Only when a new government comes to power do you learn to appreciate the values of the old one. ~ Myanmar Proverb
“There is a natural mystic Blowing through the air, If you listen carefully now you will hear.
This could be the first trumpet, Might as well be the last, Many more will have to suffer
Many more will have to die, Don’t ask me why.
Things are not the way they used to be. I won’t tell no lie.”
This verse from the popular song Natural Mystic by Bob Marley and the Wailers depicts the current state of despair hovering around Edo State.
Edo residents are angry about the existing state of things, many are of the view that they have been shortchanged with the present administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and have begun to open up.
According to respondents, the State is currently adrift due to the monopolistic rule of Obaseki who happens to be the leader of the politicians in the State, the Supreme Godfather, the head of the State economic team and the Governor-General.
With no cabinet, no local government executives and a rubber-stamped House of Assembly the Governor seems to actually be in charge and yet the State is groaning in hopelessness.
Things are not the way they used to be. From the cries of residents, it is obvious that Obaseki’s predecessors are close to vindication.
So let us take a look at how residents rate Obaseki on security, health, social warfare, education, transportation, taxes, social life, transparency, political crisis, check and balances and the debt profile of the State.
Here is a compilation of reactions to Obaseki’s governance by residents from across the State.
On Security.
“The Governor likes to take credit where he does not deserve some, take a look at the security situation in the State and you would discover that we are in deep shit way more than we envisaged.
It’s like digging a hole to fill a hole which happens to be worse than robbing Peter to pay Paul.
People wonder if we are safer with a vigilante network the Governor has failed to pay salaries, to train, monitor, equip and motivate.
The way the security network works is very worrisome with over 700,000 untrained persons the state is actually sitting on a powder keg soon to explode. It is an open secret that members of the VGN are made up of RAINBOW FORCES. What this means is that the members are a combination of the major confraternities in the State. With hundreds of thousands of unlicensed guns in their possession then indeed the State is heading towards an impending disaster. Guns and guns everywhere with no coordinated direction.
The only motivation Obaseki has so far given them are 15 refurbished 1994 model Siennas as patrol vehicles.
The result is clear with no salaries or motivation these people now end up treating Yahoo Yahoo cases of boys in Benin City and extorting the people over flimsy and petty excuses. They now even settle community crisis, If they get disbanded now how do we mop up these unlicensed arms that have fallen into dangerous hands? Yahoo boys now go about with pump action guns all in the name of being members of Edo State VGN.”- Victor Iyekekpolor
On Health.
“The Central Hospital built by Adams Oshiomhole for Edo citizens was shut down for years only to be reopened and the residents found out the services is way beyond their reach. Obaseki constantly has running battles with health workers in the State and has performed dismally in the health sector”- Jude Osifo
On Social Welfare;
“The #Endsars protest brought out the deceit on claims by the government over its social warfare responsibilities to its citizens, covid-19 palliatives that serve no purposes to government officials were hoarded from the populace. Unfortunately, that is the only record of any social activity of this present administration. Obaseki has no single welfare agenda for Edo citizens.”- Mike Asemota
Education.
“Teachers are complaining and when they struck they were blackmailed into submission, majority of the red roof schools built by Adams Oshiomhole’s administration don’t have teachers anymore. The Edo Best initiative appears to be only functional on social media.
As we speak I doubt if any Government-owned tertiary institution in Edo state is in session, College of Education Ekiadolor, College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, Edo State School of Nursing etc.
Now Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma has joined the list of closed institutions in the state while Edo State University Uzairue,(formerly Edo University Iyahmo) has now been contracted out to be administered by consultants.
This present administration has no single legacy on education to beat their chest about. It’s a total failure with no single consideration on the welfare of teachers or lecturers” – Eghosa Igbinosa.
Taxes:
“Even the wheelbarrow pushers now complain of over-taxation with Agberos now taking over the streets of Benin City with no joy at all on traders. Obaseki’s taxation drive is a huge burden to artisan and entrepreneurs In the State.- Osula.
Social Life:
“Benin City practically has no nightlife anymore, with no functional street lights and unnecessary placement of curfews every now and then the city has since lost its recreational value and now covered with dirt”-Dennis Edafe
Transparency.
“The State is running on a trinity of three persons, Godwin Obaseki, Philip Shaibu and Osarodion Ogie and even at that, no one knows the level of internal democracy between themselves. No economic team, no advisers, no cabinet, no local government executives, it is like a government of Obaseki for Obaseki and by Obaseki.
The house of assembly is barely functional with less than half of the constituted members deciding and making laws for the State without any input from constituents.”- Ekpen Idahosa
Political crisis:
“This seems to be more critical, Obaseki made APC look like a monster that has no feelings for the masses and cared only about their selfish interest but what we see today is far more detrimental and has revealed a whole lot. Now Edo citizens are left with a needless war with a party that gave Obaseki the platform to get reelected. Obaseki is now destroying PDP’s political leaders to the detriment of development in the State.
Every politician is bad and evil and yet the Governor is a politician himself. The governor has intentionally destroyed the political class and has turned the masses against its local leaders. But yet the governor keeps playing politics with everything, from health to provision of social amenities and infrastructural development, Obaseki has not done anything remarkable.- Igiehon.
Transportation:
“Obaseki came and destroyed the transportation system in the State, the once sought-after Comrade Busses is now a shadow of itself as the city no longer has an urban transportation system. While thuggery is still very much part of the system and even growing into a monstrous stage”- Tim
There is an African proverb which states that ” He who cannot dance puts the blame on the floor.
A serious government makes things happen and do not make excuses. Making excuses is a lazy person’s substitute for hard work.
No doubt ‘the chickens have come home to roost when they can not deliver on their promises 6 years after they blame it on someone else. If they fail to dance they blame the floor for not being level enough.
Gone are those days when Edo State was a hub for bulldozers undertaking construction works in almost every nook and cranny of the State. Oshiomhole’s administration gave us the red roofs, opened up the communities by constructing good and quality roads with walkways. Good community relations with the government and the people, good remuneration for lecturers and a well-motivated sea of teachers.
From the look of things, Oshiomhole is close to vindication as Obaseki has less than three years left to enthrone his own legacies on the State.
“This could be the first trumpet, Might as well be the last, Many more will have to suffer Many more will have to die, Don’t ask me why.”.
Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah