Unlike the carnival setting that usually precedes the arrival of VIP’s in the caliber of Comrade Adams Oshiomole, whereby political bigwigs, both heavyweights and paperweight alike would jostle for space to welcome and catch a glimpse of his attention for political favors, this time, only a handful of town folks, village kinsmen and daughters of Iyamho were on hand to grace the return of their once powerful national idol.
What a complete shift from the tumultuous setting that would have heralded this cerebral veteran of the soil with siren blaring convoys of exotic vehicles, gun totting, dark glasses wielding security operatives in tow; the next would have been multiple blasting of carbide akin to twenty-one gun salute; at least, if nothing else, to sit at the helm of affairs of a national party is no fluke; his word was law! But this time, the reception was cold, the surroundings subdued; even the rustle of leaves signifying life were gloomy– a sober reflection of what “would have been”.
As the motorcade of the diminutive war lord snaked their way into the magnificent castle reminiscent of the sleazy Mobutu of Zaire Republic, it was all too apparent; the cold reception only vindicates the Igbo proverb that amplifies the fact that “a native doctor whose child is being taken for burial hides his head in shame for allowing that to happen”. Oshiomole as a native doctor was not supposed to be defeated by any ailment; he was supposed to be an invincible spirit, the custodian of trado-medicine. Nevertheless, he alighted from his vehicle spotting his trademark khaki outfit’; when he mounted the podium to speak, the only thing that made sense was puerile; his well-known “double speak” rented the air; he said he was apologizing, and you want to ask for what? This is the problem with us as Nigerians—too saturated with distractions.
The future of the Edo People is at stake: to continue with poverty, hunger, strife, corruption inspired by this same man; or to stand up against his insane political mission? Even now, the few political jobbers who inflame tensions and tolerate continued oppression are all over the radio waves, television, condemning an established governor who is spreading development, paying pensioners, raising the stakes of democracy and ensuring freedom? Sadly, we all seem to have short memories; otherwise Nigerians should run far away from Oshiomole’s fiery double speak; yes, he may have been a hero, but his overbearing monocratic attitude spells doom for our kind of democracy; It is not about him, but our children, the system, our life.
The world has moved on embracing technological advances; here we are bogged down with philistine bondage—a few cult like people emerging to devour our collective harvest; Oshiomole says he made a mistake by bringing Obaseki in the first instance; so the lesson he has learnt is to bring back a man he openly castigated before the public. Meaning that a former thief can as well come back to apologize to be given another opportunity to steal again! It is possible we have lost our sense of values; we have ceased caring; in the Biblical days, people like “Achan” had his entire family burnt to ashes for what our today’s generation would simply brush away.
The burning urge to steal is more powerful than anything else. But nature would still take its course. That’s what happens when we—as humans—fail to use our common sense. As the Igbo would say—“a man who is adept at swallowing big lumps of food is more likely to improve on the act given a small soup”! Obaseki is trying to dig the State out from the precipice—the ruins left behind by eight years of Oshiomole’s plunder with the Benin Central Hospital still in death throes as of now, yet some greedy elements with burning desires still accord him some voice; this is the problem with us; the level of APC desperation on display is such that courts may be used to scuttle the PDP anticipated victory at the polls.
But Obaseki should sit up; why is he called the Tiger anyway? If the one harassing him is a lion from Iyamho, the jungle is big enough for them to try each other. Be that as it may the onus is on us to choose between the grinding poverty that confronts us if Oshiomole wins and the blissful economic revival if Obaseki is retained
