All activities,
including vehicular movement along the Benin-Lagos road, were yesterday
forced to a standstill for several hours as thousands of Bini youth
took to the streets of Benin City to protest the inclusion of the
University of Benin on the list of universities to receive Visitation
Panels by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The protesting
youth, under the auspices of Benin National Congress (BNC) also took
their protest to the palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa and Edo
State government house, saying it is strange for the Federal Government
to set up a visitation panel to the university less than two years
after a similar exercise was carried out.
The protesters called for the disbandment of the panel and threatened to continue the protest if their demands were not met.
Spokesman of the
protesters, Osaze Erhiamatoe said: “We have vowed never to tolerate
inactions that take the peaceful and hospitable disposition of Edo
people for granted, no matter who is connected with it. This is the
context with which we condemn this blackmailing mission to the
University of Benin. We wish to state pointedly that we will not take
responsibility for subsequent processions that will certainly erupt
soon after today, if this panel is not disbanded immediately.” He said
the white paper on the report of the former panel, headed by Peter
Okebukola has not been issued and wondered why a similar panel is set
up again.
“The setting up of
this panel is not unconnected with the evil agenda of political
godfathers who substantially control the affairs of federal government
ministries and parastatals; but we make bold to say that their game is
up unless they have resolved to make our state ungovernable. We find
this conduct as barbaric, satanic and inimical to the transparency
advocacies of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Therefore, we will
resist it even with the last drop of our blood,” Mr Erhiamatoe said.
