According to Governor Obaseki’s theory as a PDP apologist; if APC wins this 2023 election, Nigeria will break into two. Hmm, I used to think that Governor Obaseki was sane; but from this declaration, it is very obvious that he is under the influence; …. maybe of “addendum”. How can a responsible Governor of a state make such an inflammatory and crassly irresponsible statement at such a delicate time of our nationality? I do understand that it was a statement borne out of sheer frustration, though; but Obaseki has gone ways above the bar, and needs to be cautioned and appropriately interrogated. He complains about Nigeria, but he has forgotten that the state he governs is part and parcel of the Nigerian state. The level of decay and rot in Obaseki’s Edo is symptomatic of what he’s complaining of. When one gets into Edo State from all entry points, what stares you in the face are relics of a state in utter abandonment, disintegration, decay, disrepair, dilapidation, falling to pieces, decrepitude, ruination; it is annoyingly DEPLORABLE!! Erosion, flooding, bad roads, insecurity, decaying infrastructure, poverty, IDPs, kidnapping and so many other vices staring at you with relish. You don’t need any soothsayer to tell you that there is an incompetent Governor at the helm of affairs in the state.
The man is not even at peace with his party, the PDP. He’s not at peace with his former party, the APC. He’s not at peace with his former boss, Adams Oshiomhole. He’s not at peace with the great Oba of Benin, to the point that Oba had to declare; “na your face be this”? When a man is quarrelsomely detached from those who matter around him, he needs to be seriously examined. It is either he’s suffering from a mental health issue without knowing, or something is profoundly wrong with his relationship skills or at best, he’s just a progeny of a bad hereditary trait that left betrayal on its trail. The sight of Governor Obaseki brings home the import of his break away theory. He looks like a man that is permanently at issues with himself. Though a Governor, one sees apprentice all over him. The government he runs is short on accountability and long on MOU and failed promises. The eldorado he told me he would turn Edo into has become “eldorubbish”, making Edo State a laughing stock in the comity of states in Nigeria.Whenever he sees a private investor commissioning a project, he jumps there with magisterial presence as though he had a hand in it.
The power plant and the modular refinery are easy references. The quality of his petty refurbishment projects are a wash and the state is literally abandoned to government sponsored “bandits” and broad daylight kidnappers. Edo’s and her inhabitants have become endangered species. That is a state under Obaseki; who is complaining about Nigeria’s backward slide. Does obaseki want to divert attention or he thinks we would all be blinded by his self righteousness and pontification not to interrogate his failures?Obaseki’s article of trade and self imposed contradiction smells foul in every corner of the state. As we speak, like his new boss, Atiku, he has been unable to unite the party that gave him cover when APC rain drowned him mercilessly. He needs to be reminded of his individualistic failures and character-specific conduct, so Nigerians don’t think otherwise; that Edo people are ingrates. Whenever they make such allusions, they should know just whom to blame.
If the great Oba of Benin; a debonair and consummate ambassador and diplomat of cerebral distinction, can ask Obaseki openly, “na your face be this”, then something unusual is manifestly wrong somewhere. And I think that Governor Obaseki must be rescued from Godwin Obaseki. As a Governor, he may be riding on a high horse, with bloated ego, in line with the crazy aphrodisiac of power. By 2024, Godwin Obaseki, as a former Governor will come down from his high horse and the reality of his persona will dawn on him. He may suffer no qualms, but his ego would have been badly bruised especially among those who would have accorded him a pride of place in their cherished hearts. Most of his promises are left undone. The PDP that celebrated his entry to the party, are daily agonising over Obaseki’s often indecent treatment of party chieftains and faithfuls. The Legacy PDP had thought their umbrella would lead and the expected shield that would have guaranteed their control of the power apparati in the state, is all gone! Alas, Obaseki’s hostile leadership style, more of Idi-Amin dada of Uganda, has poured pebbles into their pot of soup. His commissioners are glorified errand boys who can neither interrogate their political Lord nor question him on state issues. At state exco meetings, it is more of a monologue. Those healthy banters and rich interactions that should provoke healthy discourse are in a quandary. Obaseki’s unfriendly looks have impacted negatively on the perception of outsiders about the state. The troika of Obaseki, Shuaibu and Ogie has the state on its palm.
“Na your face be this”, according to the Oba of Benin is a metaphor for neglect. Why is Obaseki running away from his shadow? Since the partial return of the artefacts, Obaseki has stayed away from the Oba in clear and deliberate attempt to smuggle what does not belong to the state, but to the Palace. Monies are involved but Obaseki would not want to discuss that with anyone. He established one ridiculous body and implanted it with a strange name that could hardly be pronounced by any Benin person. He probably does not understand the efficacy of those artefacts and the level of spirituality woven into them. What makes the Great Benin Kingdom thick is the sustenance of its cultural ingenuity. It is a monarchy whose potency has remained profound for ages. If Governor Obaseki had his way, he would demolish the beautiful cultural content of the Benin monarchy and possibly lease it out to his body of consultants and briefcase business associates who have turned Protea Hotel Benin to their forwarding address and operating plaza. He must note that The Benin Monarchy has survived all manner of leaderships both military and civilian, and has retained its status as the custodian of authentic African literature and cultural heritage. Also, It has also suffered betrayals and subterfuge, so everyone is chary and attentive. As a Governor, when you run away from the King and the Palace in a state like Edo, you are directly running away from the people. The Oba represents an aggregate viewpoint of the average Edo mind. Given the content of character of the present Oba Ewuare the Great, his exposure, his cosmopolitan orientation, and his network of influence across the globe, it would be a sacrilege for Governor Obaseki to even attempt to pocket him. Not given to too many words, the “na your face be this” question has acquired a life of its own. It is now the most popular phrase in Edo State.
When you have a Governor whose adrenaline is easily fired whenever he sees trouble, it is understandable why he predicts the collapse of Nigeria from his parochial point of view. Only last week he was seen hobnobbing with Governors of the APC. And those are the operators of the party that Obaseki tries to demonise and demolish. Those who are familiar with his tactics of intimidation, know too well that Governor Obaseki is all about fury and no content. Till date, Edo State Assembly under Governor Obaseki is yet to be properly constituted for the last three years. That is a man who complains about a dysfunctional system? and wants a departure from it? In an Assembly of 24 members, Governor Obaseki has been running Edo State with less than the requirement for that purpose. Kidnapping has taken over Edo. Just a few days ago, Apostle Suleiman escaped by the whiskers while seven others were not so lucky. Infrastructure are in a parlous state, flooding has taken over some communities in Edo State. While Obaseki was busy hosting his beleaguered candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Benin, in order to cover his domestic failure, he decided to throw up a certain topic for discussion; a matter he lacks moral authority to interrogate. I will write on that on a later date. Obaseki has suddenly forgotten he spent four years as APC Governor; but he wants us to slaughter APC in his rotten abattoir. If Nigeria has failed, Edo State has failed even more. Shamelessly, he even took Atiku Abubakar to “commission” Ogbe Stadium which he recently refurbished; a stadium built over fifty years ago, for lack of projects to show off. That is the contradiction of a man who is pointing accusing fingers elsewhere, when the rot in his domain are pretentiously swept under the carpet. And the most unconscionable of them all is to ban the APC from placing adverts on Billboard. How petty, how ridiculous.