14th April, 2018
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onu at the weekend argued that science and technology originated from Nigeria.
Onu made the claim at the occasion of the public presentation of a book entitled “Ogiamien and the Illusion of Kingship”, written by the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri.
He said with the level of advancement attained by our forefathers in broze casting, there is no doubt that science and technology originated from Benin, Edo State.
He, therefore, charged Nigerians to improve on the science and technology bequeathed to us by our forefathers.
“I long visited the museum and i went to Igun Street to see the technology in the casting of these broze works of arts so as to draw the attention of Nigerians to the importance which our ancestors attached to science and technology, so that we no longer have any reasons to think that science and technology innovation is not for us but for other people,” he said.
Onu noted that our forefathers have made their marks in technology, adding that Nigerians only “need to work harder and improve even on the achievements of our ancestors.”
On his part, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, while commending the author for setting the records straight with his book, added that the author has continued to be a limelight to the people of Benin.
He called on other Nigerians to emulate his kind of person and contribute to the survival of the country.
Earlier in his speech, the author of the book, Chief David Edibiri, said the book, “Ogiamien and the Illusion of Kingship,” was written to document for posterity, the facts of a subject matter that has been of public concern in the recent times, either for lack of knowledge or a deliberate effort at distorting the facts of history.
Edebiri said the Ogiamien phenomenon in Benin history suddenly assumed a dangerous centre stage in our traditional and indeed, national discourse.
He further used the medium to call on the State and the Federal Governments to accelerate the teaching of Nigerian history in all secondary schools across the country.