40 More Artefacts Are Expected from Sweden, Says Benin Monarch

* As Marwa visits Oba Felix Omoh-Asun in Benin City Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, on Wednesday disclosed that 40 more artefacts looted from the Oba’s palace during the British invasion in 1897 were expected in Benin City within the week. The monarch, who spoke during the visit to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), in Benin, said the artefacts were coming in from Sweden. According to him, a delegation will be going to Lagos, to receive more artefacts. “More and more artefacts are coming, the delegation will be handed over 40 artifacts from the Swedish Museum.” Oba Ewuare scolded those he said wanted to reloot the artefacts. He said: “We battled prospective relooters of our artefacts, we battled them.” He noted that: “The palace relentlessly battled the re-looting of our artifacts by the people who tried to re-loot what was looted. “They wanted to re-loot it again, and I vowed that by the will of God, by the strength of God, the power of God Almighty himself, and our ancestors to give me the wisdom to always carry on the responsibility on my shoulders, because I vowed that it can never happen while I’m on the throne. By the grace of God, we prayed and it worked.” Responding to Marwa’s request to be a drug abuse ambassador, Oba Ewuare II, who acknowledged the importance of collective efforts in addressing societal challenges, commended the NDLEA chairman for his efforts against drug abuse and other social problems. The traditional ruler said he had a suggestion for improving the agency’s work and would communicate it privately to Marwa. “I have a suggestion I will make in writing that I will not want to say here in public to NDLEA, as my own thinking on how to improve the work of NDLEA,” he said. Earlier, Marwa, who with was with Edo State NDLEA Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, and other officers, disclosed that the agency has introduced a new pillar in drug control – Alternative Development – targeted at communities cultivating cannabis. According to the NDLEA boss, of the 16 million kilogrammes of illicit substances seized in the last six years, 75 per cent was cannabis, which is cultivated in Nigeria, with Edo State being one of the cultivating states. “We have introduced alternative development as a strategic pillar in which we are appealing and persuading the growers of cannabis to desist from illicit cropping and plant cassava, yam, corn, legitimate crops,” Marwa said. He said the growers themselves have confided in the agency that they are grateful for the initiative. “Even though there is more money in cannabis than these illicit crops, at least they will have peace of mind when they cultivate. The other one gives them money but they are perpetually ill at ease in their homes with their families for fear of NDLEA. If a cockroach moves or rats in their house, they all jump out and start looking for a way to escape,” he said. Marwa said Nigeria is the first country in Africa to adopt the strategy, adding that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has welcomed it, and the Federal Government has adopted it as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda – to move illicit croppers from crime to legitimate businesses. Under the programme, Marwa said the Federal Government, NDLEA and state governments will support the communities with inputs and other interventions to make their livelihoods more sustainable – fixing roads, schools, clinics and water supply. He disclosed that the pilot project has already started in Ondo State in three communities, supported by the Federal Government, with the governor of Ondo State personally part of the launch. “We feel that the second state that we should try this alternative development is Edo State. I’ve presented it early this morning to His Excellency the governor and he welcomed it. Anything legitimate that can control drug use and trafficking is something to be welcomed,” Marwa said. He also recalled the Oba’s historic curse against human trafficking and other crimes in the Kingdom, noting that it had helped to reduce the menace. He appealed to the monarch to extend the same moral authority to the fight against drug trafficking, kidnapping and other vices in society. “From here we seek your royal blessings and support throughout this kingdom for the communities to stay away from drug trafficking and drug trading,” he said. He therefore appealed to the Oba of Benin to continue to lend the weight of the throne to the campaign against drug abuse, to protect the youths of the kingdom and secure the future of the state. “We seek your Royal Majesty’s blessing on this alternative development. Once again we are very grateful to have been given this audience on this special day,” he added. Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, described drug abuse as a driver of cultism, kidnapping and other violent crimes. He spoke on Wednesday at Government House, Benin City, when he received a delegation of the agency led by Marwa. Okpebholo said the war on drug trafficking and substance abuse could not be won by government alone. According to him, security agencies and members of the public must play their part. He said drug abuse remained a major concern for his administration because of its link to crime across the state. “Drugs are totally our enemies, and we have to fight them,” the governor said.