Chris Osa Nehikhare

By Jethro Ibileke

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has been severely criticized and castigated for demolishing some critical infrastructures in Benin, the state capital. Among such infrastructures are the Benin Central Hospital, built in 1894; the Benin City Library, built during the administration of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion; and the former hostel buildings of the State School of Nursing. Some other public buildings are alleged to have been lined up for demolition.

Many tongues have been set wagging against Mr Obaseki, “for the wanton destruction of those critical infrastructures” built many years ago with taxpayers’ money.

Reacting to this, the State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, however, sees things differently. According to him, the demolitions done by Obaseki is giving a face-lift to the master plan lined up by Governor Obaseki for the benefit f the Edo people. And, according to him, coming generations will thank the government of Godwin Obaseki for it, but they also want the people of this generation to see what they are doing and also appreciate the government.

He said:

Journalists use very catchy words like critical infrastructures being pulled down. But, as a resident of Benin, Edo state, you can attest to the fact that what you called a library at that time was not a library. It was a building that was named a library, but it wasn’t a library in all the sense a library should be, it was just a building that was there. There were no books, it wasn’t functional as a library should be, and it was right in the heart of Benin City in a business hub. In the same building, you have a canteen. The truth of the matter is that it was not befitting of a mega city that Edo is poised to be.

What the government did was to have a plan. When you look at the place the library was situated, you will see what is going on today and I think that is more of a critical infrastructure than what you called a library. In that edifice that we have there today, you will discover that we are building what they call a mall in the United States of America, or, a mega supermarket.

There is a modern library coming up in the building on that hub. If you have taken time to look at the project postals in that area today, you will discover that a library is one of them. So, what we have done is to remodel and bring to the 21st century, a purposeful-built library for all its intents and purposes to act as a library for the youths and academic people of Edo State. We’ll have a digital library there, we’ll have librarys for hard books, we’ll have all the have all the modern communication equipment that a library is supposed to have. It will be in an area where children, youths and adult will like to go to.

We do not have a building as it was in the past where it was a joke for you to go there. That area is being given a face-lift befitting the master plan which we have lined up for Edo state, for the benefit of Edo people. If it is the library you’re missing, I’m sure in the nest six months, you’ll have a fantastic library there.

Former Doctors’ Quarters, along Ezoti Street:
Edo state government does not bring down buildings that have purpose. I’m not aware and I don’t think Edo state government has any plans to bring them down.

Central Hospital:
I’m sure you also realize that the Central Hospital has been relocated, and we are building a modern 5-Star Hospital at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, down Sapele road. You also know that around that area, we have the State School of Nursing. So, that is going to be our health hub. The place is already open to patients, it’s going at a very fast pace, the hub will soon be complete.

What we are doing is, we have reformed healthcare system in Edo state. We are equipping 20 new Primary Health Centres in Benin City alone, so that when our mothers want to have children, they don’t come to Central Hospital as we used to know it; they can now go to any of the primary health centers to have their babies.

Don’t forget that the Edo Specialist Hospital is also there, it is part of government hospitals. With the way we’ve reformed the health system, primary health centers are being equipped and they are functional to the extent that some of them do provide Telly-medicine. They are equipped with solar power, computers and internet facilities, so that our people can have access to the best doctors and medical care withing the system. We now have the Central Hospital now relocated to Stella Obasanjo Hospital to provide secondary medical attention.

This is a deliberately done, where the health hub of the state is moved to one area. We have the School of Nursing, School of Health Technology and the Hospital. It is a deliberate plan.

Don’t also forget that where we had the central hospital pre 1897, was part of where we had our palace, including where you have the prison (Correctional Centre). That is why Edo state government is converting that whole area to a cultural district.

We are building Edo Musium of West African Arts (EMOWA) in that site that you called the central hospital we brought down. All these things are not done for fun, but for a specific reason, it will be part of our master plan.

The cultural district is going to have institute for research and all sorts of things on Edo history. That is where all this buildings you were talking about will come in. They will be renovated to fit into the cultural district plan.

All the way from there, you have the national museum at the Ring Road, the Royal Museum which is coming up. That makes it the cultural hub of Edo State. We are going to create the cultural corridor, so that when you leave there, all the way through Edo  central and Edo north, historical sites, tourist sites, so that when the tourists come, we are envisaging that about 100,000 visitors from around the world will be visiting us in the next five years. If each of these people spend just 1000 dollars in our system, Edo will be the second most economically-viable city in the country. Tourism is the aim, that is why we called it cultural center.

We are also developing what we call The Moat Walk. We’re trying to make sure our moats are passible. We are developing the rain forest around the museum, so that when people come, they will know that we have pre-modern civilisation. When there were no roads, what we had was

The coming generations will thank the government of Godwin Obaseki for it, but we also want the people of this generation to see what we are doing and also appreciate this government.