Pius Egberamwen Odubu
By Isaac Asabor
There is no denying the fact that the essence of democracy is the participation of citizens in the process of government. At the most basic level, the participation involves selecting leaders for the nation, the states and the various local governments through credible electoral process.
Popular participation also includes examination of government and public officials to determine their fitness for serving the people. Discussions, criticisms and suggestions collectively play a part in the orderly transition of governments and elected leaders. The right to speak and oppose, no doubt, is inherent in a nation governed by popularly elected leaders.
In its seeming simplistic nature, particularly in its application in the process of governance, most political leaders in their various spheres of leadership can bring the leadership qualities they possess to bear by interpreting the essence of democracy as expressed in the foregoing for the benefits of the people. Unfortunately, not many of them can interpret it and bring it to bear on the affairs of people from its developmental perspective.
It is not an exaggeration to say that not every leader knows how to apply democratic principles to attain human development for its people, despite the fact that it is about expanding the choices available to them, in order to live valuable lives. For the sake of clarity, permit me to say that economic growth is important, but it is truly only a means for enlarging those choices. A fundamental part of expanding those choices is building human capabilities; the range of things that people can achieve in their life. It suffices to say that democracy at all times should be for the people by ensuring that their well-beings and quality of life are adequately taken care of.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it goes without saying that a good leader, particular in Edo State in this context must ensure that Edolites must be at the centre of human development; both as beneficiaries and as drivers, as individuals and in groups. Edolites must be empowered with the tools and knowledge to build their own communities.
Analysed from the prism of the foregoing backdrop, it can be said in this context that one of the reasons that made the name, Dr. Pius Odubu to become newsman’s delight, is that he has the qualities that can be brought to bear in governance, and which by extension are capable of bettering the lives of the people. Ostensibly inspired by the personal credibility of the politician recently, Dr. Bright Osemwengie asked in a well-written piece, “Are there still men like Pius Egberamwen Odubu?”. In the same vein, Barrister Gloria Adagbon posted on facebook, “Odubu here, Odubu there, Odubu everywhere”, and illustrated the post with three flexed biceps emoji.
In the same vein, this writer wrote a piece with the headline, “Propriety of Odubu Becoming Next Edo Governor” in an effort to further extol him for being distinct from the other leaders in the state by virtue of his unequalled personal credibility.
Without doubt, since he joined the race to pick the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in Edo state together with other leaders that have also shown interest in the race, his names have been ringing bells, so to say. A wide spectrum of the population has unarguably been rooting for Odubu on the strength of his candidature, and has in that light been wishing him a successful outing in the gubernatorial race to Osadebey Avenue.
It can be assumed in this context that when Oprah Winfrey penned her quote that “Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives” that he had personages such as Odubu in mind. The reason for the assumption cannot be farfetched as Odubu has for the umpteenth time betrayed his emotion and expressed his love for his supporters and constituents. Recently in his Easter message to his supporters and other Nigerians, and which was signed and conveyed to public domain on his behalf by Felix Osemwengie Isere under the auspices of Dr. Pius Odubu Campaign Organization, the ebullient and effervescent politician and leader said, “There is no better time to demonstrate this life of sacrifice in this period when our world is navigating through a global crisis, battling to end the deadly Coronavirus that has taken many lives and caused severe hardship across the globe.
Therefore, while we come before him in divine obeisance, we must encourage ourselves, pray to a faithful God and use the opportunity to extend the love of Christ to our neighbors in a tangible way.
I encourage all, especially the leaders among us, to rededicate themselves to the service of mankind through their tireless dedication to the service of our immediate community and the nation as a whole.
We must remind ourselves that the opportunity to lead given by the almighty is an awesome chance to add value to mankind. We must meditate on those sterling qualities that made Christ a great leader, saviour and helper. Above all, we must become humble as he was before God to deliver on the purposes for which He came in the flesh.
On behalf of our campaign Organization I bring you the warmth and blessings of Easter and urge you to not only remind yourself of the pain His death brought but dwell more on the surpassing joy his resurrection has given to mankind”.
Extracting a relevant passage from Dr. Osemwengie’s piece, he wrote, “Dr.Odubu’s political landmark attainments that spans over two decades, is such of an immeasurable and inestimable value, thereby bequeathing an edification of a Spartan with such laudable attainment and achievements, yet with an unsuspecting disposition a subtle smiles all the time which doesn’t give others any intimation of the quantum of enigma and treasures encapsulated in the man before them.
Dam! The man is so down to earth and unassuming!!
Only an absentee Citizen of Edo political topography and demography would at this stage in our nascent democratic voyage claim that all is ‘Amanda’ or ‘piko bello’ as the Spanish and the Italians would say” Odubu’s names are surely meant to ring bells to everyone that loves him and the same vein to his enviers and haters.
To me, why won’t his names ring bells when he has the leadership Qualities of Eagles that cut across powerful vision, fearlessness, tenaciousness, being a high flyer, and ability to nurture the young ones? Put in another way, why won’t his names ring bells when he has all it takes to rewrite the narratives of governance in Edo State?
