In the Christian Holy Book, we were told that when it was time for God to redeem man unto Himself and send the messiah, rather than drop him from the sky as a full grown man, He took the long process of passing through the normal human process. The reason as stated in Hebrews 2: 14 – 18 and Hebrews 5:1-3 is so that, the messiah can fully understand and comprehend the challenges peculiar to humans, and therefore, be more merciful and compassionate in dealing with them.
Compassionate and good leadership overtime, as evident in history and from all over the world, has always stemmed from leaders who were/are taken from among the people. The Mandelas of this world, the Abraham Lincolns, the Mahatma Gandhis, the Barrack Obamas, the Lee Kuan Yews and the Monday Okpebholos, whose names have become synonymous with good, compassionate and human friendly policies and developments, all have one thing in common. They were once a part of the people, understood what the issues were, and could feel the pains and agonies of the people.
As I continue to reflect on the shocking revelations by the Edo State Assets Verification Committee, detailing the level of plunder, looting and shady dealings that took place during the regime of Godwin Obasek, I cannot but wonder if the wounded ’ematon’ is human and if there is any drop of human kindness left in him.
Let us get one thing clear – many leaders are corrupt and often engage in shady deals. This is a fact that the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing all within its power to change and address. However, the norm among these corrupt leaders is to try to divert attention with some human faced projects. They loot with some level of fear and trembling.
Godwin Obaseki introduced a new kind of corruption laced with heartlessness, wickedness, and a complete lack of human empathy. This kind is rare in the Nigerian political space. The Obaseki’s case is not just about corrupt and shady practices, but his level of detachment, disconnect, and lack of concern to the plight of the people he was elected to serve
At a time when Edo lacked basic infrastructures, motorable roads, primary healthcare system and good schools, what was of concern to Obaseki was building a hotel that will serve as shelter to his Lagos-based consultants, who only came to the State to sign MoUs and looked for new areas to loot during weekdays.
How well does one explain the rationale for investing Edo State N19 billion in a private hotel venture at a time over 61% of the State population was completely cut off from the capital due to bad roads? Which right thinking man prioritizes the building of a hotel over the building of classrooms for students to learn? Which sane leader leaves the primary healthcare system in shambles while investing huge money in a hotel business?
In a State that boasts of having arguably the highest number of standard hotels in the South South, why should a hotel business be the utmost concern of Godwin Obaseki? We have Protea, OTI, West View, Constantial, View Point, Sage, and many others. What is it about Raddison Hotel that Obaseki would neglect pressing areas needing urgent government attention for?
The answer is clear, and it is evident in the opening paragraph – Godwin Obaseki, a Lagos boy who accidentally became the governor of Edo State, was never part of the people he was elected to govern. He did not know them, never felt their pains, never used their roads, did not school among them, and did not even have a house in the State.
He was more of a contractor governor who looked forward to weekends to run back to his Lagos base. To him, satisfying his Lagos consultants was far more important than whatever the needs of Edo people were. Because he was not taken from among the people, he lacked the needed compassion and empathy to govern and lead them.
This explains why, in the midst of daunting hardship by the citizens from Edo North and Edo Central in accessing the State headquarters, Obaseki’s solution was to erect gigantic signboards that read, “bear with us, this is a federal government road”. What callousness! What wickedness!! What indifference!!! Is Godwin Obaseki truly human or a robot?
At a time Edo public schools lacked teachers, with most schools boasting of having only 3 or 4 teachers, Obaseki was busy diverting N19 billion of Edo State hard-earned money to a private firm to erect a hotel. When insecurity was ravaging our lands, Upper Sakponba and its axis turned to a full blown cult war, Obaseki was more interested in building a hotel and paid deaf ears to the cries of our mothers whose sons were hacked down in cult related wars
Time, they say, judges all things, and one thing is sure – history will not be kind to Godwin Obaseki. When all is said and done and the books of remembrance are opened, Godwin Obaseki will be remembered as the “detached stranger” who heartlessly plundered Edo while paying deaf ears to the cries and pains of the people.
Godwin Obaseki will forever serve as a bitter reminder to Edo people on why it is dangerous to entrust our State into the hands of those who have never identified with us, never lived with us and do not know our shared history and culture. Nebuchadnezzar Godwin Obaseki plundered and looted callously because he was never part of us. He could not empathize with us and served merely his personal purpose and that of his Lagos consultants.
*Fred Itua is the Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor.
