True, Edo state governor Adam Oshimhole has developed and cleaned up Benin City beyond the recognition of rot that past PDP rulers have made out of it. More so, I know of family people and co. that he has employed recently in Benin City. But his addiction to get along with those who run things in Nigeria is overmuch - that it destroys all his good intentions. He should model his dispositions after the pattern of Lagos State governor Fashola who do good without showmanship. He came from a place of nowhere to become governor of Lagos and he´s looking more of a statesman by the day than Oshiomhole who had political and institutional head-start as a onetime labour leader.
Edo State governor should say where his alliance is in clarity, is he pro-establishment cum institution or a pro-poor plus masses person? He can´t be both like he´s been carrying on since he became governor. Like ex-U.S. president George Bush would put it: Is either you´re with us or against us. Those who pray for Yar´adua who has no love lost for the masses that he could steal their votes and leave them in this political mess of not handing over power duly to his Vice president, are system men who stand for the establishment. You´re not welcomed in the mist of low-born and have-nots Nigerians if you belong to the system. Should you´ve deceived Benin people to get their votes in last election, be ready to lose it in the coming one. Deceive Edo citizens for once shame on you, and twice, shame on them!
It was reported on the Vanguard Newspaper of third December, 2009 that Adam Oshiomhole not only prayed, called for Nigeria-wide prayers, he also added that the total sum of Benin people pledge their alliance under his auspices to our sick and incapacitated ruler. In Hamlet, Shakespeare admonishes all humans: “to thine own self be true.” If everyone praying for president Yar´Adua would stop lying to themselves and come clean, don´t be surprised to find out that the prayer enthusiasts and addicts are doing it according to Ice Cube´s rap song: ‘life aint nothing but bitches and money.’ And in case of Nigeria, one would wish to add ‘power’ on the list of Ice Cube. Thus, the life of average Nigerian politicians is nothing but (money, bitches and power.) First, they get the power and money then truckload of bitches would come overflowing. Politicians do the crime in Nigeria, stay put yonder enjoying their loots while shipping trailer-load of loose aiders and abeters girls to London court or wherever to pay the ultimate price for them. Cheap Nigerian women love the money and the politicians crave the power to do sleaze and mouth rants of rubbish in public arena.
Adam Oshiomhole now talks and walks like the same PDP politicians that Edolites ousted from office with their electoral red card and voted him in as governor. What´s this congenital and pathological push and pull that are chucking him into derailment that he can´t pump that break? Nearly everything about him nowadays is more bombast than proven substance. Mr. governor is carrying on as if he´s the Nigerian political equivalent of the reggae star Mr. Bombastic aka Shaggy. You´d want to take it that Mr. governor is more gifted in matters of show business than in statecraft´s governance of people. Showmanship is like air to him as lies and deception are to president Yar´adua and our lawmakers in Abuja. It´s no longer news that he chases compliment about, fishes headline and then hugging it anywhere it´s found.
But Edo people weren´t looking for performance artist when they massively voted him to right the plenty wrongs that PDP meted them. Edolites would´ve voted Victor Uwiafo the Benin legendry musician if they were looking for a showman. Uwiafo has the show smartness and star power to satisfy Edo citizens if they lust after entertainment. Before they know it, Uwaifo would´ve lavishly shown them scores of mammy water and encourage them not to run away. Never mind that mermaid is a fictional comic figure like the children cartoon Tom and Jerry. Mammy water only resides in the imagination of its believers. Countless hours spent in Nigerian churches chasing and casting away the spirit of mammy water could´ve been productive in other meaningful areas of human existence.
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Like every attention hunter worldwide, Adam Oshiomhole has, and exhibits the air of a Puff Daddy. Were it not all about the condescending self-praise and delusion of grandeur in Shaggy´s shocking vibes: “They call me Mr. Bombastic, very fantastic …” How the hell could he have had the temerity to surrender Edo citizens under Yar´Adua´s tutelage without their consent? Bombastic? Yes. Tell me what´s so fantastic about Mr. Oshiomhole rigging the collective prayers of Edo people without consulting with the differing mindsets and religiosities of Edo citizens? Sample an opinion poll in Edo State today and be rest assured that naysayers who´re in no mood to pray for Yar´Adua would trounce yes men like the governor who prays with his two eyes wide open. Religion and showmanship have taken over where common sense should´ve assumed front seat. How´d you continue to pray for a ruler who preachments ‘rule of law and due processes’ but hasn´t the due diligence to hand over statecraft to Nigeria´s vice president as per the dictate of our constitution? Let´s see how long before Oshiomhole eats his own word of being a Yar´adua affiliate and kowtowing Edo-wide under Aso Rock´s supremacy. One day governor Oshiomhole is professing Mr. Fix as his godfather and the next day he´s denying him and resolving to end godfatherism in Edo thereby transferring godfather culture to Anambra State where Mr. Fix has taken a strong political role recently.
Benin citizens have seen more than enough of these kinds of drama and ego trips from erstwhile PDP governors of Edo State that they yearn for a government that is lacking in show and full of legit business such that empowers the citizens. Mr. governor should get straight walking on a straight line and putting his hands where the citizens can see. Nigeria needs handsomely trustworthy leaders like ex-general Buhari who´s incorruptible and shies away from the club of self-appointed Nigerian high-born like OBJ, IBB and PDP citizens of all shades. To be down with poor masses in Benin and Nigeria is to derelict the gathering of corruption heavies and political whores in Nigeria.
Sunday Njokede writes from The European Union
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