A Tiny Bush Path

By Obue Kennedy

The political maladministration of the commonwealth of the good people of Edo State in general and Esan People in particular since the period that preceded the colonial era could possibly ignite rancor and acrimony. The governance of the Edo State polity since then and especially the era of 1999 to date, had not shown a picture of a state governed by sincere and honest people who actually sown to an oath of allegation.

The evolving of modern societies is a function of the pragmatic use of the instruments of governance, which are transparent to administer the commonwealth of our people to develop the state. Most states in the Nigeria federation leverage on partnership with international developmental agencies to empower her citizenry. What we have witness in Edo state since the evolution of man, in infrastructural development, is the establishment of University of Benin and other Higher and lower academic institution, Ogbe Stadium, Specialist Hospitals, Bendel Feed and Flour Mill (Dead), Okpella Cement Factory (dead), Bendel Brewery (Dead) Edo Line (Dead) Bendel Insurance Company (Dead)etc.

Edo states do not have overheads bridges or Rapid Bus corridor, rail lines or infrastructural development for industrial estates; neither do we have RED ROOFS Projects spreads across the nooks and crannies in other states. Year in Year out Edo state is saddle with political malady, manipulators and misapplication of fund shared in homes of political gladiators with impunity, thereby mortgaging the future of the unborn generation of the Edo people.

Industrialization, commercialization and economic development are twins. Any society that does not create value with economic activities, infrastructural development and people empowerment programs will necessarily be bankrupt. It is important we stop the idea of dressing up dummy and pressing his candidacy through a political party in the throat of the peace loving people of Edo state as their leaders. We must rise up to support the laudable idea of not only one man one vote, also standby to see your vote count.
We cannot continue in an endless drift of our able bodied youths on sojourn by foot through the desert of neighboring countries not knowing what lies ahead of them for supposedly better opportunities in Europe, Asia and other continents of the world because of the insensitivity of our so-called political gladiators in the management of our sovereign wealth. It is of note that a bearded mustache Governor, who supposedly is a son to a self-acclaimed legend, left Edo State a pariah state for a whopping period of eight years of mundane. The only juice processing plant idea that ever came into his head never saw the light of the day with eight years duration period to complete the factory. What a shame!

Esannow should begin a massive political reawakening of his people, on the need for transparency in corporate governance and development. If the current trend is not changed, you will agree with me that successive leadership of the state will continue to be in the hands of few age rickety politicians, who had always be dubious in their idea and old fashioned in understanding of the present day economics strategy of industrialization and globalization. They are political gladiators who are trained by the tactics of winner takes it all and they walk day by day in that mindset of such a tiny bush path that leads to the forest.

They walk their ways through clandestine activities to political relevance. You would presumably conclude that they are the best in intellectualism. If this trend is not check as urgently as now, our roads, schools, industries, hospitals will not be different from that tiny bush path that leads to the forest or what would you possibly expect from a state whose bulk of active youths are on a footpath sojourn to a faraway land seeking for greener pasture.

In as much as the Comrade governor’s victory in the election is a case before the Tribunal, and if all evidences against him proved him culpable, it is expedient that the law should take it full course as an estate of the realm that does not have emotions. However it is also important to note that apart of Dr. S.O ogbemudia, Professor A. F Alli, Chief John Odigie Oyegun and now Comrade Adams Oshiomonle who had tried but in the most of millipede race to evolve good governance and infrastructural development in the state, no sooner would Edo state be truly as a bush path that leads to the forest.

We should hold our leaders to accountabilities and fashion a new order that will courage growth and development in the state. We can do it! Edo state is blessed with great men and women that can fix the state, so that we can catch up in the federation of state in infrastructural development. Edo state is backward in Nigeria in terms of infrastructural development. Except there is a compete departure from the old system, most Edo indigene who have never travelled out from Edo State in their life might not even know overhead bridges, railway lines, serviceable airstrip etc. to say the least.

It is laughable to praise the efforts of the Comrade Governor at this moment. Adams Oshiomonle has not achieved anything compared to the landmark success he recorded as a Labor leader than as a governor. Esannow is watching and we are also praying fervently that the comrade governor should translate his activism as a labor leader more to emancipate the ordinary Edo man from neo-colonialism, maybe his name might be written with an indelible ink on the sand of time. We need industrial and infrastructural development. Unproductive economies have not place in the Millennium Development Goals or strategy.
……To be continued
Obue Kennedy Ede writes for Esannow, he is based in Lagos