The passage to the Great Beyond of Enogie of Obazuwa/Ikoro, HRH Prince Edun Akenzua, MFR, FNGE has been announced in Benin City.

The announcement was made in a public statement by Enogie of Evbuobanosa, HRH Prof. Gregory Akenzua on behalf of the Benin Royal Family.

Prince Edun Akenzua was installed Enogie of Obazuwa/Ikoro on the 1st January 1988 by the then Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba Erediauwa, CFR and gazetted as such by Bendel State Government.

Before installation the Enogie was a renowned and consummate journalist, social commentator and author of EKALADERHAN, a historical book on the origin of Obaship in Benin Kingdom.

The book effectively chronicled the travails of the Benin Prince, EKALADERHAN, the only son of the last Ogiso, Owodo to Ife. In Edun Akenzua's account, he wandered from Urhuokhokho where the royal executors released him against the king's order and settled at Ughoton. But when it became unsafe to continue living there he wandered afar and found himself in Ile-Ife where he was accepted and became king (Oba) in Yorubaland.

Ogiso Owodo later died without a heir and it plunged Igodomigodo, as Benin was known then, into crises as hostlers came on board.. The people sought Ekaladerhan after news came that he was still alive. When emissaries found him in Ife he refused to come home as he was old and already king over there. Instead he sent his son, Oromiyan, who became Oba (Yoruba term for king) but had extreme troubles ruling them.

Oromiyan nicknamed Igodomigodo Ile-Ubini (land of vexation) and went back but the Egor princess, Erinmwinde, he impregnated gave birth to a dumb son. When he later after he hit one of the mysterious marbles his father (Oromiyan) sent the child exclaimed 'Owomika, meaning'my hand has conquered.' Owomika, corrupted as Eweka, became the second Oba of Benin (Ubini).

He was the first editor-in-chief of the Nigerian Observer newspaper. He founded the defunct Akenzua Television, producing important programmes for broadcast.

The Benin Prince served as a member of Edo State Movement creation committee from 1981 to 1983, when the soldiers truncated the Second Republic.

Enogie Edun Akenzua chairmanned the Great Benin Centenary Committee that organized the commemoration of the centenary of the British invasion of Benin in 1897. In the process he visited Lisbon, Portugal who Benin had diplomatic relationship in Oba Esigie's reign in the 16th century and other European countries. The centenary brought renowned scholars and tourists from across the globe to the ancient city in January 1997.

The Enogie, when Senator David Mark was the President of the Nigeria Senate, led five ethnic groups, Benin, Itsekiri, Ilaje, Ibibio and Efik, to protest the ambition of the Ijaws to annexe their individual territories to form their own states in the Niger-Delta area.

Before his death he was the founder and chairman of Benin Leaders of Thought, a pan-socio-cultural group advancing the overall interests of Benin. He championed the repatriation of Benin artefacts scattered all over the world carted away by the Britons in January 1897, and before his death several artefacts were returned to the Palace of the Oba of Benin.

Prince Akenzua, in his lifetime, continually defended and promoted the interests of Benin Kingdom in many ramifications. He lived for eighty-seven (87) years, just fifty days before his next birthday, 15th September.

He was awarded Nigeria's national honour, Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Fellow, Nigeria Guild of Editors by his professional peers.

His Royal Highness was the uncle to current Oba of Benin, HRM Ewuare II who at a time lived with him while growing up.

Prince Edun Akenzua would be remembered for his cerebral gift in recalling long past events with ease even at old age and putting you on the edge when you come before him.

Our Enogie will surely be missed by many for his strict insistence on orderliness.

We at Otu Notedoghewii, Group for the Protection of Benin Land, says okhionwie (Adieu) to the quintessential Enogie.
Signed: Pastor (Dr) Festus Osayemwenre Egharevba, Chairman.

RIP

Sad news

Rest in peace