Remembering Bishop Esau: The Radio Afficionado from Sabongida-Ora

 by Eromose Ileso 

These words "This is Bishop Esau from Sabongida-Ora" was a familiar routine every morning across radio stations in Benin City, Edo State for several years. They were the words of an avid radio devotee from the headquarters of Owan West Local Government Area. Sadly, that pristine voice from Sabongida-Ora of the most devoted radio listener and contributor in living memory would no longer be heard across the air waves. 

This was a unique man with many beautiful qualities. In the words of Efe Osafomwan, "He was not an On Air Personality in a media house, but he was more popular than an OAP". 

His was a voice heard cross Independent Radio, KU FM, Speed FM, EBS Radio, Radio Nigeria, Bronze FM and on Television just to mention, but a few. He was more than an OAP.

His consistency at listening and contributing to radio programme through phone calls on a daily basis remains unparalleled in my years as a radio listener. 

For years, especially for the working days early morning programme such as Man Around Town on Independent Radio, he was always the first caller to contribute on a range of topics, and the man seldom had difficulties in getting his calls through. They always connected. His first caller stint wasn't restricted to the above programme. On TV, he was also a regular contributor on Politics Today, a programme on ITV that airs on Saturday mornings.

He was regarded as part of the crew on the morning talk show Waka About on EBS Radio. And again, he was always the first caller. It was so from Mondays to Fridays.

As a result of his unbroken daily first caller slot on radio programmes, other listeners actually thought there was a foul play on the part of the radio stations. On at least two occasions, while listening to Man Around Town and Waka About on EBS Radio, I heard a caller complaining on the fact that Bishop Esau was always the first caller. Some of them wrongly thought that the radio station was engaging in foul play for him to consistently be the first caller not just for days, months, but for years. Who could blame them for suspecting foul play? Several listeners try to put calls across on daily basis to these programmes, but they don't get through. I have heard several callers lamenting that they had been trying the above mentioned radio programmes for years, but are unable to get through. But here was a man, whose calls always connected every day uninterrupted. This was unique on his part.

However, passion is the driver of  innovation. As it turned out, Bishop Esau's calls always went through, because he had a method that enabled him to 'easily' get his calls across. In the words of Efe Osafomwan in one of Man Around Town shows in September, Mr Esau’s son mentioned the fact that his father had four phone lines with which he used to make his calls. And he used these lines to put calls across to these radio programmes simultaneously whenever their lines are opened to listeners.  So the one that gets connected is what he uses to contribute on the day. While other listeners used just the one line or at most two phone lines, here was a man that used four lines at once. Talk about living your passion.

There was also the fact mentioned by Efe Osafomwan as told to him by Mr Esau's son, that he had a unique transistor radio that seldom had issues with getting good reception.

His contributions on radio, weren't restricted to early morning shows. Sometime in 2018, I was listening to MC Fasodo on Independent Radio on a Monday night. This was between 10pm to 11pm. To my surprise, Bishop Esau called into that programme. I asked myself on the day, "does he ever take a break?"

A unique feature about this contributions on radio, were that it wasn’t one-dimensional. He was a very sound and intelligent man. A mass communicator. There was no topic he could not have a say on. He was not just a social critic or public affairs analyst. He contributed on sports too. This I knew through his phone calls on sports shows on Bronze FM.

In 2018, by happenstance, I came about listening to Radio Nigeria National 4pm news. They were summarising the Saturday Morning programme, part of it was the contribution of callers. As it turned out, Bishop Esau was one of the contributors that day. I heard his voice.

What more can I say about this great Nigerian? Many listeners never knew him in person, including myself, but if there was one voice that had so a great influence on radio in Edo State, outside certain popular OAPs, it was his. The sheer number of listeners that have commiserated with his family on radio is a testament to this. These listeners never knew him in person. They knew his voice. Through his voice, they knew whose he was.

On the Monday, September 14, 2020 when news of his demise was announced on radio, one guest on Waka About on EBS Radio, made a comment thus, "I always hear him on radio, I don’t know him, but I always wondered how he gets the airtime to always make those sheer number of calls everyday". 

I have never seen such devotion from a radio listener & contributor. He was a unique man. That his voice reverberated far and wide didn’t go unnoticed.

And there was something pristine about his introduction whenever he called in, "Bishop Esau and Sabongida-Ora" always went together. He practically did more in putting Sabongida-Ora on the map than anybody else from that grand old town in the last couple of years.

Another side of Bishop Esau, was his generosity. A crew member on Waka about on EBS Radio, mentioned how he usually sent airtime to crew members in particular to Pharmacist Airen, a contributor that gives health talk on the programme on Mondays. Among other contributions he made. He was undoubtedly a man with a large heart and a very patriotic Nigerian.

Bishop Esau was a retiree who was a firm believer in Nigeria. Though, from the interview his wife and son granted to Waka About on EBS Radio, two days after his demise on Monday, September 14, 2020 the Nigerian system ultimately let him down in his last days. The bitterness of his son was palpable when he spoke from Sabongida-Ora on that day. 

He narrated how poor the response from the medical personnel on duty were at the Accident and Emergency Ward of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital when Bishop Esau was transferred there.

In his words “the health care system is not really good. He struggled well, well, the first hospital in Sabongida-Ora couldn’t detect what was wrong with him, it was at Irrua what was wrong was detected. Bringing him to Irrua was not easy, as the road was terrible. When we got to Irrua, the emergency system was terrible. Somebody said, is because he didn’t come with in an ambulance. . .its very unethical, the thing do good na, they will be shouting at people . . ., even the security they are not nice, they need to be thought ethics”.

In the words of his wife, on that Monday, "My husband fought to stay alive".

A testament to how many missed him, was revealed on the eve of the Edo State governorship election. On Friday September 18, 2020. A listener called into Rush Hour. An evening programme on Independent Radio. 

These were the caller’s words "One person wey pain me wey no go see this election na Bishop Esau from Sabongida-Ora". That struck me. Life indeed is ephemeral.

That was the only reason that listener called in that day. He belonged to the several group of persons who cherished and appreciated the contributions of Bishop Esau. 

Will there ever be such a voice on radio in Edo State? One so devoted, so consistent, so patriotic, so passionate, and so generous!

He died on Saturday, September 12, 2020,leaving behind his wife, a son and two daughters. His funeral activities takes place this weekend: October 2-3, 2020 at Sabongida-Ora, Owan East Local Government, Edo State.

 

 

Instant Messaging Apps You Should Get for Secure Conversations

Guess post by Jeff Anderson of Techwarn.com

image from pixbay.com

The internet is truly a land of possibilities.

Back in the days of EDGE, the best that we could do was send SMS texts to one another. Fast forward to the launching of 3G and 4G networks, and we now have instant messaging apps to change the game. 

That has not only brought about a higher level of convenience but a more cost-effective way to keep in touch with one another.

However, not all IM apps are for you. Some are safer than others, and you will be better using those. If you care about your data privacy and security, that is.

We have made a selection of some of the most secure options out there today.

image from pixabay.com

Criteria for Selection

No, we did not just choose these apps based on the fact that we like them. After all, what we feel for the applications will not protect us in the case of a data breach or hack.

image from pixabay.com

Thus, we have based this selection on the following:

●       End-to-End Encryption

image from pixabay.com

Relatively unknown in the commercial messaging space before, many providers started to bring end-to-end encryption to their messaging platforms in the year 2016. Since then, these companies have been working hard on improving how their E2E encryption systems work.

What this means is that the conversation is encrypted on both sides. That way, no one other than the communicating parties can see what is being sent and received on that chat server.

To make this happen, the companies behind the IM services have launched a protocol that automatically generates encryption keys for every chat. These keys are safely stored away too so that the chats cannot be decrypted with them.

Chats mustn't just be encrypted on one end but both so that the other end does not serve as the weak link to expose all the chats in the case of a hack.

●       Biometric Sign-in

image from pixabay.com

For this, the first round of thanks needs to go to smartphone OEMs from all around the world for the good work that they have done in the way of biometrics. Even though there are still some flaws in the system, it is better than what used to be available anyways.

To that end, some of the IM apps on this list have also incorporated biometric sign-in into their protocols. 

For services like WhatsApp, you don’t need to sign in every time as long as your number has been associated with the account on the phone. However, you can secure the opening of the chat app better when you are required to use your face or signature to get into it.

●       Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication recently became a common feature on most IM apps.

With that, it becomes impossible for a hacker to take complete control of another person’s account on another device. That has been an issue with some chat applications in the past, but not anymore.

We also love the implementation of 2FA on some of the apps in this list. So that you do not forget your code, the app will require you to re-enter it from time to time

This way, you are guaranteed never losing access to the account – or your special protection code.

image from pixabay.com

●       User Interface

Of course, this does not contribute to the safety and privacy that these apps offer. However, would you use a highly secure yet clunky instant messaging service?

Thus, we have ensured the picks here are as intuitive as can be. They are also some of the best designed messaging apps you can download. Finally, they offer all that a basic IM app should allow you.

So, besides sending just text, you can also share media.

●       Free

You don’t have to pay to start using IM apps. That you want to communicate securely does not mean you have to pay for the service either.

While some of these apps might be testing features for monetization in the future, we have a unique pick that is completely non-profit. Let’s not let the cat out of the bag at this point though.

image from pixabay.com

Our Top IM Picks for Privacy

Now that you know the rationale behind our choices, here are the ones that we came up with: 

1 iMessage

To start with, anyone that has been in the Apple ecosystem for a while now will agree that the company is highly dedicated to user data privacy and security. This is the same for the current CEO of the company, Tim Cook, and that desire for safety has trickled into all the products and apps which they have developed.

One of such products is the iMessage

To start with, both iMessage and the associated FaceTime (for video calls) are operated on an end-to-end encryption model. This is so strong that even Apple cannot read the messages that are being sent in your conversations.

On top of that, the company has provided the option to have your messages automatically deleted after a while on your phone. Depending on your preferences, you can set the messages to expire after 30 days, a full year or that they remain on the device till you manually delete them.

Finally, Apple insists that the iMessage apps that allow you to share pictures, videos and stickers have no access to either your chat or contact information. They are only given enough permissions to do what they have to do, and that is it.

2 WhatsApp

image from pixabay.com

For a service that has come to be the favorite of more than 1.5 billion users from all over the world, strong data privacy is expected.

We have already mentioned the option of signing in with biometrics up there, so we will not flog that anymore. You can also choose to have a passcode instead if you do not trust your biometric data.

Following that, WhatsApp also introduced end-to-end encryption in 2016 – and they have been improving the security of that platform ever since. To buttress that, they brought a two-factor authentication system that allows users to keep control of their account even if they lost the device/ exposed some of their sign-in requirements.

There are also plans to bring expiring messages to the WhatsApp platform for everyone. This will allow you to set how long a message can stay for, after which the user does not see it anymore. That surely brings a higher level of security and trust to the chats you are having with contacts.

Like iMessage, though, WhatsApp optionally backs your chat up to the cloud. If there were ever a cloud account hack, you could risk losing some of your sensitive data too.

3 Telegram

image from pixabay.com

Telegram is that social messaging app that did not come to play.

They were one of the first third-party IM app providers that identified security as one of the biggest things to have in such apps. Ever since, they have been focused on a model of speed and security.

We don’t need to talk about end-to-end encryption as it is a standard across all Telegram chats. We also need to laud the fact that they do better than the remaining apps on this list when it comes to deleting messages.

On Telegram, you can order your messages to be deleted from the other end of the conversation too – making it more secure for leaving no trails.

Furthermore, Telegram has been using expiring messages for long now. That way, users can send sensitive messages that will self-destruct after a while. All that sounds like mere cool stuff, but they are at the heart of your data privacy and security.

 4 Signal

If you heard that there was an instant messaging app that Edward Snowden trusts, wouldn’t you trust it too? That is the simple story with Signal.

Now that you know this, we can stop talking about it and just ask that you take the app at face value. We won’t do that, though.

Thus, we should let you know that the app is a brainchild of developers who started the company as a non-profit. This means they don’t have plans of monetizing in the future, so they don’t have to leave backdoors for marketers which can be exploited by hackers.

To back up their story is Brian Acton – the co-founder of WhatsApp – who donates generously to their cause. Seeing as Brian left Facebook (after the WhatsApp acquisition) just because he didn’t agree with them on privacy issues, that also tells you why his backing of this app means a lot.

Chatting Securely

As we said, you don't need to purchase any special IM app just to chat safely with your contacts. For better security against hacks, though, it is recommended that you layer your internet connection with a VPN.

Make sure you subscribe to one of the most secure VPN out there so that you don’t protect your data one way only to lose it the other way.

Over to you guys now. Which of these apps has been your daily chat driver, and why?

image from pixabay.com

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Benin City Crusade 1999: Remembering Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke

by Eromose Ileso

On 7 December 2019, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke founder of Christ for All Nations (CfaN) closed his earthly chapter, when he transited to glory. In that earthly chapter were bevies of different pages. In one of those pages was his visit to Benin City 20 years ago for the great Gospel crusade. The crusade held from 5-9 October, 1999 at the Garrick Memorial Secondary School ground opposite the Ekhewan Campus of the University of Benin.

At the time, it was his first visit to Nigeria since the 1991 planned crusade in Kano sparked religious riot. As a result, that 1999 crusade in Benin City was unique in more ways than one.

There was frenzy and great anticipation in the air all over the city as the crusade drew near. Such large gathering of Christians and non-Christians alike especially one brought about by one man outside Edo State had not been witnessed by many including me up to that moment. The Deputy governor Mike Ogiadohme at the time had indicated that it was indeed the largest gathering of any kind in the state. 

A year earlier, in my local church assembly, a group or cell as some opt to call it was established. It had an evangelistic mandate to follow-up new comers and new converts. I had joined it when it was formed. As a result, a year later, when counselors were selected that would attend to the harvest of souls that was being anticipated at the crusade, I was picked as a counselor. There was an identification card with the bearer’s name and name of church inscribed on it. 

On the days of the Crusade, churches that were part of it, had designated points, with the CfaN booklets "Now That You are Saved" as well as the a new converts decision form attached to it to take the personal details of these new converts.

The crusade held just four months after Nigeria moved out from the clutches of military rule, and such large gathering was uncommon and unprecedented. Another thing that stood out, was the sophistication of the equipment used using the crusade. The nature of the sound system meant the speakers could be held for miles, as far as Ring road and beyond. The stanchion used in elevation of the huge sound speakers was also a new innovation many hadn't seen before for a crusade.

The unity of purpose among church leaders was evident too, as most worked together to attain the aim of reconciling people to Christ during the event.

It was interesting doing this in those days. The passion was infectious. The body of Christ at the time had a focus and, it hadn't attained most of the notoriety that it is associated with these days, because of those that have continue to desecrate the faith by their unbiblical acts and omissions. The core focus then was the ministry of reconciliation. Bringing people to Christ was what drove most Christians at the time. While, this still largely hold sway, the spirit of discernment has become an absolute necessity to know the genuine worshipers of God.

The city of Benin was willing and this was evident by the enthusiasm displayed by all and sundry. Even the downpour that visited the city during the week of the programme did not dampen the spirit. So it was, in the days of the crusade, the ground was packed with thousands of people who came from far and near. As vehicles were mostly restricted after the close of each day, I engaged in my own share of trekking at the time from Ekhewan road through Edebiri, to Plymouth and subsequently through to Ring road to board a bus home. 
On one of the nights of the crusade, after the close of that day's session, I stopped by at the home of a mentor the late Engineer Noble Egharevba, whose flat at Edebiri was just a few yards from the crusade ground, and it was a route that huge crowds walked through at the close of each day’s session. He wasn't at home, but his Mum whom we fondly called Mama J was. So it was an extension of seeing him with her around.

Those where days when there was no mobile phone, so the problem of being mugged and losing your mobile device at night while in a large crowd wasn't an issue at the time.

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke had a patent simplistic way of preaching the gospel and breaking it down for everyone to grab the message he was passing across especially his audience. He shared a light moment during the Benin crusade that the crowd on the days he preached became accustomed to. During his sermons, he always exclaimed using the letter "eee" in a drawn-out fashion. An expression the crowd later picked up and always squeaked along with him, whenever he uttered it. He observed the crowd was amused by it, so during the course of the crusade, he used it several times, and when the crowd quipped along, he always had a pristine grin. It was a moment that the interpreter also found amusing. He preached on the opening night, while Peter Vandenberg mounted the podium the following day.

While the Benin City crusade held in the evenings, the Fire Conference for church workers and ministers commenced the morning of the following day. It held at the headquarters of the New Covenant Gospel Church. I attended a session. The place was crammed. Besides, the time the auditorium was dedicated in May, 1994 by Archbishop Benson Idahosa, as well as the several meetings held there when it was still under construction; it was the highest number of people to have gathered at the auditorium as a completed edifice. The gallery, basement, and entire ground floor were packed. The same could be said of those that couldn't find a place to sit inside. There were television monitors everywhere including at the basement where I was. 

On the final day of the conference, Reinhard Bonnke did something extraordinary. He laid hands on everybody in attendance in that meeting. Because of the sheer number of people there that day, he stood on a table by the pulpit which enabled him to stand some feet above the floor, so as people walked by his left and right side this enabled him to put his hands on the heads of two persons at once. It made the process faster. Everything was organised, those in the gallery and ground floor were the first people he attended to, before those of us at the basement were ushered into the auditorium in a queue of two to be touched by him. While, he did this, Pastor Jude a gospel singer from Church of God Mission, sang for hours with such panache and fervour that day.

An unsavoury episode of the Benin crusade twenty years ago that relatively took the shine off the programme was the demise of several persons on the opening night of the event. This was due to a stampede. I wasn't aware that such an ugly incident occurred until well into the second day of the programme. It was a sad episode. However, everything regarding the programme eventually passed off without incidence. There was always an announcement during subsequent nights after that incident urging people to thread carefully while leaving the ground.

The impact of the great Gospel crusade on Benin City had the time was enormous. The crusade came at the dawn of a new millennium, which meant it was timely. And as a result, thousands of persons entered the new millennium in the new birth. I could still recall the size of new converts’ forms that my group as well as others had to sort out for effective follow-up.

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke traversed the length and breadth of Africa, turning people to Christ. In this, it would always be said in the annals of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ on the continent that this great man walked through Benin City in his life time. A page that would always be captured in the chapters of his life on Earth.

The Parable of the Cab Man

by Eromose Ileso

It was a hot afternoon on 26 March, 2019. The sun enveloped the horizon like the burning furnace of a bakery oven; I had just walked out of the Benson Idahosa University Campus at Ugbor, as part of my itinerary in that part of town. At the gate, while I waited for a cab, several taxis drove from the adjoining streets from where they had picked up passengers from various destinations to the BIU campus gate which is the last bus stop for most commercial vehicles that ply that route. As I stood by the gate, a cab man spotting a white singlet and a blue jean, had just arrived from one of his trips, parked his taxi at a vantage position, few metres from the gate, and a little over three minutes later, he started having a heated exchange with a fellow cab man. He was shouting on top of his voice, and using expletives on the other man. He told the other guy, “is it because you see me dey drive taxi”. Me and you no dey the same level” you dey craze” “many of my school mates from university na lecturer for this university.” He went on and on. The other guy, just kept repeating one sentence, “na mental stress dey wori you”.

For some reason, not known to me, he fastened his eyes on me with a forlorn gaze, while he continued his foul mouthed exchange with this other cab man. Another cab man, sought to intervene to calm down both parties, when he told the other guy, “rest na for the mata, you no know am”. So as he bellowed Ring road, I approached him to know his last stop, it was the Oba’s Palace, but he promised he would dropped me by the street where Bob Izua lives. Before we left, while other passengers had joined the ride, he continued his exchange of words with his fellow cab man. As he drove through the Government Reservation Area, he told me his story. First, he asserted that, these drivers in the park, because, they see you driving taxi with them, they tend to classify you as just another ‘bloody taxi driver’ without being oblivious of your story. Of course everybody has a story to tell. He who tells is the person that is heard.

It turned out, he is a graduate of English Education, who was initially into teaching of secondary school students, but opted to be a cab man, when he could not make ends meet with his teaching job. He talked with gusto about one of his teachers who taught him while he was in secondary school; he mentioned the man’s name and the style of composition he taught him. The popular formula of “Introduction, Body and Conclusion.” He said this had stuck to him since he left school. The reason, he brought up his teacher’s name during our conversation, was that he used it as a nexus. He saw his teacher in a pitiful state that suggested a likelihood of insanity, because of the ragtag state he was in. He felt pained, that such an intelligent man that imparted his life so much, was in such a state, but that was not enough reason for him not to respect the man, especially taking into consideration, the knowledge the man still possess, despite his current state of mental health. It is this he says riled him, with the other cab man, as the guy had continually shown a tendency to disrespect him. I kept on saying to him, that I understood him, and that I knew the position from which he spoke. As it was clear that his annoyance stemmed from the Nigeria situation.

As he drove through Ihama road, he talked about how he could have turned to illegal activities to get money, but he decided to toll the path of honest living and not manifest evil works. He spoke glowingly and passionately about the number of students he had taught while he was a teacher. He mentioned one of his students, a girl that hired the cab driver he had an exchange with. He alluded to the way the girl in question had venerated him, because he was once her teacher, while the other cab man was almost on his knees to earn the girl’s patronage.

As he left Airport road to link up with Upper Ezoti Street by the back of the Oba’s Palace, he pointed to the house of the principal of the secondary school he attended to me, and mentioned his name, but that the man was now late, having died several years ago. I asked him whether he grew up around the Oba’s Palace area? It turned out; he is an ‘Ogbe guy’ as those that grew up around that area are typically referred to.

While, he was dropping me off at my stop, a young teenage girl walking with a little boy passed by his car, and greeted him, ‘good afternoon Sir”, he said to me, that was one of the students I taught.” As I was alighting from the cab, I thought of what to say to him, because I would never know why he was so open about his personal life that day, combined with the fact that he had gazed at me several times, while he rained insults on the other cab man. He was still parked by the road, and not in any hurry to leave as most cab man usually does, ostensibly waiting for me to say something. When I finally came down from his cab, as I stood by the door, I shook his hand and said to him: “More grace, it is only a matter of time.” The manner he held my right hand with his two hands and thanked me, dawned on me that those words meant a lot to him. Like he needed a measure of reassurance that within the Nigeria sphere, where nothing is easy for the common man, he could still attain his dreams.

The question then is, what did this encounter portray?

It showed the lamentable state of Nigeria, where there are now more graduates driving taxis to irk out a living than at any time in the country’s economic history. In most cases, if not all, the decision by these classes of persons to be a private cab man wasn’t down to choice, but purely based on circumstances. All over the place, there are several brilliant and sound Nigerian graduates of various disciplines who for lack of jobs have resorted to driving cabs own by them, by the way.

Four days earlier, I was in another cab, being driven by a graduate. I knew he was one, because while the passengers discussed about the just concluded elections, especially the plight of corpers who had not been paid for the job they did as well as those that lost their lives. He stated that, when he served in Anambra state in 2013, he opted against working as an ad hoc staff for INEC despite being amongst those chosen and trained for the task, because according to him, he wanted to save his life, and return to his family in one piece.

All over the country, there are several Nigeria University and Polytechnic graduates who are now full time or part-time cab drivers, some for lack of available jobs, others, after losing their jobs, had decided to use it as a means to make ends meet.  

In the past, it was popular for most Nigerians, to claim that, “the job wey Nigerians no go gree do for 9ja, na dem dey go do for Oyinbo land like the ones wey dey drive taxi’  That adage used to be a popular line by some who had sought to argue that Nigerians should stay back home to do jobs that ordinarily belies their status as graduates. Now in Nigeria, there are now Bachelor and Master Degree holders driving taxis. So the aforementioned adage has been taken over by events.

Just like that cab man at Ugbor, who asked when his situation would change from being a cab man, there are also several underemployed Nigerians in the same situation who are asking the same question daily.

Interestingly, I ran into the cab man in question again on 6 April, 2019 in his signature white singlet and blue jean. For reasons best known to him, he called me a pastor. And he said it multiple times. I boarded his cab to Ring Road again. As it turned out, he wasn’t in a reflective mood this time, but rather he was vivacious this time around, narrating his experiences with several of his passengers and the gist he had scooped from them over time some of which were unpleasant to the ears.

Using this cab man as a case study in relation to my second meeting with him, it showed another side of the average Nigerian, that despite the difficulties that many face daily, especially those that are either unemployed or underemployed, within the quest for survival, there is always room for light moments and the occasional humorous episodes that provide momentary laughter. That was the mood this cab man was in when I met him for the second time in two weeks.

The Nigerian spirit of putting up a brave face is seldom cast down, it is always willing, but the will could be sucked dry by the Nigerian situation that is lacking every bit the adequate support system for people struggling to lead a semblance of a near comfortable life. 

Professor Abhulimen Anao's key chapter in the Uniben 21st century story

by Eromose Ileso

In its near 50 year history, (currently 48 years) the University of Benin has had several Vice Chancellors. There are some whose name are remembered in infamy, while others that would always be in the exalted company of the esteemed. Professor Abhulimen Anao without a shadow of doubt belongs to the latter category.

The Professor of Accounting, now 78 was the University of Benin Vice Chancellor from 1999-2004. His ascension to the Vice Chancellorship came at a time when the ivory tower was at a crossroad in terms of a crisis of identity that stemmed from its paucity of infrastructure, to the labyrinthine state of the school's environment, and the dysfunctional condition of the internal workings of the school's administrative system.

The part he played in steering Uniben into the 21st century cannot be sniffed at, but this could be the case as there is a paucity of those who often look at history in our clime. As a student of history, I decided to look at this period in the history of the school by looking back at how the events at the time shaped the institution the way it is today.

At first, it had looked as if it would be more of the same at his ascension to that position. But a series of events set in motion a chain reaction that served as a catalyst for several aspects of the school to be revamped.

It was during his time that the University of Benin actually got a complete revamp of its infrastructure for the first time since its was founded, something only Professor Osayuki Oshodi, Vice Chancellor (2009-2014) has been able to both match and surpass.

His midas touch did not end at the school's infrastructure, but it extended to the use of technology. When Uniben became one of the first Nigerian Universities to have a website, where courses were registered online in 2002, as well as school fees paid via the online portal, rather than the manual way it was previously being done. I could remember the number of times I accompanied some friends to a cyber cafe at the June 12 Building to aid in the registration of their courses after the payment of school fees.

In a open letter to returning student on 14 October, 2002 on resumption for the 2002/2003 session, he mentioned, this feat as the Central Students Records and Processing Unit (CSRPU) which was established in 2001, became fully operational in 2002, and was fully computerized.

However, to get a clear picture of how he touched various aspects of the school, its important to take a cursory look at these areas and the series of events that sparked it.

In 1999, Nigeria returned to democratic rule under the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo, and he met on ground the Education Tax Fund which came on stream by a military degree in 1993 as part of measures to solve the problem of funding in the education sector after the ASUU strike of 1992. 

It later morphed into the Education Trust Fund. (ETF), its stayed so on till it was repealed in 2011 with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) it upshot.

However, the nexus here is that there was some measure of funding that came some institutions way during the ETF years, and it seems that of Uniben was used judiciously going by what followed afterwards in terms of projects.

A major impact project was the building of a huge plant house close to the Faculty of Medicine building, which housed three huge generating plants that were used to power the halls of residence, especially Halls, 1, 2 and 3. Whose obsolete generating plant had struggled to provide sustained power at night. The plant also powered school street lights, which allowed the campus to be lit up at night.

While that was the first major project that brought a new phase to the school. There were noticeable changes in the school's environment whose flowers were regularly trimmed, grasses cleared and the convenience of halls of residence underwent regular clean up and drains regularly unclogged.  

It brought a measure of serenity to the school environs with a touch of flora scent.

The Faculty of Medicine building which was under construction for a number of years, and had virtually been completed, before he came into office, yet lacking in some vital fittings was finally completed, and that lecturers were made to relocate to their offices there.

Then President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo was around to commission the complex. He was the lecture for most students on that day, as classes were disrupted as students and staffs flocked to the ceremony to catch a glimpse of him.

It was noticeable that, halls of residence in the school, especially the aforementioned halls and hall 4 received major face lift during his time. Besides that, the Faculty of Social Sciences, which is aptly termed "Faculty" by all who went through Uniben, and a huge building at that, also got a face lift, probably for the first time since it was built.

It was during this period that the first phase of the Faculty of Education was built. This enabled students and staffs of the Faculty to have a building of their own, after years of putting up at the Facility of Social Sciences. The popular basement also received a major facelift.

Despite all these, it was a completely different set of events that changed the face of the school forever, and the domino effects reverberated across the communities that surrounds it.

In the nighties and early 2000s, Uniben was dotted with different wooden kiosk that were scattered around. There were several in the compound of halls 1-3, others lied around the vicinity of June 12 building, directly opposite hall 4. Some were close to the Junior Staff quarters, with a popular spot called. "Dreamz"

In September, 2001, the chain of events commenced with the disqualification of a popular candidate for the presidency of the Students Union Government, in the person of Obe Rasaq, as he then was. He was a student of the Faculty of Engineering. His disqualification did not go down well with some students especially engineering students, who had a history of spearheading challenges to constituted authority. They believed the school authorities were trying to rein on his popularity. Riot broke out as a result.

That singular action by some student changed the face of the school from a point of view of business, administration, transport, admission, security and other sectors.

During the student disturbances, some school properties were damaged, including portraits/paintings at the school's Akin Deko Auditorium.

The reaction of the school authorities was swift. University of Benin was shut down, students were asked to go home and Student Unionism was banned. The reforms that followed afterwards could not have been foreseen by any ethereal seer.

First, there was a demolition of all wooden structures within the school premises. All of which housed different joints ranging from bars, restaurant, phone booths, saloons, business centres, mini mart etc. They were scattered within the school premises.

In their place, shopping complexes were built across the school. From the June 12 building, to the Faculty of Social Sciences, Basement, and Faculty of Education, these complexes were made up of stores of varying sizes that replaced the wooden structures.

Owners of the previous wooden structures, who could not match the amount to rent the new stores at the new complexes, decided to close shop altogether. This move by the school affected several business owners at the time.

The reform moved from there to the outlying communities, especially Ekosodin.

Prior to the student crisis of 2001, residence of Ekosodin could access their community through the Uniben premises. Vehicle owners and motorbike users could drive in and out of the community through Uniben. But all this stopped in 2001.

Previously, the see through white gate at the Ekosodin security post was always opened throughout for vehicles and pedestrians. But the crisis served as a reason for the gate to be replaced by a huge black gate that remains shut to this day, with just the pedestrian gate open for students, staffs and other users. But it is always shut against all users whenever there are cult disturbances in Ekosodin. Leaving the student to access the school premises through the Benin-Lagos Expressway via the deplorable Ekosodin road.

Bikes and vehicles could drive in out of Ekosodin through the gate at the time, and added to that, it was a place known as a hotbed for cultism, so the school authorities moved to prevent a steady stream and easy access of this into the school environs, so the gate was shut permanently 17 years ago.

Besides, the aforementioned two, every student of the University of Benin was made to undergo certificate screening. The screening in question was on the secondary school leaving certificates that every student used to gain admission into the University. The screening affected several students as it turned out some either had fake result, or did not meet the subject entry requirements to gain admission in the first place. Some students whose GPA had them in First class position or Second Class Upper division, were dismissed from the school. Some voluntarily left before they could be screened out.

In his letter to students in 2002, he alluded to the certificate screening staying as a school policy.

“. . . the University will at some stage during the next two years subject you to certificate screening. Students who are found to have entered with false claims are usually expelled with ignominy . . . The screening of entry certificate became institutionalized in our system when it became apparent that a sizable number of our youth today resort to faking entry requirements in order to enter university."  Professor Abhulimen Anao 14 October, 2002.

This measure was introduced out of a need to ascertain those that were ‘truly’ students of the University. Because at the time, there was a widely held belief within the school hierarchy that most of the students at the centre of the disturbances, were not really students of the school.

In the end, a measure introduced to flush out these elements turned out to rub off on some 'good' students, who bend the rules to gain admission.

Certificate screening has become a school policy. What arose out of the aches of a student riot, over the disqualification of a student Union presidential aspirant, is today a thread in every school fabric in Nigeria.

As part of the screening exercise, every student was made to depose to an Affidavit of Non membership of Secret Cults before they could be allowed back to school. Added to that, there was a cultist renunciation programme that was organised by the school authorities. Cultist, many of whom were known to the school directly or indirectly got ultimatum to either come out to renounce their membership or had their names published and lose their studentship instead of the amnesty that was a product of the voluntary renunciation.

Several students took up the gauntlet and where left off the hook.

Prior to the reforms, and before the crisis, moving around Uniben was through the use of motorbikes. There seem to be a laissez faire approach to it. They had a main park at Main gate at the spot where the present shopping complex is presently located.

In my first and part of my second year in Uniben, I went to school from home, whenever I got to Main gate, majority of the time, the bike riders were always reluctant to take student to the Law Faculty, because of the distance. And the time they would use to take a student there, was enough to make double the amount for shorter distances such as the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering, Student Affairs and the Vice Chancellor's office that were close by. They could take a passenger there, and return to Main Gate in a jiffy, which was not the case when they carried a passenger to the Law Faculty. This was always the case during the morning rush hour, when there was a plethora of passengers, so they had enough choices.

As a result, on several occasions, I had to take bike to Hall 3 car park, before walking the short distance from there to the Law Faculty. It was particularly so in Year One, when Professor Otakpor had his Introduction to Logic class that commenced at 8am. He was magnanimous enough to had given students who stayed outside the campus, the grace of coming in 15 minutes past eight when he had his class.

But this transport arrangement in Uniben, changed after that crisis. Motorbikes were banned from operating within the school. Private cars and buses were introduced.

They could convey passengers to different places within the school. A major park was built at Main Gate, with another at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The price was pegged at 10 naira at the time. Any cab had to register before operating in the school compound. While car drop was a feature for those who either had a flavour for convenience, in a rush or lacked the gift of patience.

Also, during his time, he was instrumental in ensuring that a new and bigger health centre was built, just close to the I000 LT. A lecture theatre that he completed after it had been abandoned for a number of years.

The Afrihub Computer centre was another initiative of the school at the time, as well as the Uniben Integrated Enterprises which came on stream during his time as Vice Chancellor.

Looking back at the fallout of those reforms the University of Benin authorities undertook at the time under Professor Abhulimen Anao, the fact it still reverberates in the school, reflects the significance of those actions. Though it swept many off their feet, as the saying goes, that when it rains, it falls on the good and the bad. So it was that the reform affected several persons that had nothing to do with the disturbances.

Today, when I cast my mind back at those days, you could say his coming as the Vice Chancellor the penultimate year before the commencement of the 21st century was timely. Uniben was a chaotic and disorganised place when he came in. It's various organs were not as strong as they are today. Few would have had the strong will and courage to wield such a big stick to carry out a complete revamp of the entire school structure that set the tone for what is currently being enjoyed today.

The fact that only Professor Osayuki Oshodi has built on this, fourteen years after he left, speaks volumes, and it reveals that foresight is not a gift everybody in leadership position posseses. It took the former to lay the foundations for others to built on, because gestation period in any reform is always the difficult part, after that building become seamless. That is the position of the Univeristy of Benin as at today.