IN PRAISE OF OBASEKI

 John Mayaki reckons that the governor has been good to Akoko-Edo people

Now, let me address the right thinking people of Akoko-Edo as we approach the September 21st governorship election – the time appointed to pay Governor Godwin Obaseki back in his own coin, particularly for how he has treated the Akoko-Edo people since he came into office.

Let me clear the air – I have on my personal volition criticized the Governor for over seven and half years regarding his governance style and policies, but now it’s time for politics. My goal was to promote good governance, not because I resigned from his government. I must appreciate him – he engaged me as his Chief Press Secretary, but my supposed leaders fought against the appointment because they had a preferred candidate, whom the Governor rejected.

Specifically, Obaseki appointed both his Chief of Staff, Chief Taiwo Akerele and Chief Press Secretary, John Mayaki from Akoko-Edo on the same day he was sworn in during his first tenure, which caused significant discontent in some quarters. They did everything to frustrate us out of government, but that’s not the discussion for today.

It was under this same Obaseki administration that another son of Akoko-Edo, Rt. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, emerged as Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly. The helms-person of the State Universal Basic Education Board, the Executive Chairman of the Board, is Mrs. Ozavize Salami, and I am aware that some persons are unhappy with this appointment.

Today, Obaseki has also decided to pick our son, Omobayo Marvellous Godwins, as his Deputy Governor. All these appointments are the first of their kind in the history of our local government. Besides, there are several other appointments I would prefer not to mention here to avoid unnecessary scrutiny from those with ill intentions.

Someone might ask, is it only about appointing Akoko-Edo sons and daughters to government positions? Yes. Apart from the fact that Akoko-Edo has had its fair share of development under this administration, you need people at the table to attract the dividends of democracy to our local government area. I stumbled upon a video where Rt. Hon. Kabiru Adjoto led Edo North leaders to pay a thank-you visit to Governor Obaseki for the developmental projects in our senatorial district. He listed the projects until he was tired. The video exists, but now, because he didn’t emerge as the Deputy Governor, he has decided to seek his political future elsewhere. Of course, politics is all about free entry and exit. I wish him well. 

Let’s not pretend. When a man does well, we must acknowledge it, and when he goes wrong, I will not pretend otherwise. Oh, Mayaki has eaten the forbidden fruit – the man who has been a thorn in Obaseki’s political flesh has capitulated. Yes. But also permit me to express the other side of Obaseki and not pretend.

Recently, one Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma (E.J.) was asked if Obaseki had done well by being the first to approve N70,000.00 as a minimum wage for workers. He dodged the question. At one point, he agreed, but again, he deflected, halting and prevaricating between two opinions. I pitied him; that’s what bad politics does – it forces people to speak with a forked tongue. The man died inside him for his inability to speak the truth even when confronted with the stark reality. 

Leave poor E.J. Let’s address the main purpose of this article – we must pay Obaseki in his own coin. Of course, he’s not on the ballot, but we will appreciate him for showing us so much love and patronage. Ask Kabiru Adjoto how many billion-naira road projects came to Akoko-Edo when he held sway as Speaker and later as Special Adviser through Obaseki, including the road to his own village.

Now, that’s not all. Still under this same Obaseki administration, Akoko-Edo got a tertiary institution – the Edo State Polytechnic School of Mining and Management, Igarra Campus, now situated at the Igarra Technical College. Some may argue, blinded by bias, why not a full-fledged university if he truly loved Akoko-Edo? But I have a message for them. The now-renowned University of Ibadan started off as a college of the University of London in a special relationship scheme. It had its old site at Eleyele, but the University is now a comprehensive citadel of learning and one of the best in Africa. We must appreciate the days of small beginnings – we must appreciate Obaseki and pay him in his own coin.

Even more impressive is his choice of Deputy Governor – even if only for a week, Obaseki looked beyond his party, the PDP. He also looked beyond the legacy PDP. He went straight to the Labour Party – not from any other place but again, Akoko-Edo. He preferred a young man of about 38 years old, and don’t forget, this was the very man Philip Shaibu prayed for, saying, “You will be greater than me.” So, if God now answers Shaibu’s prayers upon His Excellency Marvellous Omobayo Godwins, why resent it?

Rather than join hands with the young man, some people believed it was their right, and since they were denied, they decided to abandon their exalted positions and become followers of those who have held Akoko-Edo down for so long. Some people now want to support Senator Monday Okpebholo, who said that if he were Asue Ighodalo, who served as the helmsman of Sterling Bank, he would flood the entire workforce with Esan people.  Sheer nepotism.

Today, with Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as the number two man in Edo State, a man who fate and providence have favored, he has already appointed no fewer than 244 people from the local government – the first time in history. Today, there’s the approval to build a Forward Operational Base unit in Akoko-Edo, and this is apart from the teaching jobs, transformers, and several boreholes that have come to us – all within his very short period as Deputy Governor. I think we owe Obaseki our appreciation and a payback in his own coin because one good turn deserves another by Akoko-Edo sons and daughters in voting candidate Asue Ighodalo en masse irrespective of party affiliations, as a mark of appreciation to Governor Obaseki and for the sake of continuity.

· Mayaki writes from Abuja

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