By Tony Erha
Senator Monday Okpebholo, the new governor of Edo State, “has deflated the conceited anticipation of his disparagers and the mockingbirds, that he will fail in his avowal to give the state the best of governance”. This is a countered opinion often expressed by Sebastian Ebhuomhan, whilst in disagreement with the critics of Okpebholo, who had continually heckled his person and style of governance, even though he had stayed merely two months of his four years tenure. Whereas the Okpebholo’s attackers had had their principal stayed eight long years on the same position, with little dividends to show for it.
Godwin Obaseki
A brigade of noisy makers from the state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the former ruling party in the state, whose candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, had lost the governorship crown to Senator Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had turned Vuvuzela, giving the Edo populace no respite and Governor Okpebholo, no chance to prove himself. So far, he had made some bold steps to yank the state from the woods which the immediate-past government of Godwin Obaseki had placed it. Whereas the moves had been hailed as laudable in enlightened public circles, a false media propaganda and ballyhoo are a choice oppositional response by the PDP, having it as a strategy to win their court case and to get the state back.
Afterall, Ebhuomhan, an Abuja-based hardline journalist and a critic, would be seen as upright in his aforesaid remarks, which should be taken with a pinch of the salt. Likewise, Austin Osaghae, a social engineer and media influencer, in his substantial comments, had seconded Ebhuomhan that; “Governor Okpebholo had surprised the bookmakers and silenced his critics with the prompt and excellent moves to fulfilling his electioneering promises to the people”. Giving more fillips to their declarations, both men intently chronicled what they called the “Governor Okpebholo’s successful run of the affairs of the state, in barely two months that he had assumed governorship power.
According to them, the people are so pleased with the governor’s initial reconciliation of the conflicting segments of the Edo society, after the deep-seated squabbles and frictions that Obaseki had orchestrated, which had turned the state asunder. They also cited the predominant crime upsurge in the state, particularly the incessant killings by rival cult groups and the skirmishes between street gangs, which the Obaseki’s government had encouraged and couldn’t get to stop, but were summarily halted by the governor, in concert with the security agents.
In another move, the governor is said to have drastically reduced the run-away cost of living and the untold economic hardships being experienced by the Edo populace. This was reported by the Guardian newspaper, which ranked Edo as the highest occurrence of economic hardships, amongst Nigeria’s 36 states and the federal capital territory. The monopoly and profiteering by market unions and middlemen were banned, as their overbearing on staple agriculture produce (like garri, yam and vegetables etc.) had crashed rising costs of living.
The gains of the education sub-sector that the Adams Oshiomhole’s led government had made, were said to be subsequently ruined by the immediate-past governor, while the Governor Okpebholo was stunned while inspecting public schools to evaluate the state of its dilapidation and to fix them. Okpebholo had brought the pioneered state-owned Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma from the brinks with a huge N500 million monthly bailouts from the meagre N45 million Obaseki gave as subvention. The other state-owned Edo State University, Iyamho was repositioned and renamed, thus releasing it from the yokes by the previous government.
That the Edo people value education and it had been truly ruined, could be ascertained from a recent plea made to Governor Okpebholo, to declare a state-of-emergency on education and Edo public schools, by Chief Mike Ozekhome, an erudite lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who is from the state.
Okpebholo is a very humble and unassuming number-one-citizen of the state, who could only be compared, in that ‘mien’, to the late Prof Ambrose Alli, a former elected governor of the old Bendel State. Prof Alli was (and still) regarded as very meek, down-to-the-earth and purposeful. Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the predecessor of ex-Governor Obaseki, in a recent citation on a live television, had told the world that Okpebholo is a very humble and well-meaning personality, who he had rarely seen.
This writer, as newspapers readers could attest to, was one of the early and determined critics of Senator Monday Okpebholo. Unlike many others who criticised him for ineloquence, I didn’t make his somewhat flaunted taciturnity an issue. For a man who was a reliable protégé of the late Chief Anthony Anenih, a sagacious politician and master-strategist, who was similarly reticent and calculative, one should have known where Governor Okpebholo came from.
In the similitude of Senator Okpebholo, I was also one of the strong critics of the late Uromi-born politician of the ‘Mr. Fix It’ fame, until we met in the twilight of his lifetime. Our pathway got stuck and we had ironed out the very ‘unfathomable areas’ on which he was so mystified and magnified. A recent article tagged “Letter to Chief Tony Anenih: “Amonghon” Leader, Monday is Edo governor-elect”, written on November 4, 2024, by Mr. Sufuyan Ojeifo, an equally quiet journalist and prolific essayist, could be a window to a better understanding.
The humility and earnestness of Senator Okpebholo is truly catchy! Once inside the Senate arena in Abuja, in the ‘heat’ of his widespread criticism of my understanding of his political actions, we had met impromptu. Initially, he didn’t get to know my person but had instantly commented, respectfully. “There was nothing wrong about all that you wrote about my political ambition. I read through the articles, over and over and I take them as a candid advice”. He simply said.
Nevertheless, one shouldn’t take it for granted that because a person is meek and down-to-the earth, he should be taken for granted. I have known many who are so made. They could be so built on iron-cast determination and are resolute on noble intentions and deeds of public-cause. Such humble personalities would include the late Prof Alli and that ‘troublesome young man’, Sufuyan Ojeifo.
For those Edo people, who still long for a humble Prof Alli, there shouldn’t be a misgiving with his Okpebholo’s lookalike, who needs to be guided in other aspects where he is thought to be inadequate. We have no other governor! Besides, Okpebholo hasn’t told Edo people that he is impervious to constructive criticisms, nor does he arrogate to himself as a Mr.-Know-All, like his predecessor.
It is without mere saying that Governor Okpebholo had so far shown that a new Sheriff is in town. The message is loud and clear that it would no longer be business as usual for those actions undermine the people. More so, the slipshod policies and activities of the immediate-past government of ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki, must give way, while the genuine subsist.
It is with this same humbleness and ease of a Governor Okpebholo, that he genuflected before His Royal Majesty, Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, during the most recent Igue Festival, a gesture the governor’s challengers had called “cluelessness”. Ordinarily, Nigerians are witnesses to the beautiful scenarios where sitting governors, even presidents, do obeisance to Nigeria traditional culture, unlike the ex-Governor Obaseki, who would greet his monarch with hands akimbo or in jeans pockets.
Therefrom, what else is expected of Governor Okpebholo, an Edo home-boy, who knows and revers the culture of his people? That he continues with the disparage and discontent his predecessor-in-office, had for a kingdom and people that are celebrated worldwide?
● Tony Erha, a journalist and activist, is based in Abuja and could be reached at tonyerha@gmail.com
