OPINION: The Acts of The Godfather In Edo Politics

By Isaac Asabor

If an author decides to write a political compendium titled “The Acts of The Godfather In Edo Politics”, to mark the commemoration of Democracy Day, it would definitely be a book that would chronologically document the lives and activities of some of our contemporary Godfathers in Edo Politics from May 29, 1999 when Nigerians seemingly embraced an ideal democracy. In writing the book, the author would discover that more than half of the book would dwell on issues that border on corruption, insincerity, treachery, avarice, gangsterism, McCarthyism, Horse Trading and you name it.

No doubt, the entire content of the book would dwell on the bad and ugly aspects of our on-going “Oshiocracy” that is fast emerging in Edo State rather than the good side. For the sake of clarity, “Oshiocracy” as a political system simply means “Government of Oshiomhole, by Oshiomhole and for Oshiomhole and his godsons”.  The reason for this cannot be far-fetched as our on-going Oshiocracy is literally churning out more of bizarre political events than virtuous political events.

I must confess that I was compelled to write this piece after reading the book of the The Acts of The Apostles in the Bible. While the Apostles derived their collective strength from the Holy Spirit, our politicians that have chosen to adopt the political brand called “Oshiocracy” are no doubt deriving their strengths from greed.

Permit me to say that the political compendium may likely arrest the attention of the reader from the first chapter to the last chapter. Stories that would make the book a masterpiece would cut across the imposition of the incumbent governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Edolites in  2016 even in the midst of more credible candidates at the time, and the ongoing political scheming to impose Pastor Osaze Ize-Iyamu on them again.  Besides, there were various laughable events that characterised our on-going Oshiocracy that if included in the book it would definitely be a best seller.

A further perusal into the pages of the compendium would no doubt reveal more bizarre events that may have made millions of Nigerians to believe in the saying of Will Rogers (1879-1935) that “Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.”

Why would many Edolites not take the fast emerging Oshiocracy as a joke when some promises that are inherent in the system have never being kept? Why would the people not take the “Oshiocratic” inspired governance as a joke when both the godfather and the godson are bound to disagree within few months upon the assumption of office at Osadebey Avenue? Why would Edolites not take the politicians that are affiliated to Oshiocracy as jokers when they are been seen as business partners with the godfather?

Why would many Edolites not see Oshiocracy system of government as a joke when they are struggling to put the cheapest staple food on their tables whereas the “Oshiocrats” are been fed with the tax payers’ money? Have you not heard that some of them are entitled to humongous amount of money for their yearly feeding? A friend of mine jokingly reacted in Pidgin English, “Wetin dem dey chop sef, no be eba and rice?” His reaction, no doubt, made a whole lot of sense. What are they feeding on that warrant them to be paid such gargantuan allowances on feeding? Have you not heard that even their kitchenettes are maintained at the expense of the tax payers?

Why would thousands of Edolites, like Will Roger, not take Oshiocrats as jokers when they were literarily promised heaven on earth, but what they are experiencing today could be seemingly likened to hell on earth? No doubt, things are getting bad by each passing day. Prices of consumable are already out of the reach of the average Edolites.

In the speculated compendium, the idiosyncrasies of the politicians would be exhaustively treated. The book would no doubt reveal how repulsive the acts of the godfather and the godson are.

For instance, there is an axiom that says “When a politician greets anyone ‘Good morning’ he should first of all check his wrist-watch whether it is truly morning before concluding that it is good or bad.” No doubt, people seem to take Oshiocrats and their promises with a pinch of salt not because they love doing it to ridicule them, but because the fact remains that they are not always sincere.

No doubt, the compendium would dedicate a chapter to political jargons that were literarily manufactured by some politicians that have the gift of comedy.

Some of the jargons are “I Dey Kampe”, “Talk na do”, “Wake and see” “Do or die” among other laughable jargons. I overheard someone the other day saying that “these Oshiocrats are more hilarious than all our stand-up comedians put together. The most ridiculous of all they claim to offer is “dividend of democracy.” As you are aware, the word “Dividend” is professionally used by shareholders and capital market operators. Today, politicians have hijacked the jargon despite the fact that they are not even giving the society the dividend they are collectively mouthing about.

The compendium would also do justice to some Oshiocrats in the State that forgot their antecedents and the ideologies they variously stood for. Today, we have journalists turned Oshiocrats that easily get incensed when they read any criticism against their paymasters whereas they wrote more acerbic articles than those they are seeing as their enemies when they were practicing journalists. Also, we have those that paraded themselves as civil rights fighters but today while in Edo State Government they have automatically made a volte face to the consternation of many of us. What about those that claimed to be labour leaders? Like chameleons, they have all changed to become the typical Oshiocrats. These are the people we once held in high esteem.

Since May 29, 1999, Edolites have at different times been disappointed by some self-serving individuals who pretended to be standing on the side of the people. But alas! These same people have totally changed by aligning with those they once criticized vehemently. What an irony!

The essence of this piece is to express my personal opinion that every May 29 (Democracy Day) should not only be commemorated with pomp and pageantry in Edo State but it should be a day set aside for sober reflection on the extent democracy has evolved in the State, and also to be guarded against the fast emerging concept of godfatherism which in this context is dubbed “Oshiocracy”.

It is not an exaggeration to say that it is disappointing seeing our democracy of more than 20 years at its present tottering stage. In my own opinion, I can see many avaricious clowns coming across as politicians. This is not the democracy we dreamt of more than more than 20 years ago. In fact, this is democracy standing on its head.

Our politicians should begin to brainstorm on how Edo should be built. They should begin to search for how the point of true leadership can be reached. We have so many fake people parading themselves as leaders serving the people in public office. Our politicians should begin to think of how to become selfless leaders and nation builders in the moulds of Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Mother Theresa, Dr. Nelson Mandela, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo amongst several other leaders; past and present.

Finally, the essence of this article is to let them know that there would definitely be a compendium that would document all their hilarious and atrocious acts while in politics. The compendium would share the same title with this piece. “The Acts Of The Politicians.”

Ndokwa Reporters

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