By DADA AYOKHAI
Edo State University, located in Uzairue, is making headlines once again, but this time for the wrong reasons.
Gov Monday Okpeholo’s decision to change the University’s location name from Uzairue to Iyamho recently created tensions within the historically peaceful Uzairue clan.
Barely three months into his tenure, Gov. Okpeholo seems to prioritize appeasing his political mentor, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, even at the expense of public sentiment.
Without taking the time to understand the reasons behind the University’s original designation, the governor used executive power to implement this location change.
Iyamho is the home village of Sen. Oshiomhole, who is also the leader of the Edo APC.
The change in nomenclature has raised concerns in various political circles regarding the appropriateness of the governor’s actions.
Two important questions emerge from the governor’s recent actions:
First, does he, Governor Okpebholo have the authority to unilaterally change the name of the university without consulting the state House of assembly?
Second, was any injustice done to Senator Oshiomhole that needs to be addressed if the university remains Edo University, Uzairue, instead of being renamed Iyamho?
To understand the recent name change, we must consider the history of the university.
Edo State University was established during the second term of the former governor, now Sen.Oshiomhole, through an executive bill.
In the course of the debate on this bill in 2014, the university name was named Edo State University of Science and Technology Uzairue .
Hon. Philip Shaibu, a former deputy governor who was then the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, moved the motion for its passage.
In 2015, few days before Oshiomhole left office, the second amendment occurred with the University hurriedly renamed Edo State University, Iyamho. The name change also went through the assembly but the controversy surrounding it failed to abate even after the departure of the former comrade governor
In 2016, in response to discontent over the delection of Uzairue , former Governor Obaseki enacted the third amendment using the state house of Assembly.
Interestingly, Hon. Gani Akokhia, the lawmaker representing Constituency 2, which comprises of Uzairue at the Edo state House of Assembly who should have raised the abnormalities in the assembly, remained silent for obvious reasons.
Amid the controversy surrounding the University, Sen. Oshiomhole portrayed himself as a victim of injustice owing to the change of the University’s location name from Iyamho to Uzairue
The former governor tried hard to portray himself as the victim of political persecution particularly under the former Obaseki administration.
Despite blowing hot and cold air from the same mouth, Oshiomhole, also instrumental In establishing the University, knew he could not force his way through to have the University named after his village, Iyamho. Instead, he adhered to tradition and convention by allowing it to be named after Uzairue.
It is puzzling why Oshiomhole later reversed his stance toward the end of his administration and pushed for the replacement of Uzairue with Iyamho.
He leveraged the influence of his adopted political godson, Hon. Philip Shaibu, to achieve this change.
This situation exemplifies how quickly politicians can alter their positions.
After leaving office and due to a deteriorating political relationship with Oshiomhole, Hon. Shaibu betrayed his political godfather and compelled the state assembly to revert to the status quo, changing the University’s name from Iyamho back to Uzairue.
Shaibu’s actions were justified at the time, as both Iyamho and Elele—its neighbouring village—though sharing a common ancestry, were locked in a bitter dispute over the land on which the University is situated.
Naming the University after Iyamho would have been unjust; Uzairue, as the umbrella clan, served this purpose better.
The convention of naming institutions after the larger community is not new.
For instance, the NTA station in Etsako West is named after Uzairue, even though its exact location is in Jattu.
Similarly, the only Federal Polytechnic in the Edo North district is named after Auchi, not the village where it is situated.
Governor Okpeholo opted to spite Uzairue clan to satisfy his political benefactor?
The answer to this question remains unclear.
