Edo state is suffering from leadership vacuum, contends Josef Omorotionmwan
EDO AND THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION
The French Humanist and Philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), was essentially right when he quipped, “Why is it that man is born free but everywhere in chains?” At creation, we were all equal. On getting here, we soon began to find additions and subtractions on values that make one life different from another; some ethnic groups and races superior to others; and some institutions of government superimposed on others.
Wittingly or unwittingly, we have attempted to promote the Nigerian Judiciary above the other branches of government. Truly, it is a pseudo democracy, at best, where nothing happens until the Supreme Court pronounces. Thus, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), so-called, has been largely reduced to a bunch of errand boys who transverse the entire wards throughout the country, collating seemingly useless results; the Legislatures have been reduced to houses of empty noise makers; and finally, nine odd fellows sit in their hallowed chambers and veto the collective decisions of 50 million citizens who cast their votes, standing for hours under the scorching sun and in the rain!
Yet, when it comes to the power of the purse,the same Judiciary places a distant last because in times of appropriation, it is relegated to the background – A sharp reminder of the age long aphorism, “Monkey dey walk, baboon dey chop”, all in a twisted democracy.
In every situation, leadership soon becomes a major issue. For too long, Edo politicians occupied centre stage in the politics of Nigeria. Our homes were always in order; and we were the ones invited to settle others and arrange their homes.
Suddenly, things fell apart and the centre could no longer hold in Edo State. This happened when God, in his infinite wisdom, decided to call our two great leaders, Chief Tony Anenih and Dr. Sam Ogbemudia, to higher glory almost at the same time. Since the past five years or so when these men left, we have had a leadership vacuum. Edo State politicians have been totally rudderless. Put differently, we have been like sheep without shepherds.
We always had our differences, even when these leaders were alive. But when we came across the dark moments, the duo went into the inner room and when they came out, they issued instructions and we followed.
Essentially, these men were successful leaders, but they left without successors.
Perhaps unwittingly, these past leaders might have trusted wrong targets who have since disqualified themselves from leadership. They now stand for nothing and those who stand for nothing can easily fall for anything.
As the saying goes, God made man; man made money; and money made man mad. When it mattered, these men found themselves in exalted positions where they stole themselves into poverty by acquiring primitive wealth and humongous property in State and World Capitals which wealth could not be maintained, without hanging on to any Political Party in power – good or bad.
Unable to help themselves, talk more of leading others, these men are now to be found permanently on the corridors of power – mere hangers-on!
Sometime someday, these, too, will come to pass and Edo will bounce back to its proper position in the scheme of things.
Knowing what our frailties are, we must now begin in earnest to search for the next Governor of Edo State.
In Nigeria, geography is destiny. Where you are born shapes the course of what you will become in life. Elements of the Fulani/Hausa of Northern Nigeria as well as the Yoruba of the Southwest region may never know how it feels for you to know that you are a Nigerian but no matter how good you are, you can never aspire to become President of Nigeria, from the day you are born to the day you die – barring a major accident. This is a stark reality that the minority groups, so-called, must live with all their life.
At no time did nature intend that the good qualities of the minorities should be left out in the scheme of things.
Edo State is divided into three broad groups with the following geographical spread: Edo South (58%); Edo North (23%); and Edo Central (19%).
Edo Central, the Land of the Esan people, finds itself in a microscopic minority. These divisions are apparently made into a water-tight compartment that is difficult to change. They have tried to annex nearby Uhunmwode Local Government area to increase their area and population, without success.
Essentially, like in the case of Nigeria, in the current set-up, barring a major accident, the Esan man knows that he cannot become Governor of the State. Not even the “Esan Agenda” can come to the rescue. The moment Party ‘A’ picks an Esan candidate and Party ‘B’ picks from say Edo South, Party A has lost the election, given the propensity for Nigerians to want to vote for the “son of the soil”.
That’s the way it has always been, and it is so bad that every Party now bypasses Edo Central even in the choice of a running mate for the Governor.
Shall we continue to ignore this minority area that is full of highly eligible individuals who can add real value to the state?
Edo State cannot afford to keep getting it wrong. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, otherwise known as discrimination in the reverse must come to the rescue! This is achieved by the major political parties deliberately zoning the governorship to Esan Land!
This is without prejudice to the fact that some candidates from Edo South and Edo North have stationed themselves for the 2024 gubernatorial contest. We must appeal for their understanding. After all, the next election cycle is around the corner.
Ibhiesan must change their strategy from “It is our turn”, which has not worked for them all these years to active persuasion. This will provide a big lesson to Nigeria and some other States on how to be our brother’s keeper.
Omorotionmwan writes from Canada
