Aside from the contentious political claims of the petitioners and their motives, I was fascinated by its intention to challenge in court the various Land Acts giving the Federal Government of Nigeria absolute power to appropriate any land and its natural and cultural resources. In the field of Heritage Studies, this is an interesting proposition.
More important though, it seems no archaeologist is listed as expert or consulted in preparing the final document. The result is a number of sloppy usages of terms like "Benin Moat". We have scores of moats stretching from Benin to Esan and even Urhobo territories (Edoid, not Benin), and these even extend to the Ijebu-Yoruba area. I am sure there are many more moats buried under the thick canopies of the rainforest. The Nigerian government, through its National Commission for Museums and Monuments, has nominated these for enlisting as World Heritage sites http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/488/.
What the petitioners should have stated is that archaeologists have found scores of concentric moats in the Edoid region (not just Benin) in a 1,600km square area. The moats were built by different communities over a thousand years (ca. 500 and 1500 AD). If these moats are to be stretched and joined into a single line, it seems they would indeed come to about 16,000 kilometers in length. The only way I can explain it is this: if you were to draw a series of contiguous circles over an 8.5 by 11" paper, the total circumference of the circles will be far longer than the length or breadth of the paper.
Patrick Darling is the only archaeologist who has surveyed and mapped these moats - the largest regional archaeology ever conducted in West Africa. The result of this project is the basis of Darling's dissertation later published as Archaeology and History in Southern Nigeria: The Ancient Linear Earthworks of Benin and Ishan. Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology II, B.A.R. International Series 215. Oxford: B.A.R. 1984. For summary, see http://www.csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/africanlegacy/benin_Iya_earthworks.htm
I have walked the circumferences of some of these moats during my residence in Benin and the Esan region. I did a survey on one in Ekpoma. They are quite extensive.
Anyway, the Edo-Diaspora group should have enlisted the support of someone like Patrick Darling (and maybe they did but the write up did not reflect a professional touch). The facts being cited must be as accurate as the neglect they are petitioning. The group should mobilize grassroots support (including the traditional stakeholders) for research and preservation.
Ikhide is right that the Benin moats are almost all gone. But there are others in the hinterland that can shed more light on the question of urbanization and development of social complexity in the Nigerian rainforest belt. The work is ongoing but at a very slow pace.
As to the merit of the group's claim, I am not interested. A government that has proven incapable of facilitating the very basic infrastructure for its people cannot be bothered with heritage issues. There is a direct link between poor maintenance of elementary schools and poor maintenance of memory (or moat).
Akin Ogundiran
On Monday, February 4, 2013 1:48:16 PM UTC-5, Ikhide wrote:
--The entire petition is silly, yet another example of huff and puffery by my people. Na today? Somebody just woke up to find that there was a moat? A decent idea is ridiculed by its petitioners. You would think that they would sit down and think through this, do the appropriate research and come up with a resounding, well-written plea. No, they are in a hurry to achieve fame and wealth and so they want to blow hot grammar.
For one thing much of the moat is now gone. Our police barracks in Sapele Road was by the moat. As children, we romped around in its depths even as it was rapidly filing up with the debris from urbamization. It was mostly used to dump refuse and dead bodies and by the time I went back to look for it out of misplaced nostalgia, it was mostly gone.
They are looking for money, I won't be surprised if they have not formed a "Benin Moat for ever!" NGO so that bleeding heart Western liberals with too much money will help them out with their greed.Why the drama? Why not carve a nice plaque and nail it to a spot that still looks like a moat? Such a spot will be hard to find today, but it is what it is. What are they proposing we do, dig up the moat again? And our mates are building unmanned drones! Na yam?Nigeria! Oro pe si je!- IkhideStalk my blog at http://www.xokigbo.com/Follow me on Twitter: @ikhideJoin me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhideFrom: Mobolaji Aluko <alu...@gmail.com>
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Cc: ogun...@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, February 4, 2013 12:54 AM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: Yoruba Affairs - Benin Moat: Edo Group Gave President Jonathan an Ultimatum
Folu:One reference puts the Moat at its longest more accurately at about 1,200 kilometers - or 750 miles. After all, the Great China Wall is about 8,850 kilometers (5,500 miles) - so how can the Benin Moat ("second only to the Great Wall") be longer than the Great Wall?Also, I am also concerned at the almost militant threat to government in requests such as this...do this OR we do that. Let a "Friends of Benin Moat" be formed, and raise funds from wealthy individuals and institutions, and lobby (eg through their reps) for government to make its own contribution, I think.And there you have it.Bolaji Aluko--
On Sun, Feb 3, 2013 at 9:12 PM, Folu Ogundimu <ogun...@gmail.com> wrote:
--Folks:How could the Benin Moat be estimated at 10,000 miles in length? This is about the distance from New York to Sydney, Australia on the other side of the world! Furthest distance between two points in Nigeria is no more than 1600 miles - so you damage the credibility of your petition with simple arithmetic error. Our academics have a sacred duty to treat facts as sacrosanct.Folu
Sent from my iPadTO: His Excellency, Dr. G.E. Jonathan, President Federal Republic of Nigeria
Abuja, NigeriaJanuary 14, 2013Dear Sir,Re: Federal Government Failure to Preserve the Benin Moat and Notice of Intent to File a Legal ActionBACKGROUNDThe "Benin Moat" (iya) is the largest earthwork in the world, estimated at 10,000 miles in length and covering 2,000 square miles in area. In volume, it is surpassed only by the Great Wall of China as the largest man‐made structure in human history ‐‐ seehttp://www.csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/ . Since the 1970's it has been partially surveyed and analyzed by famous archaeologists including Graham Connah ("The Archaeology of Benin", Oxford University Press, 1975) and Patrick Darling ("The Ancient Linear Earthworks of Benin and Ishan", Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology, 1984).africanlegacy/benin_Iya_ earthworks.htm It is obvious that the Moat is the single greatest physical endeavor known in our part of the world, as well as being the clearest evidence for the antiquity and greatness of the civilization currently known as Benin Kingdom ‐‐ the most stable and respected monarchy in Africa today, and which continues to play a commendably progressive role in our political and civic life. Oral tradition says that Benin portion of the moat was originally dug by the Trojan‐like men of Benin Kingdom during the reign of Oba Oguola and Oba Ewuare the Great as a means of military defense, but other sections have been scientifically dated more than a thousand years before their time. At various times the Moat has served nonmilitary functions such as regulation of taxes, trade and commerce, and possibly also flood control. Attached to this letter is a partial map reprinted from one of the books cited above, hinting at the intricate structure of this engineering marvel.In all humility we must admit that the Benin Moat ‐‐ just like the Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Zimbabwe fort ‐‐ holds from the modern mind, generations' secrets and treasures which now must be made to manifest the riches of its glory. As patriots we are determined not to allow this priceless 'heritage to disappear through irresponsibility. A decade ago, the complex was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That was a good initial step, but now is time to follow mere words with real actions. We regret that the Federal Republic of Nigeria has done essentially nothing to rescue this national treasure from neglect, abuse and decay. This is shocking to say about the most important historical and cultural monument within the boundaries of Nigeria.PROBLEMMr. President, having painfully endured decades of government failure to study, conserve and restore the Benin Moat, we, the undersigned executive members of the Edo United for Homeland Empowerment, U S A, being dully mandated, hereby resolve and herein convey (under US Notary Public and Seal) our profound concern on this matter to you as follows.WHEREAS other Nations, blessed with less significant relics have effectively harnessed their landmarks and monuments as national symbols, the Federal government of Nigeria has ignored this greatest landmark of all;WHEREAS the Federal Republic of Nigeria, exercising its sovereignty by National legislation declared the Benin Moat a National Monument in 1961, granted same full recognition and proclaim their intension to protect and preserve the Moat, no functional conservation plan has ever existed;WHEREAS, after surveying the inner and city walls with citations (that in which indicated the highest point of the walls to be 30 ft and the ditch to be 30 feet deep), the Federal government by the Gazette of June 1st, 1967, declared the Benin Moat a National Property, however since then, no meaningful or substantial progress has been made to rescue the site from ongoing and accelerated destruction;WHEREAS the Federal government Proclamation and recognition of the Moat is in itself an act of eminent domain taking over from Local Authority, the Federal Government has neither exercised due diligence nor sent accrued royalty to the various ethnic communities who were the historic owners of this monument, in compensation for our forefathers' labor and sweat;WHEREAS severally the Benin people and the Edo State Government have made repeated passionate appeals to the Federal Government on the simple matter of restoring and preserving the Moat as required by legislation, regrettably however Benin Moat is continually collapsing with irretrievable physical damage;WHEREAS the Moat is the authentic reflection of the Benin people, their history and identity, a symbol of ancient scientific intelligence, engineering prowess and political organization, and a link to the past which could anchor the future of our people;WHEREAS our forefathers' patriotic concern to defend their land and environment is urgently needed today;WHEREAS cultural tourism is one of the leading sectors of economic growth across most of the world, and yet one of the least developed sectors in Nigeria;RESOLUTIONNOW THEREFORE, Mr. President, we intend to file a complaint on behalf of the Edo people as historic owners of the Moat, against the Federal Republic of Nigeria for failure to meet its legal obligations mentioned above. The court action will take place simultaneously in Nigeria and in International Courts, for the following violations and more: Breach of contract, Failure to fully protect the moral and cultural interest of the Edo citizens; and Denial of the Benin people's Rights to benefit from the protection of cultural material interest resulting from scientific progress (as enshrined in Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Abuse of Traditional and Cultural Heritage, for Negligent Neglect of Declared Historical Landmarks and National Monuments and finally, Dereliction of Duty and Responsibility to the Citizens.In conclusion, Mr. President, the Federal Government has several options which are not beyond reach. Either the Government should within the next three to four months embark on a genuine reclamation project of the Moat, or else it should formally relinquish statutory authority over and ownership of the Moat, transferring same to Edo State. Failing either of these two actions, we assure you that we will use all legal options to recover our historic property and thereby honor the greatness of our forefathers who constructed it and bequeathed it to us.Sincerely,SIGNEDFrank Ekhator (HRA) Chairman, Edo United for Homeland Empowerment, USA.
Omolayo Omoruyi, Secretary General
Emmanuel Okunmwendia, Treasurer
Dickson Iyawe (LLB HONS) BL Chairman, Council of Presidents of Edo National Convention Worldwide (ENAW)
Dr. G. Sam Edo (Ph D, Information Security) Biometric expert and Professor of Information Security, Boston MA
Pat Abbe (RN) Patron, Idia Ladies Club USA
Aliu Otokiti, Secretary General Benin Club of Massachusetts
Francis Edosomwan
Elder Robinson Ekhator
Dr.Kienuwa Obaseki, Board of Trustee, Edo Arts and Cultural Heritage Institute, Secretary General, Edo Okpamakhin Worldwide.
Mrs. Bridget Ekhator
Monday Adenomon
[plus 63 other signatures]CCHis Royal Majesty, Omo N' Oba N' Edo, Uku Akpolokpolor Oba Erediauwa.
Senator David Mark (GCON), Nigerian Senate President.
Comrade Adams Oshiohmole, Edo State Governor.
Hon A. Tambuwal, Speaker National Assembly
Rt.Hon. Uyi Igbe, Speaker Edo State House of Assembly
Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Secretary to Edo State Govt.
Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, the High Priest of Edo land
Chief Sam Igbe, the Iyase of Benin
Hon. Edem Duke, the Federal Minister of Culture and Tourism
Senator Ehigie Uzamare, Senator Representing Edo South
Hon.Michael Airhuoyor, Community Activist and Former Local Govt. Supervisory Counselor for Information, Arts and Culture.
Alhaji Mohammed Ighile, Human Rights Activist, Organizing Secretary, Benin Cultural Heritage Center.
Isaac Umondiagbon Agbontean, Historian, Author of the Origin of Benin People and its Dynasty.
Prof. Friday Iyoha, Former Dean Dept of Management Science, Professor of Political Science, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma.
Mrs. Abieyuwa Eribo, Special Adviser to Edo State Governor.
The Dean, Dept, of Archeology University OF Benin
Dr Victor Manfredi (Ph D in Anthropology), African Studies Center, Boston University Boston.
Irina Bokava, UNESCO Director General, Paris, France--
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