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Obaseki, Oba of Benin to launch N500m education, security fund for Uneme communities

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II, are billed to lead the launch of a five hundred million naira education and security trust fund for Uneme communities in the northern part of the state, organisers have disclosed.

The event, which comes up on September 14, 2024, at the La VOD hotel in Benin, is aimed at addressing the deteriorating educational and security situations in the nine Uneme communities as well as honouring illustrious sons and daughters who have contributed to the development of their communities.

Speaking ahead of the launch, President of the Uneme National Development Association (UNDA), Prince Babatunde Obabori, said the education and security situations in the Uneme-speaking communities have become worrisome to sons and daughters at home and the diaspora, hence the need for quick intervention by the national body.

According to Obabori, Governor Obaseki will serve as the Chief Guest of Honour, while the Oba of Benin is the grand royal father of the occasion as well as host traditional rulers of Uneme communities, including the Chairman of the Uneme Traditional Rulers Council, the Oliola of Anegbette and Clan Head of South Uneme, Alhaji Yakubu Momodu Ugbodaga, and the Ogienoruele of Erhurun and Clan Head of Central Uneme, Oba Moses Omoarelogie Braimoh.

The 500 million naira funds he explained will, among others, be channelled into the renovation and furnishing of classrooms and residential accommodations for teachers, the provision of classroom furniture, the building of libraries, the purchase of library materials, and encouraging the recruitment and sponsorship of community teachers for schools in the various communities.

The rest include the provision of scholarships, grants, and bursaries to students in tertiary institutions, the establishment of a pan-Uneme security architecture, and the provision of vehicles and motorcycles for vigilante groups in the communities.

While calling on indigenes of the communities across the world to support and make donations towards the noble projects, the UNDA President outlined the benefiting communities to include Uneme-Anegbette, Uneme-Akiosu, Uneme-Apama, Uneme-Ekpedo, Uneme-Enekhua, Uneme-Erhurun, Imiava-Oghomeze, Uneme-Udochi, and Uneme-Uzanu.

Speaking further, the UNDA President declared: “Inasmuch as communities look towards the government to provide basic amenities for the people, indigenes should also learn to contribute in areas they feel aren’t getting the desired attention. A lot is on the table of governments, and sometimes we cannot continue to wait; hence, our intervention in areas we feel are very critical to the wellbeing and development of our communities and the future of our young ones.”

Also speaking, Chairman of the Planning Committee and former UNDA President, Bayo Akhigbe, disclosed that the association embarked on a similar project in 2013 that immensely promoted the education of the people with the provision of Youth Corps lodges to six of the communities and a town hall for one, while funds for the rest two were warehoused.

Bayo added that the event will be chaired by Dr. Aliyu Umaru, while the keynote address will be delivered by Professor Emmanuel Emasealu, with Chief Ernest Adeji serving as Chief Launcher.

Among the prominent personalities to be honoured are the National Network Coordinator for the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) in Nigeria, Dr. Bridget Osakwe, among others.

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