Edo 2016: Where Is The Esan & Who is Talking for the Esan People ?

By Akioyamen Josephine.

It appears that the PDP has decided that it is going to field a candidate from the Edo South Axis of the State. It also appears to me that this tacit arrangement has the backing of all the Esan heavy hitters within the PDP and hence the absence of any Esan politician of note vying for that nomination within the Party.

However, in the case of the APC, it appears to me they are toying with the idea of making their primaries, an all comers affairs such that we have candidates of every stripe, from the Edo South and Edo Central jostling to outmaneuver one another to get the party's nomination. Even though there is a stream of undercurrent that Adam Oshiomhole, the Governor of Edo State, and a very big factor in who emerges the nominee of the APC has clearly shown his hand by pitching his tent with Godwin Obaseki, a protege of the richest man in Nigeria, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Even in the APC, it seems the Esan has already been clearly outmaneuvered. In the sharing of power in Edo, the Governor of  the State made sure he allocated the Speakership to Edo Central to seemingly and justifiably so, maintains the balance of power in the state and to keep up the appearances that no part of the state is being left behind. But unlike the tenure of the Governor and of his Deputy, the tenure of the speaker, is not terminating at the end of the Oshiomhole's Admin. Therefore, the calculus will be that since the Esan already possess the speakership, it won't be equitable to have them become the governor or the deputy.

The Esan has tried and successfully too to counterbalance this argument with the emergence of Dr. Osagie Ehanire from Edo South as the Minister of State, Health. This argument got under the skin of the Benin, such that when it was yet raging the Benin Leaders of Thought (BLT) under the leadership of the Enogie of Obazuwa and younger brother of the Oba of Benin, Prince Edun Akenzua,had to point out forcefully on Oct, 28, 2015 that the appointment shouldn't be used as an anvil to flatten the ambition of the Benins to produce the next governor of Edo State. However, the Esan voice was heard loudly and Oshiomhole grudgingly backtracked and thrown the primaries open.

But what are the Esan politicians in APC doing? Are they canvassing for any of the Esan gubernatorial candidates? Have they fallen in lock steps to the desires of the Governor?

I once mounted a campaign to stand with Dr. Mike Onolememen until he shows clearly he was not interested. I was supported by a host of my friends from the APC. I hope they are supporting any or every Esan candidate until they say they are not running. It is only fair we do this since PDP has close up it shop against the emergence of a person of Esan stock this year. To do otherwise would be hypocrisy. Esan must not be left out of this game

I’ll build on Late Prof. Ambrose Alli’s legacies – Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan.

Arc. Emuan

Edo State`s All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Arc. Ilenre Austin Emuan (MNIA) has promised to build on the progressive legacies of former Bendel state governor, late Prof. Ambrose Alli, if elected as governor.


In his interview with newsmen in Ekpoma, Esan west Local Government of Edo state, he said that it is important that the outgoing governor should hand over to a competent person, who will continue to implement the manifestos of the ruling APC party. 


Arc. Emuan, said the industrialization of the state will be the priority of his administration, adding that it is the panacea to unemployment.


Praising the former Bendel state governor, late Prof. Ambrose Alli and the outgoing governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for laying a solid foundation for the future of Edo, he said his successor should be able to keep the flag flying in the post-Oshiomhole period.


The aspirant said he will make Edo a technological haven and harness the abundant human and material resources to fuel development.


He said: “The world of today runs on the pivot of technology. Also, the future of the world depends and shall continuously depend on technology. How to clean up the polluted world, reforest, build up depleting biodiversity and other ecological resources and what means to be used lies with technology.


The shape of life on earth and things to come also depend on technology. This is why we will quickly make Edo the technological heartbeat of Nigeria.”


Arc. Emuan added: “To make Edo the technological and socio-economic heartbeat, we will promote intense inter-state trade and increase interaction between local researchers, innovators, designers, fabricators, assemblers and research and development professionals in all spheres.”


The aspirant promised to run what he described as a neo-welfarist state. He said: “By neo-structural welfarism, I mean a new way of thinking. The old structure is like the old economy. But this is a new way of doing things. This is tapping into the knowledge of the new economy. The political economy of the world today is distraught in economic disparity, resulting into economic maladjustment, giving room for poverty, deepened insecurity and terrorism. This is the old order. 


“ If we continue on this path, we are obviously heading for Armageddon. This is the reason why neo-structural welfarism is concerned with restructuring capitalism, which is the pivotal of greed. The best way to go is not to destroy capitalism, but to re-define it. In other words, there has to be a balance between capitalism and some paradigm of socialism so that wealth can be evenly distributed.”


“I carried out a research early in the year and discovered that in 1820, the ratio of rich to poor was one to three. But, as at 2013, it has gone to one to 88. That means that the wealth of this world is in the hand of few people. For me as a neo-structural scholar, this is what I stand to correct in Edo State and Nigeria, using Edo as an economic model.”


He concluded by assuring all APC delegates at the primaries to nominate him and solicit mass votes from all edo state indigenes to for him as the next governor of the state. 

TWO YEARS REMEMBRANCE OF MY ONLY MATERNAL BLOOD BROTHER: TRIBUTE TO LATE CHIEF FRIDAY USIFOH OSUYI (1958-2014).

during his final burial rite April 2014

They say there is a reason, even; many people say there are many reasons,

Just for a death that took you away, many came up with reasons bored out of hatred and gossip,

Even at your death, relatives and non relatives have accusations and counter accusations,

But as your younger brother, I remain steadfast that death that took you away from us,

Took away from us a treasury, diamond and platinum, that nothing can replaces,

They say that time will heal, but neither time nor reason, will change the way I feel,

For no one knows the heartache that lies behind my smiles,

No one knows how many times, I have broken down and cried,

I want to tell you something, so there won`t be any doubt, am available to do,

Those which I never failed to do before death took you away,

In your days on planet earth, as your younger brother,

The desired maximum respect and responsibility,

Accountability and joy of a brother,

You got from me and your two sisters!

But today, neither the respect nor the cooperation,

You desired to continue even after your death,

That I may enjoy and do my best for them,

Is elusive, missing and far away from physical touches,

But those that deserve what you expected from me as your younger brother,

Upon them I will divinely do, we will sacredly perform,

Our mom you left behind is fine,

Your two sisters and I are fine,

Your precious daughter you were proud to have as a daughter is fine,

She is giving you more grand children even after your death,

Your two sisters and I are proud of her just as you did,

And the rest children and grandchildren are fine.

BROTHER, MAY YOUR SOUL CONTINUE TO REST IN PEACE- AMEN

*6^th February, 2016 by your younger brother, Prince Kelly O. Udebhulu.