TO: Uncle Oko'o Ademola Iyi Eweka non ghaan,

Thank you so much for the expo on the OGUA EDION issue which I believe was a fall out of my earlier e-mail on the need to have an OGUA EDION.

If that is the case, I owe you unquantifiable thanks and appreciation for bringing me out of the jungle of misunderstanding and less understanding of the field of OGUA OGHE EDION.

With all due respect, therefore, I agree with your valued revelation of the subject. However, knowing now that "This small building in most cases, is built at the edge of the village. But sometimes, the Ogua Edion is found in the centre of the village due to development because people have built houses around the Ogua Edion"; may I convert my earlier suggestions this way:

That the ENA should take urgent steps to launch an appeal fund for a permanent structure called EDO HOUSE to serve as a general meeting place for all the Edos in the United States. This project should equally be embarked upon by all Edos in other parts of the world; that is, one Community House per country, and one OGUA EDION as per the number of Bini Association in each erea or States.

Thereafter, the local chapters of all the Bini Associations should move up to acquire a structure to be known as OGUA EDION, e.g.:

Ogua Edion in California
Ogua Edion in Michigan
Ogua Edion in London
Ogua Edion in Tokyo

Where as, you can only have one EDO HOUSE in USA, JAPAN, CANADA etc.

Those Associations who cannot afford such a project may wish to change the name of their meeting place or "Secretariat" to OGUA EDION. In the same token, how about withdrawing the English title of "PRESIDENT" and substituting it with the word "ODIONWERE" in the Bini Associations Local Cahpters, and the word "ENOGIE" for the President of the national Community houses? We will not only be preserving our customs and traditions but also, in tune with the Omo N'Oba N'Edo, Uku Akpolokpolor Oba Erediauwa, the Oba of Benin's philosophy who took the lead by dropping the hitherto English title of "HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS" in March 1979 but replaced it with "OMO N'OBA N'EDO, UKU AKPOLOKPOLOR". All the previous Obas in Benin Kingdom were simply addressed with the title of "Uku Akpolorkpolor" after their names; but Oba Erediauwa modified or straighten things up by the surfix "Omo N'Oba N'Edo" ... and then "Uku Akpolorkpolor".

Till tomorrow, our Oba do not really approved being called or addressed as "His Royal Highness" becuase that is British system and culture. I equally believe, it is time we start looking inwards to address issues, titles and things generally according to our cultures, traditions and philosophies rather than just chanting the white man's ideology completely.

The ENA should be open minded to By Laws amendments as much as necessary from time to time, day to day. If this my notion is accepted, there will be the need to visit the issue of by laws once again.

God bless you,

Alex Igbineweka
The Azekazudo of Edoland