Edo State versus University of Benin: Uncanny squabbles

The contention of the state government is that having fully grown, it is time for the university to return the houses. On its part, the university has always seen the gesture as an outright gift dating back to some four decades which cannot now be reclaimed by the donor’s successor. The contention has expectedly lined […]

The contention of the state government is that having fully grown, it is time for the university to return the houses. On its part, the university has always seen the gesture as an outright gift dating back to some four decades which cannot now be reclaimed by the donor’s successor. The contention has expectedly lined up analysts on each side. While some think the demolitions were in bad faith, others have chastised the university for its inability to promptly obey the court ruling as well as for failing to secure a stay of execution.
For us, neither the arguments nor the usual transfer of every matter to the realm of political partisanship can becloud our sense of reasoning. Of course, we were not surprised to see the main opposition party in the state readily taking sides against the ruling party.  Again, in this era of rent a crowd, we expected each side to have enough able-bodied men to applaud them; just as two groups of students have done. But none of these can dispense with the simple issue of history. In line with the philosophy of George Santayana (1863-1952) we are persuaded that, to assure a nation’s future, current events must be guided by history.  In our view, the inability of the Edo State Government to appreciate history is at the heart of the present controversy.  For the same reason, the judgment upon which the demolitions were premised is fundamentally reduced to technical justice
Our premise is that at about 1970 when the state allegedly donated the buildings, many other pieces of infrastructure hitherto belonging to the state must have been similarly given to the university. If so, why are people conveniently separating the demolished buildings from the other infrastructure allegedly donated by Governor Ogbemudia to the university? Why can’t the state government take over the classrooms, laboratories, libraries which constituted its previously owned items that went to the federal government or are we suggesting that the only things Dr Ogbemudia gave were the houses that have just been demolished? Answers to questions such as these would help those of us who were outside the state at the time to properly appreciate the current weird squabbles between the Edo State Government and the University of Benin.  Posterity would also have much to learn.
Still on history, did former Governor Ogbemudia not cajole, lobby and beg the then Head of state, General Gowon to kindly take-over the then Midwest Institute of Technology to become the University of Benin? Did the federal authorities at the time, take-over some parts of the university while other parts were by agreement to be returned in later years? If so, what was the duration of the ‘lease’? Otherwise, what is the rationale for asking UNIBEN to show evidence of ownership of houses which a military governor surrendered to his commander in chief close to half a century ago?  Did the federal government take over the university minus the controversial houses?  Answers to these questions are by far better than stories by some officials who in recent times misguide their governor to request a return of buildings taken over by the federal military government before some of the officials were born. We need to know the truth-was Edo State a donor or a lessor?  Besides, what is Delta state, the other half of the mother state that handed over the university to ask for or to demolish?
We know however that in some states where political belligerence covers a lot of things, undue attacks on collaborative federalism can be attractive. During the Obasanjo administration for instance, it was common to witness fighting between the federal and Lagos state government-combats  over jurisdiction that were merely designed to whip political sentiments within a community.  The several claims and counterclaims between Lagos state officials under the then Governor Tinubu and Senator Ogunlewe, the then Minister of Works as to who owned or built certain Lagos roads are best understood in that sense. Edo State appears to have inherited the posture as it embarked on the building of walk-ways along the same New Benin- Lagos Road built by the federal government! Not many understood the rationale of 2 governments working on one road in a state which till date is littered with several bad roads
Anyway, such partisanships should not have been applied to respectable UNIBEN professors and their immediate past Vice Chancellor Prof Osayuki Oshodin who were bull-dozed in their homes. A government with a human face ought not to do that. In fact, it ought not to have resorted to self-help having ‘won’ round one of the case supposedly through due process. Even if as the government claims, there was no evidence of appeal by the university, it should have returned to the court to get an order to evict the occupants. The speed with which the matter was processed gives an impression that there is more than meets the eye. Could it be that the ruling party in the state has grudges against UNIBEN?  If so was Professor Oshodin the real target as some people imagine?  Was it not the same ex-Vice Chancellor that served as returning officer at the 2012 governorship election in the state?
Well perhaps we may smile at the end if the use into which the government puts the bull-dozed location turns out to be of paramount public interest.  Accordingly, our people ought to monitor how the story develops. As of now, we see the issue as quite unfortunate as it leaves in our sub-consciousness, the feeling that our government has little value for humanity.