By George Etakibuebu

Though the September 21 governorship election in Edo State is 101 days or more than three months away, Senator Monday Okpebholo’s sandcastle has begun to disintegrate in earnest. This is not entirely surprising. Any structure built on a false and fraudulent foundation, no matter how beautifully designed, it is bound to collapse. Okpebholo’s edifice has started unraveling much sooner than expected.

In February, Okpebholo, the senator representing Edo Central, was declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the coming governorship election in the state in a rather controversial circumstances that left political observers trying to understand the real meaning of the word ‘abracadabra’. Within a space of seven days or so, the APC managed to weave a stupendously entertaining political acrobatic display in a re-run primary election that overturned the result of the one held six or seven days earlier.

Bassey Otu, governor of Cross River and the chairman of the APC supplementary primary election, declared Okpebholo winner of the election on Friday, February 23, in Benin, the Edo State capital. Otu said the candidate polled 12,433 votes to defeat 11 other aspirants in the contest.

Earlier on February 17, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, who was the former chairman of the primary election committee, had announced Hon Dennis Idahosa, a member of the House of Representatives, as the winner of the primary election. Idahosa, who led in the first ballot with 4,483, ended the rerun with 6,541 votes.

In a quick reaction, one of the party’s stalwarts, Kassim Afegbua, a former commissioner for information in the state, declared that the governorship primary that produced Okpebholo “never took place”. Afegbua, who spoke in a chat with a popular online news medium, described Okpebholo’s election as a “gang-up by the national leadership” of the party. During the rescheduled primary, Okpebholo suddenly scored 12, 433 votes and was declared the winner ahead of 11 other aspirants.

Afegbua, who was also a governorship aspirant, insisted that Okpebholo and his allies were nowhere to be found on the day of the primary which produced him as winner. “That is how they wanted it and we say good luck to them. The national headquarters of the party should go and deliver the candidate they have ganged up to produce. We will just sit down here and watch.

“Since they say Oshiomhole is their problem, they should leave him out of this and go and deliver the man (Okpebholo) during the election. We all knew that there was no primary conducted on Thursday by Okpebholo and others. We never saw the representative of Okpebholo and the others on the field,” he had argued.

Observers started getting a bit concerned and skeptical about the suitability, competence, capacity and preparedness of Okpebholo for the task of leading one of the most sophisticated states in Nigeria after the party pulled another ‘master-stroke’ that made Idahosa the running mate to Okpebholo. The senator started displaying ‘absconditus’ tendencies. Avoiding any engagement during the day and only managing to crawl out at night once in a while; almost becoming a recluse or hermit. He would however, never fail to cause a public commotion whenever he manages to come to the open through series of gaffes, palpable display of a lack of self-confidence, incoherent and unsynchronized deliveries and his annoyingly lack of basic knowledge needed for a high profile office like the Governor of Edo State.

In May, for whatever reason, his handlers packaged for him a tour of the USA with a view to engaging Edo citizens in the Diaspora. The result was a colossal failure. There, he displayed such naivety, ignorance, palpable inferiority and an unambiguous verdict that he is not a governorship material. He could not differentiate between a museum and a zoo. At best, those who had hoped to burnish his image, succeeded in portraying him as less than suitable for even a counsellorship position, politically.

The US trip was followed by another engagement with the Akoko-Edo Development Association. The result was a spectacular fiasco. It left an indelible conclusion that the APC has only manage to present, most possibly imposed, the least candidate with the requisite competencies, capacity, vision, self-assuredness, the basic and general knowledge, social-awareness and the presence of mind to be the governor of a 21st Century Edo State out of the 18 political parties.

Disturbed by the discovery, many well informed citizens of Edo State began wondering why a big party like the APC peopled with brilliant minds and controlling the federal government would saddle the voters in Edo with an impossible choice of a vacuous, dour and completely incoherent and unconvincing candidate for the election?

In the last two weeks, those who feel they could no longer bear the shame of being led by the nose are voting with their feet, leaving the Monday Okpebhole sandcastle and fleeing to safety in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which parades Dr Asue Ighodalo, the best candidate by far for the coming election.

In Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Esan North East Local Government Council, a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Musa Isiwele, a former National President of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), led over 3000 members to dump the APC. In Uwessan, the community of Okpebholo, defectors from the APC numbering over a 1000, in a carnival-like reception, embraced the PDP. The crowd was described as “a massive, organic, spontaneous and unprecedented.”

Chief Francis Inegbeniki, the APC state vice chairman, has also dumped the party. He insisted in a video that has gone viral that APC is not ready for the September election.

Okpebholo’s media team also suffered a major setback as its arrowhead, John Mayaki refused the position of Director of New Media. Earlier, a media entrepreneur sympathetic to the APC, Chris Osa of the Chris Osa Media fame, had also dumped the party. There is also Saint Moses Eromosele, popularly known as SME. Three days ago, Akim Zibiri, a close associate of the State Acting Chairman of the APC, Jarret Tenebe, also dumped the party. The list is endless. There are indications that those few members who recently left PDP are on their way out of the APC to rejoin their former party.

Political observers are predicting that this may just be the beginning of a coming Tsunami and exodus from the Okpebholo sandcastle and that many more will vote with their feet the moment he is further exposed to the public. And for this, they also predict that the leadership of the party will do everything humanly possible to shield and hide him away from any forms of public engagement.

It is therefore the duty of the Edo people to demand a public scrutiny via public engagement and interaction with the people by Okpebholo to avoid buying a black-market commodity with potentials regrets for the next four years

Etakibuebu writes from Benin City

By Michael Ovienmhada

Once every 70-80 years approximately, the periodic Halley’s Comet blazes a truly spectacular trail across the heavens in a majestic confluence of power and glory that portends uncommon brilliance.

Just such a confluence can be personified in one person, with duty, on a mission to shape and change things beyond seasons in timeless, fundamental ways.

Over 70 years ago, we had all these qualities come together in one man, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo.

He was a man on a mission to tell and to show us that possibilities existed which most others could not wrap their heads around. He looked at the Western Region, and he saw the wealth of extensive arable land and flowing waters where others simply saw bush.

He looked at the teeming population as far as his eyes could see. In his boundless imagination, he thought to himself—-“if only I could put these men and women to work, nothing would be beyond our reach as a people.” He did. Western Region was first in everything. As the world went at the time, if the Western Region were a country, it would have been rated a First World nation. Awo’s work was a gift—one that keeps on giving.

In Edo State today as things stand, a candidate in the image of Awo may be here with us. I had a one-hour meeting with him in December 2023, as a friend of mine for 30 years introduced me to Asue Ighodalo, his friend of 50 years. Our paths had never crossed even though his younger brother, Ituah, had also been my friend for 38 years.

It was quite easy to immediately recognize that we would be fortunate as a State to have Asue Ighodalo as our horse in the race for Governor. Beyond great upbringing, great education, and great leadership skills, this man brings a certain level of camaraderie to the room, an attribute which is rarely found in people like him whose work has been crowned with outstanding achievements.

I found myself sitting in a meeting with the Comet Haley of our time as we finished each other’s sentences. There was hardly any daylight in our ideas and concepts and possibilities of what could be done with the vast arable land in Edo State that stands at 19,000 sq km, an expectant population of 5.2 million people, and 3 million thick vibrant youth population who yearn for jobs, and a safe and secure State where they can express themselves and reach for the moon.

Asue Ighodalo had no doubt in his mind that the best way to grow our IGR from a paltry N48 Billion a year to N1Trillion a year would be in the ability of the State to establish a connection between man, machinery and land.

When I heard him speak, at one point, I stopped him and I said—“Man, you are almost as smart as I am!” He replied, “That’s arrogant.”

We had a good laugh as our mutual friend interjected—- “I told you, you would love his brilliance. You both think alike.”

I left the meeting saying to myself, “Hey Meekey, you made a promise to ‘Esan Okpa,’ an Esan Cultural Group. You told them that if you found a candidate of superior quality, intelligence and firepower, you would gracefully bow out of the race and work to ensure that the candidate makes it to the finish line.”

In fulfillment of that promise, I am today making a happy decision to shine a spotlight on a candidate of very high quality, great pedigree, and first class education, in the Edo Gubernatorial race for 2024.

In assessing the three major candidates in the Edo Governorship race, it is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that—Heads and Shoulders, he is without peer.

At a time like this, when we are fortunate to be presented with a candidate of transcendental credentials, what would be ground-breaking is—-great minds coming together to create a grand coalition across parties. It is my proposition that 2024 should be a negotiated compromise. Let all the major parties come together. Let them bring their best men and women for consideration into the different commissionerships and parastatals and let us speak with one voice and shoo in this uncommon aspirant at the top of the ticket.

Add to that the selection of a gentleman, loyal Party man, a man focused and knowledgeable in administration with an unbroken stint in government since the beginning of the current political dispensation in Osarodion Ogie, and Edo State will undoubtedly emerge as the State with the greatest potential to be an insurmountable number one as history has ever assembled.

Oshiomhole needs to huddle with Igbinedion, Dan Orbih and Obaseki in a mini conference of Edo elders for the sake of the future of Edo peoples.

It’s time to make a deal.

Let’s put our best foot forward. Our State is bigger than any combination of parties, personal grudges or interests.

Politics aside, grudges aside, Obaseki nailed this.

Without equivocation therefore, I am today endorsing the candidacy of Asue Ighodalo, (Batman) and Osarodion Ogie, (Robin) to be our Pilots for the next four years.

From one Edo man to another, my friends, I wish you both God speed. God bless Edo State, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Michael Ovienmhada
Author, Poet, Playwright,
and Public Affairs Commentator.
[email protected]. Former aspirant for Governor.

Culled from theconclaveng, June 6, 2024.

• Appoints Self General Overseer
  Installs Indian Marabouts As Clergymen
  Stops Pastors from Wearing Cassocks

Nebuchadnezzar, infamous figure immortalized in the Bible, commands recognition as the Babylonian monarch whose relentless conquests laid waste to the temple of Jerusalem, seizing its sacred relics as spoils of war.

Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters the whole world. But an angelic “watcher” appears and decrees that the tree must be cut down and that for seven years, he will have his human mind taken away and will eat grass like an ox.

The holy Bible generously describes and expounds a Chapel or Temple as the hallowed sanctuary of the Almighty. It is reserved for the reverential observance of sacred rites and solemn covenants deemed too divine for mundane settings. In all Chapels or Temples all over the world, these consecrated edifices are sanctuaries apart, shielded from the profane clamor of the secular world.

But an archetype of Nebuchadnezzar may have surreptitiously crept into Ondo without anyone noticing. While asking questions on what motivated the biblical Nebuchadnezzar to desecrate the holy Chapel or Temple of God, we are compelled to confront the actions of His Excellency (Hon.) Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa vis-à-vis the recent happenings inside the Government House Chapel.

In a bold and audacious move that is only comparable to that of Nebuchadnezzar, Governor Aiyedatiwa decreed that ordained priests, including Rev. Babalola of the Anglican Communion and Canon Enoch Adeleke of the Methodist Church, discard their traditional vestments, known as Casoc, in favor of resplendent native attire—Agbada & Sokoto—during sacred ceremonies.

This sweeping directive challenges the entrenched doctrines upheld by Orthodox Churches, igniting a maelstrom of doubt and apprehension. Many ponder whether this decree signals a bid to sideline and subjugate Christians within the precincts of the Ondo State Government House, potentially paving the way for the infiltration of unfamiliar beliefs.

It is important to note that the Government House Chapel predates Governor Aiyedatiwa’s tenure. It is equally worthy of note to state that none of his predecessor, be it an Executive Governor or Military Administrator, had dared to enact such a seismic shift from the norm.

The questions presently agitating the minds of Christians within and outside Ondo state is if the Governor would have dared to wield such authority within a Mosque?

In response to this seismic upheaval, Christians across Ondo State and beyond are implored to maintain vigilance. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) must rise up against what is perceived as a grievous affront to the tenets of Christianity.

Adding to the intrigue, Aiyedatiwa proclaimed one fateful morning that he had been anointed by God to assume the mantle of General Overseer (GO) of the chapel. His subsequent participation in conducting last week’s Sunday service casts doubt upon his jurisdiction in matters of faith, casting a pall of uncertainty over Orthodox Churches.

But beyond this, the governor is said to have imported some strange-looking Marabouts to form part of the. An inside source disclosed that the men were indeed imported from India as part of a larger team of prayer warriors ahead of the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress.

An elder in the chapel, who pleaded not to be named, said the governor has become paranoid about how church matters are are run in the chapel.

“It is surprising what is driving the governor recently. He is carrying out changes that are aliens to the order of service in the chapel. Recently, some strange people were brought into the chapel. Some people said they were part of of his prayer warriors. It was later that we gathered that they were from India. We have never seen anything like this before,” the elder said.