In Memory of DR ROBSON MOMOH, EMOABINO OF AUCHI KINGDOM

     ----- Wajeed Obomeghie

History, is the colourful routine of human endeavours which we do vigorously with our pen to keep humanity informed about the past we are all coming from. It was therefore not surprising that the late Dr. ROBSON Momoh, The EMOABINO of Auchi Kingdom played  his part well as a protagonist in the Afenmai epicentres of politics, hurdle, tension unleashed by the interparty struggles for offices, the anxiety over the primary and the inexplicable eligibility questions hanging on its standard bearer could not be quantified.

He towered above others like a colosus not only in his pen's might, but also in character, patriotism and political struggles. The bifocal bibliophile of our time, the intellectual and gallant educationist  weathered the storms severally to fulfill his destiny. Although, he had seen it all roughed as a poor bairn, necessity  made it  compelling for him to embark on a mission of his life goal. Hence, his chapter of focus was marked with persistent hardworking which underscored the power of courage and the audacity of hope in which stayed the man's strength.

  

The  18th February, 2018, shall ever remain saddened in the diary of Auchi community and Edo state with the demise of this powerhouse of ideas, a silent worker, planner, organiser of ideology and result-oriented, legal luminaries-cum-linguist, as he bide us farewell to join his ancestors at the age of 76 years. 

Down the memory lane, in 1979, when Gen.  Olusegun Obasanjo led the military junta to hand-over power to the civilian,  Dr.ROBSON Momoh was a key member of the late Ambrose Alli administration, the Governor of the then Bendel state, first as a Hon. Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Co- operative,  and later reassigned to the Ministry of Education in 1980.

 

He facilitated the establishment of the then Bendel State University, Ekpoma which was later named after him, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo state.

It was on records that  he was among the first indigenous politician of Auchi extraction that had a flair for documenting historical interest about the origins of his  people which was of immense  benefits to  the younger generation  due to the dearths of materials on this deserted field of learning.

ROBSON Abu Ibrahim Momoh  was born on the 24th June, 1942, in Afedokhai quarters in Auchi,Edo state, Nigeria  to the family of  Alh.Chief and Hajia Braimah Uwaiya Momoh, The SEDENU of Afedokhai. Indeed, he was born to run on the societal epitaph of the ladder of leadership, for a man who held on to his credo of educational pursuits,.

A snap peep into his profile stated that he attended the Government School, AUCHI, (1948-1954), Anglican Grammar School Igarra (1957-1961),The Ransome Kuti College of Education, Ibadan (1963-1965), the University of Ibadan (1967-1970) and the  University College Cardiff, United Kingdom (1972-175) and again, it is worthy of note here to point out that he attended Nigeria Law School, Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in October, 1987.

With painstaking determination, Dr.ROBSON Momoh began his career as teacher  at the Anglican Grammar School Igarra, St Angela Girls Grammar School Uzairue, Ijebu - Igbo Girls Grammar School, Ijebu -Igbo, Ogun state and Hussey College, Warri, Delta State in 1970, where he popularly soared not only because of hard work, but, focus and tenacity of purpose which mustered in puncturing against failure without betraying any emotion on his side step as practical lessons in maintaining the highest level of decorum when one's patience is pushed to the limit of the test of faith.

Thereafter, he joined the newly established University of Benin, as a foundation administrative staff and rose to the rank of Senior Assistant Registrar (Academics) before being transferred to Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi as the Registrar in 1976. He held  a BA (HoN.) In English, and Ph.D in Education, LLB in Law. 

He was a great man with a deep progressive mind and respect for the traditional institutions. On this score, he was turbaned the SEDENU of Afedokhai Auchi in the succession to his late father's title in 1989; he held the title of Enakhe of Avianwu in1981, The Enarhorvie of Ughelli in Delta state in1982, the Igieanor of Anwai in1986, and The Balogun of lkpesi Egbiegele land in 1990.

Again, he got turbaned by the HRH Alh. A. H Momoh, lkelebe III, Otaru of Auchi kingdom as the Emoabino (Literary Guru)  of Auchi in December 2018.

He is the author of several books amongst which are:  Order, Legitimacy and Political Process in the New Commonwealth Country in1992,  Corridors of Power, (An Autobiography), 2012, and  the New Perspectives in the History and Politics of Nigeria, The Etsako Experience. He was a loving and successful family man, father and grand father with a well-cultured and educated children, and a widely travelled man. His hobbies included angling, reading and foreign travel. 

He was an active member of the political class when the then president, General Ibrahim Babaginga lifted the ban on politics   in 1992 with the creation of two political parties, National Republican Party, NRC and the Social Democratic Party, SDP .

He identified with the Social Democratic party, SDP, but his

attempt to represent Edo North district at the National Assembly under the party platform  was truncated at the party primaries when he lost the then party primaries ticket to late Senator Albert Legogie, who also went ahead to win the election.

UNFORTUNATELY,  that was the last  opportunity for him to turn around  the turbulence of the Nigeria  political arena which he loved to have played his part on the transformation agenda.