I’m Sorry, Forgive Me, Battle-weary Shaibu Begs Obaseki

*Gov allocates deputy’s office to Alaghodaro

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Philip Shaibu, apparently battle-weary, yesterday, begged his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki for forgiveness, after weeks of publicly feuding over differing political interests.

His plea, notwithstanding, and following the forceful reallocation Shaibu’s office to outside the Government House, Obaseki has allocated his old office to Alaghodaro, a Benin word, meaning, “making progress or moving forward” and the catch phrase for an annual investment summit.
Shaibu, however, made the plea yesterday in Benin while addressing journalists shortly after receiving members of the Catholic Men Organisation of Nigeria (CMON), who were on a courtesy visit to his office.

He said both he and Obaseki needed to come back together as it was in their planto finish well on the ‘project Edo’ both of them started together some years ago
His words: “Like I have always told people, I am a loyal servant who will always support the governor. It is a vow (I took) that nothing can change. I only wish that the relationship we had comes back.

“I am really missing my governor and I know God will touch his heart and those who are trying to cause division between us that I mean well. If there is any mistake that I have made as a human, it was not out of wickedness. I have a very clean heart.

“I appeal to the governor, if there is anything that I have unknowingly done wrong, please, forgive me and let’s continue together as we have always been the envy of many states. It is still possible. I am sorry, my governor. I need us to keep working together,” Shaibu added.

On the relocation of his office from the Government House, the Deputy Governor noted that though he has resumed at his new office as directed by the governor, the new office was still undergoing some maintenance as the conference room was yet to receive furniture
Meanwhile, contrary to his initial claim of renovating the one-storey apartment, Obaseki has allocated Shaibu’s old office to Alaghodaro.
Alaghodaro, a Benin word that means, “making progress or moving forward”, has been an annual investment drive by Edo State Government, initiated by Obaseki since the inception of his administration close to seven years now.  

In a leaked memo yesterday dated September 18, 2023, Obaseki asked the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, to “immediately” allocate Shaibu’s former office building to the trustees of Alaghodaro summit as their secretariat, headed by his political and business associate, Asuen Ighodalo, the Managing Director of Sterling Bank and Nigeria Brewery Plc.  

It was gathered that the chairman of Alaghodaro, through its secretary, was said to written to Obaseki for a permanent secretariat building to aid planning and logistics for the 2023 summit holding in the second week of November.

According to the leaked memo, the office space closest to the venue of the summit, the New Festival Hall of Government House, which until a few days ago, was occupied by Shaibu, should be allocated to the board of trustees of the Alaghodaro summit, expected to attract potential investors from different parts of Nigeria.