Oba Erediauwa: A connection to cherish for a lifetime

May 9, 2016 

Written by: Osagie Ize-Iyamu 

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The life and times of our departed highly revered monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, has a special meaning for me. This is particularly so because the relationship I was privileged to share with him had the mark of sonship. It was also a reflection of the bond between the royal family and the Ize-Iyamu family spanning several decades. I feel blessed recalling the intermingling footprints and the benevolence of the Oba. 

I recall with a deep sense of honour and privilege the academic union shared between the venerated Oba Erediauwa, my humble self and my dear father. I am always elated when I reflect on the fact that I share the honour of having attended the same college that had the history of having been a ground of tutelage to Oba Erediauwa. Records have it that the Oba, as young Crown Prince Akenzua, was a student of Edo College, Benin City, between 1938 and 1939. I had the privilege of attending the same school between 1973 and 1979. 

When the Oba proceeded to Government College, Ibadan, where he schooled between 1940 and 1945, there he met my father and a life-long friendship was formed. This gave me the privilege to see at close quarters the beloved Crown Prince who was a regular visitor to Egedege N’Okaro, my history-making family house in Benin City. 

It is with a rare sense of pride I recall that my father was not just a school-mate and friend of Oba Erediauwa, he was a close and dependable ally in the Movement for the Creation of Edo State. While the Oba chaired the Movement for the Creation of Edo State, my father it was who donated his house at 32, Erie Street, Benin City, as the secretariat of the movement. 

The closeness my father, of fond memory, had with the Benin royal family, however, transcends the relationship with Oba Erediauwa. As Secretary to the Benin Divisional Council, my father worked closely with Oba Akenzua II, who in appreciation of his selfless service to Benin Kingdom conferred on him the title Obayagbona of Benin Kingdom and later elevated him to the enviable position of Esogban, a position he held till the time of their respective translation. Fate conferred on my father the honour of announcing to the Edos and the entire world the transition of Oba Akenzua N’Isonorho in 1978 with the ominous breaking of the White Chalk in the absence of an Iyase in Benin Kingdom. 

It is with pleasant contemplation I reflect on the relationship between the royal family and my maternal grandfather, the illustrious Pa Obasohan of Akpakpavafame whose family originated from Erhua, Igieduma Ward in Uhunmwode Local Government Area. Pa Obasohan’s mother and Oba Erediauwa’s mother, as fondly remembered, were first cousins. 

Destiny put me in the spotlight to relate with Oba Erediauwa in person when between 1999 and 2007, I had the good fortune to serve Edo State as Chief of Staff to the Governor and Secretary to the State Government, respectively. Like my father, I had the honour and privilege to work closely with the Oba. I was a regular visitor to the palace. 

I am gratified that every encounter I had with the Oba was an enriching experience. He was a father and a mentor rolled into one. He was witty, pleasant and full of wisdom. The Oba appreciated life and people beyond the boundaries of traditional engagement and culture. He demonstrated this on several occasions. Many times I met him, he asked after my General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, whom he told me he admired, especially the way he preached and thus devoted time to listen to him. 

The Oba was full of pleasant surprises of which I was a beneficiary. He surprised me by sending me gifts. One memorable occasion was when he sent Chief Obamwonyi (Esere of Benin) to give me a large cash gift – a gesture which completely left me baffled at his level of generousity and kindness. I remember asking why the money was sent to me. The simple but deep answer was that the Oba was pleased with me. I will forever cherish the memory of that day. 

On the 27th day of January, 2007, the Great Oba conferred on me and some other Benin achievers certificates of honour personally signed by him. The certificate, which hangs conspicuously in my office, remains one of my most prized possessions. 

I pray that the Almighty God, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords grant our beloved Oba an eternal rest. 

To the Crown Prince, the Pleasant Sun ascending; our hope and the future of our people, we pledge our unalloyed love and loyalty. 

•Ize-Iyamu, a pastor and politician, sent this article from Benin City, Edo State.

SOURCE: http://tribuneonlineng.com/oba-erediauwa-a-connection-to-cherish-for-a-lifetime