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| Kelly O. Udebhulu |
OBHIABA: To plant a legacy is not magic nor by divide and rule politics, it is how you place your people and development before any other selfish interests. You are right to say, I tried to help my people and brought development but my people are not appreciating and ready for development- Who planted this disgust and hatred among the OBHIABAS? A misery untold but OBILU JESU for giving me the time and opportunity to witness the arrival of "A visionary, A Legend, Developer and A Great OBHIABA when I was A CHILD".
My sweetest memory of the Late Prof. A. F. Alli-when I was just a little innocent child. As a restless young boy. I had rushed with other youths to the huge open fields of UROHI SECONDARY SCHOOL, UROHI to watch the Opening Ceremony where the great developer was going to talk. A Secondary School I later became a Senior Prefect. What A great opportunity !
The crowd surged with energy and vivid animation. There was an electrifying participatorial charm everywhere. There was that infectious spirited aura of being present at a historic moment. We were all gripped with a raucous partisan feverishness as the great man of the moment emerged. IT WAS RAINY HEAVENLY! His first Words "If we didn't work in the rain or sun, where / when shall we work?"
It was a magical moment I will never forget. He was a handson man with confidence and poise. There was grace and certain majesty in his strides. There was an undisguised heroic pose and determined valour about this man. There was that mightiness presence that exuded power, bravura and intelligence.
Here was the OBHIABA in robust, radiant totality. His voice soared with velvety articulations. There was passion and tremendous vigour in every stress and pitch of his constructions. Even to my young mind, as I watched and fixated by the eloquence of the great man, I was proud to be an OBHIABA. I was proud to come from this Esanland. He turned my mentor and model instantly.
I thought I had known him all my life. I thought I beheld an Uncle, a father, a Guardian Angel with all the charm, with all the solidity of a liberating eminence. His paramount idealism reached far beyond the narrow purview of partisan pursuits. His greatest podium and raison detre was My People! And My People! And My People! Nothing else mattered. What A great OBHIABA. The gathering was accommodative to all-both young and old.
It is rather disheartening to note that, after the appearance and exit of this great Obhiaba, we hardly experience a calm gathering void of heavy Mobile Police personnel, Arm Military Personnel, parade of SSS and Mighty Igor sized Body Guards where every young child will see a great OBHIABA speaks and highly cherished.
The million naira question now is, what has happened?
It is a high time the people of Esan land wake up from their doldrums and make concerted efforts to ensure an immediate return to the status quo which gave our fore-fathers un-imaginable recognition and fame and whereby Esan people will not be marginalized or intimidated any longer. Our present leaders should see reasons why they must wake up to their respective responsibilities and say Enough is Enough. Appreciate any rising profile of any Esan person whether from your community or political party or ideology. Just give your support and encouragement because your time is your time and it is his or her divine time.
OBHIABA, BHADIAKUGBE RHAMUDE AKUGBE-AHU.
...To be continued
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