?Frontline Scholars Slated to Lead Conversation

Against the backdrop of rising insecurity and ensuing fears amongst the people, the future of Esanland, located in the Central Senatorial Zone of Edo State will top the agenda of the Leadership Summit, being organized next month by the American wing of the Esan World Congress (EWC).

Slated to feature some distinguished Esan academics and professionals as discussants with the theme, ?Esan Heritage, Leadership & Legacy?, the global summit scheduled to hold on Saturday, May 10th, 2025 by Zoom will also see conversations on Esan?s rich cultural heritage, leadership and the general welfare development of the people. The organizers say their vision is to ?make Esanland great again?.

Esan sons and daughters based in Esanland comprising five local government areas of Edo State, those living in big Nigerian cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Abuja and in Diaspora, are expected to join this conversation which also promises to stir up critical issues impacting on agricultural production, the people?s mainstay and social life amidst heightened cases of kidnapping, invasion of farm lands and raping of women that have enveloped the area.

Founded in October 2007, the American branch of the Esan World Congress led by Dr Eromonsele Idahosa, serves as a unifying force for all Esan associations in North America, with the commitment to unite the community, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering developmental initiatives in Esanland.

?Over the years, EWC has actively supported efforts to improve the security landscape in Esanland. We are now broadening our focus to include healthcare support in the region. These initiatives reflect our commitment to fostering sustainable development and uplifting our homeland through collaborative leadership and strategic partnerships,? says Idahosa, a former chairman, Esan Central Local Government Council and a physician specializing in Emergency and Internal Medicine, with over 43 years of professional experience.

According to the EWC?s Secretary General, Prof Ehiyamen Osezua, ? the Second Edition of the EWC Leadership Summit will take place via zoom on Saturday, May 10th, 2025. The Esan World Congress (EWC) is bringing together distinguished Esan intellectuals and professionals to engage with Esan sons and daughters both in the Diaspora and within Esanland. This summit will focus on our rich Esan heritage, leadership, and legacy.?

Osezua, a professor of Public Administration who is a distinguished Resident Researcher at the University of Texas at Austin and serves as a member of the Advisory Council of Austin Christian University, USA, says, ?This event marks a significant step forward as EWC facilitates a meaningful conversation on leadership, cultural heritage, and the future of Esanland. Together, we can safeguard our vibrant cultural legacy and build a solid foundation for future generations.?

Leading intellectuals including Prof Philomena Ejele, Prof Simeon Osazuwa, Prof Charles Aluede and Prof Tina Osezua will deliver talks at the event to be held under the chairmanship of Air Commodore Patrick Udabor (rtd).

Ejele, a professor of Linguistics at the University of Port Harcourt has taught in four Nigerian universities. A graduate of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife where she bagged a BA in English in 1979, she also earned an MA and PhD degrees in Linguistics from the University of London in 1982 and 1986 respectively. An alumnus of St Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School, Benin City, Ejele was pioneer dean, Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences & Management Studies and pioneer dean, School of Graduate Studies at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State..

A scholar in Francophone Literature, Osazuwa was educated at Edo College, Benin-City, University of Ibadan, University of Nice-France and Universit? Laval, in Quebec-Canada between 1983-1990 where he obtained his MA and PhD in Francophone Literature. His teaching career was principally at the Department of Languages and Linguistics, Delta State University as well as Department of Modern Languages, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma where he retired in 2019. Besides acclaim for his well received inaugural lecture titled, ?MYTH, HISTORY, CONFLICT: THE FOUNDATIONS OF FRANCOPHONE LITERATURE?, Prof Osazuwa has had a full career in Francophone Studies, African Literature and Literary Criticism.

A frontline scholar in Ethnomusicology and Music Therapy in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Faculty of Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Aluede?s academic and professional career spans decades, marked by significant contributions to African Music scholarship, Music Therapy, and Cultural Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in Music from the University of Ibadan, following an M.A. in Music and a B.A. (Ed.) in Music (1990) from then Bendel State University.

Dr. Oghoadena Clementina Osezua, a distinguished academic who has dedicated over two decades of her career to the rigorous exploration of post-colonial changing African social structure, human trafficking, and gender-based violence, particularly in West Africa. An alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, she holds a B.Sc., MSc. and Ph.D. in Sociology and Anthropology. Her journey in academia has seen her evolve from a Graduate Assistant to an Associate Professor at Obafemi Awolowo University in the year 2016. She later moved to the University of Texas at Austin as a Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology, creating a pioneering curriculum on the Gendered Dimension of Human Trafficking in West Africa shortly before the COVID pandemic.

Air Commodore Patrick Udabor (rtd) was born about 70 years ago, in Ekpoma,. He is a distinguished retired Nigerian Air Force officer, a registered Engineer, and an IT specialist. He held various appointments while in the Armed Forces and had a meritorious career until his retirement in August 2010. He was Commander, Communications Maintenance Depot and Commander, Giwa Project at the Defense Headquarters. Udabor was Deputy Director, Electronics Intelligence, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Director, Electronics Engineering at NAF headquarters.

He was also Director, National and Military Strategy at the National Defence College.

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