EDO 2020: Lessons from Godwin Obaseki

From Daniẹl Aroren Noah Osa-Ogbegie

Experience they say,is the best teacher,but it is adviseable to learn from the experience of others. This is why we read biograghies and autobiograghies chronicling the lives and times of others. It is this reason I put down this short piece. I come in peace.

Now to bẹ honest with you, Godwin Obaseki totally mismanaged the situation because of his arrogance,lack of emotional intelligence and an aim to build his own hegemony. Nobody could reason with him. This was the simple reason why hẹ lost all those who could have helped him.

Many State leaders tried to appeal to him to nọ avail. Obaseki wanted to bẹ incharge. Hẹ did not know that politics is about contestations and therefore one needs to negotiate and convince for support. Those who misled him reminded him that hẹ was Governor and as Governor hẹ could crush and have his way.

Some National leaders of the Party called him for advise to nọ avail. Bola Tinubu called him three times,but hẹ ignored the calls.

Our reverred Ọba tried to wade in to no avail. Godwin doesnt listen to anyone who would not massage his ego.

The major cause of this problem was that just before Godwin Obaseki was sworn in as Governor, hẹ boasted that hẹ would retire the politicians and create a new league of politicians. Hẹ embarked ọn this immediately hẹ was sworn in. At that point hẹ declared war on majority of Party members.

In thẹ 2018 Party primaries, hẹ initially imposed his own people on the Party Statewide. Even though there wẹre reversals,but hẹ still suceeded in imposing Monday Iyoha over Osaro Obazee, and his candidates in Ẹdo Central. Reason for the embarrassing loses the Party suffered in these places.

Godwin should have used his first term to learn the act of politics. Hẹ was too quick to show himself. His arrogance is his biggest undoing. I find it hard to understand how a man who had just three credits in history, Religious Knowledge and Geography; P in English and F9 in Maths would be this arrogant. As someone who knew about his O'level results since 2016, It was always a consternation for me.

The major mistake Governor Godwin Obaseki made was the nocturnal innauguration of the House of Assembly to exclude members elect hẹ felt wẹre not pliable. The Bauchi Governor did same thing within same time,but while the Bauchi Governor reclined and embraced a political resolution, even when hẹ was an opposition Party Governor, Godwin Obaseki rebuffed all attempts by the APC Federal government to resolve the matter.

Another big mistake was overtly going about,trying to remove his benefactor and National Chairman of his Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomole as Chairman. As soon as hẹ failed in that bid, I knew hẹ was done. Nọ failed coup plotter is left alive. In thẹ Sicilian code, every betrayal is crushed. That world and the real world are same.

Godwin Obaseki's greatest mistake was to abandon Ẹdo people who live in Edo and import people from Europe, China, America and Lagos to do jobs in Edo State and repaltriate the money to their home Countries and home State and his failures to meet over 80 percent of his campaign promises.

HE BEGS AND BRAGS

Godwin Obaseki thought hẹ had enough capital with certain persons outside the State to muscle Adams Oshiomole to submission. Hẹ deployed them. Hẹ involved Aliko Dangote to get the Presidency to support him. I think hẹ got some promises. Hẹ would come to Ẹdo State and brag about how hẹ would deal with Oshiomole. It was nauseating for some of us who hold benefactors as sacred and inviolable. This, I believe, was when hẹ started losing the sympathy and support of some critical stakeholders.

When Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu decided to go back to the APC with his political family, Godwin Obaseki fought it with all hẹ could muster,using many underhand tactics. This clearly showed Obaseki was not who hẹ painted himself to bẹ and was not different from the regular Nigerian politicians. Cars of innocent Citizens wẹre burnt, some of them beaten up and made to suffer just to show that the City was not safe for the Ize-Iyamu rally. Hẹ was reactionary. It was as though Gen. Sani Abacha was Governor of Edo State. Obaseki totally unravelled.

People have to ask themselves how his friends who wẹre trying to help him abandoned him. Why did Aliko Dangote leave him to his fate? Nobody could reason with him. It was his way or nọ way; and now, hẹ is where hẹ finds himself. Very soon,hẹ would see Nigerian politicians for who they are. The way people who are his political friends now would desert him in thẹ next three weeks would break his heart, and he would come to understand what Comrade Adams Oshiomole felt seeing his creations- Godwin, Ogie and Philip betray him without a thought.

Daniẹl Osa-Ogbegie writes from Ugieghudu, the home of the great Queen Idia,mother of the great Ọba Esigie. Ugieghudu is of the Uhunmwode Principality of the ancient Kingdom of Benin