1897 invasion of Benin: Why Benin people suffered – Godwin Obaseki; warns of tough times ahead

The Chairman, Edo state Economic Team, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Sunday said the Benin people suffered humiliation in the hands of the British in 1897 when they failed to listen to the advise of his great grandfather, Chief Agho Obaseki.

Obaseki said when the British came to Benin Kingdom and wanted to do business with the Benins, his grandfather advised the then Oba of Benin, Oba Ovonranmwan N’ gba’ si, to sign a treaty with the British but the Benins failed to heed the advise.

He said the end result of the failed agreement was the invasion of the Benin Kingdom and the looting of their valuable treasures by the British.

Godwin Obaseki, who is also a Governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, disclosed this while hosting some of his family members, adding that, he is ready to add value to Edo state economically if given the opportunity.

Meanwhile Obaseki last Thursday said Nigeria will be tough financially in 2016 but hoped that states like Edo that have been able to develop prudent financial administration would be able to stand the test and eventually progress.

Obaseki stated this at the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) when he hosted journalists in the state to an end of year party.

“I am coming here to felicitate with the fourth estate of the realm. It is quite easy for us to forget in a hurry where we are coming from. Today is the 31st of December,2015 and we all are seated in a country called Nigeria. We’ve almost forgotten that they almost plunged this country into chaos and we’ve almost forgotten what God has done for us as a country and as a people by still keeping us as one in spite of what we went through.

“We have so much to be grateful to God for. Look at the criticism you were subjected to both from the opposition and the then ruling party but you survived so there is much for us to celebrate.”

He however called for hope ahead of the challenges in the new year; “As we look forward towards 2016 and even though 2016 does not portend the kind of crisis we anticipated in 2015, 2016 itself also has its own challenges. There is no gainsaying that we are in a recession and recession is going to bite harder in 2016. Things will be difficult for us as individuals, family, community even as a state and also as a country. While we pray for the energy and strength to go through the year we are also optimistic that from the hardship of this recession, a state like Edo state will rise to be one of the foremost states in Nigeria.”