WHERE ARE THE MOTOR-ABLE ROADS IN EDO STATE? By Osazee Edigin

The average Edo man assumes he understands politics howbeit towards political party inclination and sympathy; I have painstakingly and carefully paid keen attention and assess certain areas of developmental strides of the current administration and realized that what has been sold to the people over the years is carcass founded on propaganda and window dressing. Yes! Propaganda and window dressing, the political class has always taken advantage of the gullibility and sensibility of the people to hoodwink, persuade and deceive same. When this current administration came on board, it was a great sigh of relief that, another political party is now in charge hence the needed development would soon be feasible, the people failed to realize that the architects and actors of the new party (ACN then) are one and same from the defeated party (PDP), they also fail to take into cognizance that political parties in Nigeria are not ideologically based but interest based, looking cursorily at the antecedents of politicians in their various political maneuvers, one will see that, same actors have defected from and to the two major political parties at one time or the other.

The Lucky Igbinedion led administration has received several knocks from the Edo people owing to the belief and expectation that Adams Oshiomhole government is the magic wand that will transform the state to an enviable position but what has been seen in recent times has not been able to convince many of any clear cut distinction between the two administrations in the area of motor-able roads in the state. The focus of this piece is to appraise the current administration of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole in the area of the provision of motor-able roads in the 7years of managing the affairs of Edo state thus far. Benin City is the capital of Edo state and the administrative headquarters of the state, our focus will be on roads in Benin City metropolis which include, Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba Okha and parts of Ovia North East Local Government Councils respectively. An attempt will be made to critically do a thorough x-ray on each of the identified roads that have been rehabilitated, asphalted, abandoned etc.

Edo State Governance; The Journey So far!!!

There's a saying the human wants  are insatiable and as such, you can't satisfy the yearnings of men. It's no news that there's was a time of political and developmental darkness in the state where workers were not paid salaries for months, roads were not walk-able let alone motor-able; a time where the voice of the people were not heard, when d people had no say in governance. Then, the labour president Adams oshiomhole came on board on a platform of the people's mandate, the Peoples governor he was and is.  

The people had a say in governance and salaries were paid even now when states  are owning, the government of the Edo state is still able to pay. The roads which were redundant and less useful became motor-able and had pedestrian walkways, the ugly ring road became something to behold. The government schools and facilities which were dead and gone were brought back to life in a more appealing style, Edo state increased its internally generated revenue by over 900%. Governor Adams Aliu Oshiomhole made efforts to ease the stress of the people by providing cheap and affordable transport facilities to the people.

THE POLITICAL FLOPS!!!

Decamping is a political term for the movement of persons from one political party to another. Normally, on the occasion of decamping, a party is supposed to be joyed while the other in tears. But when both parties are joyed, then the elements that decamped have to be reviewed. Unfortunately, that review will come at its own time. For now, we are taking a critical look at the motive behind their jumping the band wagon.

It is a pity that the very popular People's Democratic Party is verbosely known by the Edo people for what they may have done wrong in the past(which are majorly lies) and not what they truly stand for and their achievements, both in the past and present.

These known but irrelevant politicians that decamped recently, lifted a lot of burdens(as regards betrayal and distrust) from the party's shoulders. Ironically, these are men that the ruling party has strongly spoken against and castigated, are being welcomed with smiles amid heavy feasting into their fold! Does it make sense?

In my candid opinion which I had expressed a thousand times before now, the ruling party do not need these men if something shady is not going on. The puzzle then is, Who approached Who? Was it these men that approached the ruling party or the ruling party went to them?

Benin Tradiational Council(BTC) Expresses Worry Over Disrespect To Benin Culture.

Chief Sam Igbe, Iyase of Benin Kingdom

The Benin Traditional Council (BTC) has expressed worry over what it termed ‘recent disrespect by one Richie Arisco Osemwegie for the Benin Culture and tradition.”

At a press briefing held at the Palace of the Benin Monarch, yesterday the Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief   Sam Igbe said the “Benin Monarch, Benin Chiefs, well meaning Benin People and lovers of our culture and tradition are appalled” at the disrespect. The press briefing session had in attendance, Palace Chief, Dukes, Priests, market women and other stakeholders across the seven Edo Speaking local government areas that make Edo South Senatorial district.
Chief Igbe disclosed that “the said Richie Arisoc Osemwegie and his cohorts cast aspersion and insult on our revered Benin Monarch. “Of most recent was the brazen violation of certain sections of the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict of 1979, wherein the selfstyled Richie Arisco Osemwegie proclaimed himself as “His Imperial Majesty, the Ogiamien of Utantan Benin Nation.”

TABOO!!!... A Popular Benin Man, Mr. Richard Arisco Osemwengie Dares The Highly Reverend Oba of Benin.

Richard Arisco Osemwengie

An Oredo Magistrate’s Court sitting in Benin City on Wednesday remanded Richard Arisco Osemwengie in prison custody for coronating himself as the Ogiamien of Utantan Benin.

Also remanded alongside Osemwengie is Patrick Osabuohien, who joined others to install Arisco as a traditional ruler without approval of the Executive Council. Osemwengie was arraigned on a four-count charge. Osabuohien was arraigned on a two- count charge.

After over 900 years when their forefathers were defeated in a battle by forces loyal to the Benin monarchy, a faction of the Ogiamien family dared the Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa.

The Ogiamien faction is led by Osemwengie, who was last week installed as the Ogiamien of Benin kingdom.  The last occupant of the seat, Chief Ogiamien Osarobo, was last seen in 1998 and he was said to have travelled abroad but no member of the family is sure of his whereabouts.

Ogiamien Osarobo, a Master Degree holder in History, succeeded his father at a tender age. He was 13 when Oba Erediauwa ascended the throne in 1979 and he led the Ogiamen family to perform the Ekiokpagha war-a mock battle that is performed by a new Oba to reenact the defeat of the Ogiamen by Oba Eweka 1.

The palace of Ogiamien on Sokponba Road is the only building that survived the British Invasion of 1897. It is a historical site that attracts thousands of visitors but also abandoned. A section of it is used for selling wood and the entire palace is unkempt. What is however assuming a frightening dimension is the move by Osemwengie to challenge the Benin monarchy and restore alleged lost glories of the Ogiamien.

Ex-Deputy Governor, PDP Deputy Chairman, Reps decamp to APC in Edo State.

L-R: Mr Johnson Abolagba, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr Lucky Imasuen,  Mr Christopher Adesotu, at the decamping of top PDP members to the APC in Benin City, on Saturday.

It was a bad day for the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Saturday, as a former Deputy Governor of the State, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, State Deputy Chairman of the Party, Chief Christopher Adesotu, a former member of House of Representatives and Deputy Governorship candidate of the party in the 2012 Governorship election, Hon John Abolagba, among other leaders led over 5,000 of their supporters to decamp into the All Progressives Congress.

Speaking on the occasion which attracted the cream of the APC in Edo State, Mr. Lucky Imasuen who spoke on behalf of others said it was no longer news that the Peoples Democratic Party has fallen apart.

He said “Many people have asked me why do you want to join the Comrade Governor?  I f you wrestle with somebody for so long and you are not able to defeat the person, won’t you join the person? I passed Airport Road, my mother is at Ogida market, I attended Agbado Primary School; Adolo College is in my neighbourhood, I pass Akpakpava road everyday and I see the work the governor has done there.

“Have you been to Edo central and Edo North? My message to my few brothers and sisters left in the PDP; this train will not miss us. The first one is taking off today at the Kings Square and I am joining it with my friends and brothers and I appeal  to you that in the next few months the remaining ones that are viable will joining this train to help build a formidable APC that the Comrade Governor has built.

Oshiomhole's Misgovernment in Edo By Dearborn Ojomon

The replacement of false head with fake tail may not have found its proper description until Mr. Adams Oshiomhole becomes the governor of Edo State, the former vanquished Bini Kingdom by the British Empire in 1897, Southern Nigeria. His governorship bid; assumption of office and reign — still reigning — was like a rainbow arched down to the people and state from the heavens, a rainbow like an angel's breath, like an answered prayer.

Mysteriously, the integrity of the idol of the Nigerian mass movement has waned. Now, he comes across like the darkened star of that momentous epoch of political liberation. Nigerians never knew he is a pathetic personality, a half reconstructed mimicry slime. His government is more or less a ghostly affairs as if in a state visited by death. The apropos of his vacillating style whose convictions are not matched by his readiness to give effect to his actions remains largely his undoing. He veers daringly from the slapstick to the melodramatic, as a fiendish genius damnably entertaining his locomotive audience.

As a comic genius and idiosyncratic personage, Mr. Oshiomhole is a ready comedian to watch. Spread-eagling himself against his corrupt peers across the political divide, pitting levity against gravity, his evolution is like a see-pod giving up its spores, an egg yielding its mystery. For all he cares, the quick-witted, twitter-pated former labour activist jettisons the timeless axiom that the worth of a man is certain only if he is prepared to sacrifice his life for his conviction.

He was here a few days before in Boston, US at the annul Edo National Congress forum, bouncing, clowning and evincing leadership; wraparound by a woman of unbearable sweetness and beauty whose name 'Iara' vaguely shy away from his late first wife's Clara. As he does his goddess of beauty nightly, Mr. Oshiomhole have been embracing air, hugging shadow with his arms and legs so as to engrain himself to the outside world. But out there in Nigeria, the story is different, tellingly shattering.