On the controversial invitation of Flavour N’abania to perform at the Edo National Association Worldwide Convention.
Is the Annual Edo National Association Convention a mere yearly jamboree by our brethren overseas? Are there key points and action plans crafted to be taken home and implemented every year the Convention is held? Does the yearly decline in attendance suggest that the convention appears to be losing its flavour?
The above flash points are concerns and will be left for interested parties to discuss.
However, let me submit my humble logomachy on the argument surrounding the invitation of Flavour to the Edo National Association Convention holding in the US a few months from now.
Many have expressed displeasure with the seeming absence or non- invitation of an Edo musician to thrill the crowd at the Convention stating that if the theme and ideology behind the Association and the Convention thereof is to promote the Edo culture why have a non Edo musician entertain attendees. Some have argued to the contrary that Flavour is a Nigerian and loved by many young Americans of Edo origin and bringing him around will attract them “many of whom have never attended”to the Convention. Some have also stretched the argument to say that Flavour is allegedly dating an Edo lady and may be getting married to her soon and so he is by extension a would be “son of the soil” by marriage and there’s nothing wrong with having him perform for his inlaws. The more historical ones have said that the Igbo people are descendants of the Benin Kingdom and so,he is an Edo man.
All these arguments are succinct atleast in the views of those who hypothesize on those lines of argument.
In my own view however I will argue first that subsequent Conventions be held in Edo state henceforth, what really is the idea of a National conference holding thousands of miles away from the “Nation” it appears to promote. Let us look inward on this matter and imagine the extent of commercial rejuvenation cum success such a Convention will bring when thousands of our sons and daughters home and abroad converge on our soil to celebrate our culture and heritage and also promote peace coexistence, harmony and prosperity amongst the peoples of the Edo nation on a yearly basis and also draw the attention of the Government to pressing issues that should be given utmost attention in collaboration with sons and daughters in the diaspora.
This is what bothers me a whole lot more than the origin of whoever is going to entertain people at the Convention in Washington DC as though we are descendants of George Washington. Afterall,if we said nothing when Organizers invited Tuface Idibia to the One year Coronation of the Oba of Benin, why should we banter over this now? Only those who thought the Organizers thought wrongly then can have the imprimatur of fair conscience to fault this now.
The madness of the years before now will see the state government sponsor some semi- hooligans in the State House of Assembly , some semi- brigands in the State Executive council and some glorified touts to America to attend the Convention and will have ready slaves worship their appearance in pictures all over Social media, I am glad that Godwin Obaseki has put that stupidity in check.
I will certainly prefer an Edo son to perform at the Edo National Association Worldwide Convention,I think that’s the reasonable thing to do. However the celebrated Flavour can perform along side any of our Edo super stars so that they can achieve the purpose for which they had him in the first place and also have one of us to bring home memories to our diaspora family with his good tunes.
Let us develop Edo state,let us ensure our security is given the attention it deserves, let us promote our culture and our values, let us spend our money at home and prosper businesses in Edo state,let’s come home to build our home. Let us have future Edo National Association Worldwide Conventions in Edo state.