Wazo Benton (29 Mar 1965 - 24 Aug 2024)

In loving memory of Wazo Benton who sadly passed away on 24th August 2024

Biography
Wazo Benton Uzuazebe was born on the 29th day of March 1965 in Manchester England United Kingdom.

When he was about two years old, his mother late Mrs Akomeno Rodah Uzuazebe brought him to Nigeria, and he lived with her in Araya, Aviara kingdom in Delta State.

Wazo was a prince from the Ojuebue Royal family in Aviara kingdom Delta State, Nigeria and started his primary education in Ogbe Primary School Effurun Delta State. Thereafter, he went to Kaduna State in Northern Nigeria to be with his elder brother, late Mazino Uzuazebe, where he started his secondary school education and obtained a West Africa Examination certificate (WASC).

He later went to Ambrose Ali University (Bensu) now called Edo State University Ekpoma, Edo State (DELSU), were he obtained a Bsc degree in History.

After his National youth services corp (NYSC) he then joined woodline industry, were he worked until he returned to the United Kingdom.

Wazo was a very playful person and loved children. Despite his love for children, he did not hesitate to correct and discipline them when they went wrong. One of his nephews Tahir Momodu who could not pronounce Wazo always called him Uncle WASHO just to get a hug from him.

Wazo loved to play his guitar for hours, singing and worshiping God will his melodious voice.
On returning to the United Kingdom, Wazo secured a position as a security officer at Robert Walters in London. It was while he was still actively serving as a security officer that he found the time to study for another degree in business studies with the Open University. He would then go on to take further business related courses at the University of Oxford.

What I remember the most about Wazo was that when we were growing up, he turned out to be an incredible athlete. Whenever I and my brother trained with him doing push-ups, by the time my brother and I were pushing twenty he was already doing forty. By the time we were pushing thirty, he was already pushing sixty. By the time we got to forty he was already averaging a hundred. If we challenged him to a race, he was always faster. In hand eye coordination sports like table tennis or badminton, he would always beat us. It was he who trained us in karate. He was simply stronger, faster, and better than any of us.

His inherently prodigious talent is what lead him to represent Edo State in Karate where he and his team would go on to become national champions. Let us always remember what an incredible talent that he was. He has left way too soon.