The Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion says his decision to handover the Management of Igbinedion University, Edo State to his eldest son, Mr Lucky Igbinedion, is meant to test his competence.

89-year-old Chief said it is needless to quibble over succession arrangement before the time of his transition, noting that “success without a successor is a failure “.

He made announcement when members of Governing Council of Igbinedion University paid him Birthday visit in his Garden of Eden’s residence at Okada Avenue in Benin City, Edo State.

Esama stated that it would have been counter intuitive to handover the Management of his University to his son when he is dead, stating that it is gratifying to experience the growth of Nigeria private premier University when he is alive.

He said, “I am grateful to my son for managing that University. I have a parable that success without a successor is failure.

According to him, “I don’t want to handover to my son when I am dead. I want to see whether he can manage it”.

There has been intense speculations about plans the patriarch has put in place to sustain his business empire, after the Esama of Benin, stepped aside and appointed Mr Lucky Igbinedion as Chancellor of the University few years ago.

He was the elected Governor of Edo State between May 29th 1999 and 2007 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).