CHIEF Chamberlain Obaseki, celebrated what he chooses to refer to as a milestone birthday last weekend in Benin City and it was attended by the who is who in Edo state including his cousin, Governor Godwin Obaseki. The business mogul was born into the industrious family of Chief (Sir) Jaybee Iyekeoretin Obaseki, JP, the Obaruyiedo of Benin Kingdom. His grandfather was the late Chief Dawson Ogiemudia Obaseki, treasurer of the Benin Divisional Council, the Obaruyiedo of Benin Kingdom and a man who had the privilege of serving two Obas – Oba Eweka (as Ogua of Benin) and Oba Akenzua (as Obaruyiedo). The title was made hereditary by Oba Akenzua, and Chief Dawson Obaseki his grandfather, is the only chief to have doubled in the Eghavbon’Ore and Eghavbon’ogbe class of chiefs in Benin Kingdom.
Obaseki who is a philanthropist speaks on life and struggles just as he also reacts to the recent one year in office anniversary of his cousin, Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Milestone:

I cannot thank God enough for life and the very wonderful parents, who brought me up, put me in the best schools. I feel very privileged, because I attended Emotan Nursery School, Emotan primary school, University of Benin Demonstration Secondary school then UNIBEN where I read Engineering. I am grateful to God that I am celebrating today. Upon leaving the University, I joined the family business, Edo Joint Industrial Engineering Nig. Ltd., an arm of the Baron Group of Companies before starting mine, Copeo Projects Nigeria Ltd., a civil and mechanical engineering company, and Chowen Oil and Gas Company Ltd., about 15 years ago. I am generally regarded by friends as a problem solver because God has blessed me with listening ears, and I am, by His grace, a bridge builder and a community leader. I am also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School, a holder of an honorary doctorate degree from the Bethel University of Biblical Studies, United States of America, a  Justice of the Peace by Edo State Government,  and an Apostolic Knight of the Christ Apostolic Church of God Mission Worldwide (CACGM).

Chamberlain Obaseki

I have four boys, my kids are abroad. My wife is a soul mate, very understanding, she tolerates all my excesses. She knows how to manage me and manage the home front too. I met her here in Benin over ten years ago. The very day I saw her I knew yes, she was my wife. And God has been faithful since then.

On phases of life

The lessons I learnt growing up are that of hard work, perseverance, and lessons of maintaining a good name. I come from a family that is well known and anywhere you mention the name of my father they will tell you he is a good man. Including my grandfather, Chief Dawson Obaseki who was the Obayedo of Benin Kingdom and the Treasurer of the Benin Divisional Council then, he died in 1956 and he held the hereditary title of Obaruyedo of Benin Kingdom, the title my father currently holds in the Kingdom. Of course, my great-grandfather was the most celebrated Agho Obaseki who was the Iyase of Benin Kingdom. So I have learnt a lot in life.

On phases of life

I believe I am still work in progress. For me, my greatest achievement in life is helping others. I always like to see people smile, my friends call me a problem solver. I am a very contented person. I love having fun and seeing others enjoy too.

Were there people, who inspired your steps and how much of influence were they?

One man that inspired me so much while growing up was MKO Abiola. I wanted to be like MKO, I love what he did for humanity. Abiola had human feelings, he believed in putting smiles on people’s faces. And in the last fifteen years, one man that has painted that picture of Abiola is Captain Hosa Okunbor. Like him or hate him, he is the most generous Benin man alive today. You cannot meet him with a problem and he will not solve it. He likes to help people and that is what has made him who he is today. He is like that because he has genuine feelings for the ordinary people, and for me, that is how life should be. It is not about owning houses everywhere yet people around you are suffering, that is wickedness. We must contribute to the growth of humanity. That is my belief.

On mentorship

I have no interest in politics. The first time I came out to participate in politics was during the last election because my elder brother, Godwin Obaseki, who I see as a mentor contested the election and won. Like he said when he came for my birthday party, I was with him throughout the campaign and when he was sworn in because I believe in him, I knew he will make the difference and that was why I came out fully to participate in politics then. But for me, I am not going to contest any election even though some of my friends and associates want me to. But I am not interested in politics howeverif I have a friend that is contesting I will surely support the person.

So far, what can you consider your greatest achievements?

The greatest achievement I feel I have achieved is seeing people saying what I have done for them. That is my achievement. I have helped a lot of people to secure jobs, to go to school and to feed. I will also tell you that the greatest achievement I have also made was working in the Church. I am a church worker and I contribute a lot in making my church grow in terms of financing. I attend Christ Apostolic Church of God Mission and I am dedicated to God Almighty.

You are from a well-known royal father, how has that influenced your life?

It has so much influence in my life because it thought me how to be respectful. There are some things I cannot do because of my family’s pedigree both maternally and paternally. My mum is from the famous Ero, Lawani family and my father has been a custodian of the tradition, his father before him was also a first-class Benin Chief. His grandfather before him was also a first-class Benin Chief, his great-grandfather was also a first-class Benin Chief. So I grew up in a family of culture and tradition and that has shaped my life. By the grace of God, my greatest ambition in life is to also become a first-class Benin Chief.

What influence does the Obaseki family have on him?

He is governor of Edo state not governor of the Obaseki family. Let me tell you, he is someone that you just don’t go and see him because he is your brother, you must go to him with the right reason if you have any issue. You cannot go and tell him that because you are Obaseki I want to be a Commissioner or something, he won’t even listen to you. He believes in taking decisions on merit, you must merit a position before he gives it to you. If you look at his cabinet so far, we have only one Obaseki out of over four hundred people he has appointed. So he believes in merit and nothing else. But he respects elders a lot if you observe at my birthday, he knelt down to greet my Dad, he also did the same when he saw Chief Oyiuku Obaseki the former NFF Chairman. He respects elders and a complete gentleman.

Your brother, Governor Obaseki just celebrated one year in office, how would you access his performance so far?

The performance of the governor is there for everybody to see. When it rains, it does not rain in one roof alone, everybody knows its raining. When the sun shines, it does not shine on one tree alone, people see it shining. That is the way it is with my brother’s achievement. Everybody is appreciating what he is doing and that is why they call him the Wake and See Governor. He has touched on every facet of the economy and in the last one year he has done very well and I believe that by the time he is finishing his first tenure he will be called the “miracle Governor, the governor of excellence”.