12/2001}

All protocols observed

Please let me start with my trade-mark declaration. I
was born  a Nigerian. I love my country Nigeria. I
will
die a Nigerian. If I come back to the world times, I
will come back a Nigerian. 

God has been so kind to Nigeria, but Nigerians have
not been kind to Nigeria. Our country has been
exceptionally favoured with natural, mineral, and
human resources. Our lands are so fertile that if you
plant a finger, a human being can grow. Our
long-suffering people are warm, friendly, peace
loving, and accommodating. The only natural disaster,
in a country that is otherwise devoid of natural
disasters, has been her inept leadership, especially
some uniformed adventures, their civilian cohorts,
plus uniformed, but acquiescing followership, all
combining to subject our dear country to unmitigated
pillage, looting, abuse, misuse,. Mismanagement,
dehumanization, provocation, over the decades since
independence. 
God has remained kind to Nigeria. We are still
awakened everyday, like clockwork, to the predictable,
luxuriant glow of the glorious African sun, by the
dawn chorus of a mosaic of African birds, including
the crowing of the regal, and distinctive African
cock. More importantly, the Almighty has given to
Nigeria, Benin, the spring of life, the bastion of
culture, crucible of values, heartbeat of Black
African civilization, the most documented black
success story of history. Let us continue to celebrate
the success that was Great Benin, and draw inspiration
from the achievements of our ancestors who were world
beaters in their time, unlike our generation who are
thoroughly world-beaten. Let the heritage called Great
Benin contribute to the nation Nigeria some of those
strengths and values so desperately needed by our new
gestating country- integrity, patriotism, loyalty,
industry, family values, reverence to God, respect for
leaders, discipline, social inclusiveness and
integration, visionary leadership, world-class
ambition, world-class achievement, merit-based, firm,
fair, transparent, and predictable reward (and
sanction)system, etc, competencies for which great
Benin was accorded world acclaim over the centuries.
But first, benin must re-awaken Benin. History is
about real people, about life. It is people who make
history, and not history that makes people.
Civilization is about life. Culture is about life.  
When we celebrate history, civilization and culture,
we are not only celebrating the life that was, or just
celebrating or moaning the life that is, but also
redefining the life that should be, and our role in
actualizing the dreams, ideals, aspirations and goals.
It is in this light that we must commend the Institute
for Benin Studies for its commitment to African
Renaissance, as best projected by the African success
story, great Benin. Let us also congratulate it for
organizing the Egharevba Memorial Lecture, now in its
fourth year. Let us celebrate Egharevba's contribution
to History, and let all those better endowed
academically, take up the challenge, and pick up the
gauntlet from where he left it. Whilst celebrating the
contributions of those long dead and gone, let us
enjoin those living to uplift, upgrade, and upscale
their contributions, to catalyze the steady march of
human civilization. We are here, today, to listen to
the distinguished Professor Ekeh, who has come all the
way from New Jersey, to shed more light on the era of
the Ogisos and Eweka in Benin history. 
You are most welcome. Let us, together, celebrate
life.

Thank you.