Oshiomhole, Where Are Your Friends?
By Okharedia Ihimekpen
“In the twentieth century, it is impossible for an honest man to be a critic”, so declared by our dear friend, George Steiner, the formidable European critic. Steiner, before the parochialism of Cambridge drove him to the continent, was the one literary critic who added class and élan to the intellectual life of England in the 70’s.
Armed with massive erudition and a limpid costly elegant style, Steiner was always there in seminar essays, major reviews and indeed bristling rejoinders to amateur gladiators who might want to trip him. Steiner was not interested in taking intellectual hostages.
Steiner’s target on this occasion, was George Lucas, the great Hungarian Maxist theatrician. It was Steiner’s contention that Lucas gambled away his exemplary gifts as a literary critic in the arid wasteland of Marxism. Steiner was only being less honest otherwise he ought to have known that it takes a thief to trace the footsteps of another thief on a rock. Or else in the name of which devil does he himself speak so eloquently? Steiner in this case represent our modern day Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.
Only the other day the governor Oshiomhole was in his usual element, as he took Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion the Esama of Benin and his son Chief Lucky Igbinedion to the cleaners over tax related issues. The governor has just enacted some retroactive laws to catch up with the duo. The Igbinedions with few others were the same elements that betrayed their political party PDP, to bankrolled Oshiomhole from political obscurity to become Edo State governor at against the interest of the People. One can recollect vividly in 2007 how Oshiomhole as a tenant in the Motel Benin Plaza, was quartered in one of the Igbinedion’s guest houses and allegedly given a grant of twenty-five million naira before the billons of naira was rolled in, to fight the PDP and installed Oshiomhole as Governor of the State.
Since his emergence as governor of Edo State in 2008, it has been difficult not to admire the dexterity with which he has been deafly, but maximally utilizing the enormous influence and resources of his office, to consolidate his position as governor and straighten his hand within the his party APC. At the same time he enjoys tremendous goodwill, within the state traditional rulers and the cult boys which he has made key political concessions, including strategic positions of chairmen of motor parks.
A dire hard student of Mikolo Mecheveli principle in the book the “Prince” Oshiomhole believes in the destruction of people and elements that assisted him to power, forgetting that he needs them when coming down.
Today, virtually all the civil commissioners, special advisers’, permanent Secretaries, and directors that help him to power are either sacked with ignominy, retired or demoted for daring to correct him.
It is on record that at the heels of the Federal Government bail out funds Saga Edo State government applied for a bail out fund of N10 billion naira Oshiomhole allegedly set aside the sum of N6 billion as his counterpart personal contribution to the controversial University at Iyamo while making available a paltry sum of N4 billion for the bail out for salaries and pension in the State. The resultant consequence is that the money became insufficient to pay pensioner and the bail out salaries. This has resulted to some casualties as exemplified in Egor Local Council of Edo State When the Head of Service Mr Obazele, the Permanent Secretary and other officials cried foul they were sacked.
Oshiomhole greatest headache today is the issue of his successor who will cover up for all these sins. This phobia has put him on a permanent war with his deputy Dr Egberavben Odubu, Like a bull in the China’s shop Oshiomhole has leached a rain of terror on all those associated with his deputy whether in government or out of his government. Like the godfather which he has made himself, he has lunched one Godwin Obaseki as his successor. This Obaseki sermon he has preached to all who care to listen to him, be it traditional rulers, students, and other whiles. And he has never forgot to tell them that this Obaseki is from Alhaji Dangote. Obaseki is also said to be the main egg-head of the Iyamo University of which only him and Oshiomhole can tell how much of the Edo State tax payers money is in the project. In seven months time Oshiomhole will be out of Office and his action will be subject to the judgment of posterity.
I would not know what the new government intends to do about these lootings of Edo, but all I do know is that the people will like to know the true stories of Edo Line, Airport Road contract scam, the 40% oil derivation monies meant for the oil producing communities and the 10% of the Federal Statutory allocation for the 18 local government since 2008.
If the Igbinedion eight years in power were years of locust and a rape of democracy, they will like to know what we have we got to show for the Oshiomhole years. Today of the several segments of the economy, in the state only the taxation sector, the government can claim to have registered a hypocritical impression on the populace. This is also the same sector that is trailed with the greatest scandals.
All the state industries of Edo Line, Bendel Breweries, Edo Cement Factory, Ewu Flour Mill Oshiomhole’s administration inherited, are all grounded. Accountability made a taboo. For seven years now, Oshiomhole has fooled Edo electorates with the pretence that he is re-constructing and rehabilitating Federal Roads in the State at the expense of the state roads, which has earned the administration scandals than political gain it is intended. Airport road rehabilitation that would ordinarily have cost the tax payers less than N1 billion naira is now costing over N14 billion and without an end to it.
Today no one can categorically say the exact amount the Central Hospital Benin extension is costing the tax payer except Oshiomhole and perhaps Obaseki whom he has vowed to impose on his party and his successor in office. They may also wish to know the true story of the N25 Billion tax payers money allegedly pulled from First Bank State FAC account via the Access Bank to fund the establishment of a cement factory in far away Zambia with the Dangote Group. Is this funding for Edo State or Oshiomhole? Time will tell?
A government should have a humane face, a government that takes pride in beating confidence out of its lawmakers through intimidation, cannot not be said to be government of the people, by the people and for the people. Edo State House of Assembly has been dumb. It will amount to asking for the moon in the day light than to expect the leadership of the House of Assembly to ask Oshiomhole of corruption in the state.
It is an irony which will surprise only the naïve, when we suggest that the unyielding protagonist of this timeless Passion play in Edo State itself Today, “The Heart Beat State” continues to stagger from one self inflicted crises to another; hence its vulnerability and the eternal instability which cost a forlorn shadow on it. Edo State has even failed the elementary test of a modern bourgeois state: For seven years now it has been unable to mediate the often conflicting interest of the factor that constitutes the ruling Oshiomhole’s administration. Charity has ended at home. (Picture: Oshiomhole and Odubu)