In “Things Fall Apart,” Chinua Achebe warns against challenging one’s chi (personal god) to a fight through the parable of Nwanza, the haughty bird. However, Godwin Obaseki, a self-proclaimed Classics graduate, failed to heed this warning.
Motivated by greed and a false sense of invincibility, Obaseki has embroiled himself in a ruinous conflict with the Benin monarchy, an institution deeply revered by the people whose support he seeks for his political godson, Asue Ighodalo.
Exposed and cornered, Obaseki now scrambles to deny the fight he started and extinguish the fire he ignited.
The conflict began over the ownership and custodianship of artefacts returned by Europeans, who, like Obaseki, displayed a blatant disregard for the people’s culture and heritage by raiding the palace and setting it ablaze.
While the Oba of Benin, the head of the Benin Traditional Council, saw the repatriation as an opportunity to rectify past sacrileges by returning the ancient items to their rightful place under the palace’s care, Obaseki viewed it as a chance for financial gain.
Driven by profit, the governor hastily engaged foreign contractors who drafted grandiose plans for a museum, while he waged a political war against the throne, attempting to seize control of the items with the dubious argument that they belong to the state, which he heads, rather than the Palace, which is led by the Oba.
Fortunately, former President Buhari, a Fulani man from Katsina, demonstrated a deeper appreciation for tradition, particularly the ancient Benin monarchy. He shunned Obaseki’s lobbying and issued a gazette that conclusively established the federal government’s recognition of the Oba as the rightful owner and custodian of the artifacts.
Humiliated and threatened by the Oba’s widespread support, Obaseki made undermining the throne his next objective. He revived a dormant 1979 law to dispute the Oba’s leadership and bypassed him for payments to dukes and representatives.
Payments to the palace were suspended and then divided among junior chiefs, who surprisingly claimed independence after a viral photo with the governor. A court case emerged, with the Oba listed as a defendant in a highly disrespectful manner. The witch’s cry was heard the night before, and the next morning, the town awoke to find a dead child. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the two events.
Although Obaseki stopped short of stepping into the ring himself, he nevertheless placed the gloves on willing puppets and guided their aim. Sadly for him, the kingdom is well-acquainted with saboteurs and their tactics. Godwin Obaseki ought to know this, given his ancestor Agho Obaseki’s swift exposure and discreditation.
The people of Benin have no doubt about who is responsible for the affront against the institution from which they derive meaning, and are prepared for a confrontation that can only end in Obaseki’s humiliating defeat and that of his allies.
Obaseki has long ruled with impunity. He demolished homes, undermined the legislature, discredited the judiciary, and drove the state into chaos in an attempt to establish a personal fiefdom where his word was law. The people endured this in silence, overlooking the justifications offered by his minions who jump at his every command.
However, he has now gone too far. He has overstepped his bounds and challenged the very fabric of the community. Like Nwanza the bird, he will be utterly defeated. His actions have sealed the fate of Ighodalo and the PDP.
