2023 AND BEYOND: AN EDO STATE GOVERNED WITH A HUMAN FACE IS POSSIBLE

My Dear Edo People, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023

On 27th August 1991, Edo State was created out of the old Bendel State, which itself was largely the old Mid-Western Region created by a plebiscite in 1963.

Historically, we are a people with the most unique feature of homogeneity with virtually all our ethnic groups tracing their origin to Benin City. Our language and dialects are similar in significant respects.
The state is reputed to be the hub of Agricultural potentials particularly in rubber, oil palm and timber production and other agro-allied crops which in the past accounted for its mainstay.

In terms of population, at creation it was speculated to be about 3.24million people according to the flawed 2006 population census, but now predicted to be about 5million people. Edo is the 22nd largest state in Nigeria in terms of landmass having an area of 6,873 square Miles ( approximately 19,187 square kilometers) and a per capita income of $3,623.

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Since creation Edo has witnessed varied levels of governance and development under different administrations beginning with the first elected Executive Governor, His Excellency Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, CON whose eventful tenure was short-lived by the incursion of the Military in 1993.
The successive Military leadership in the state did little or nothing to improve on the social and economic development of the newly born state.

The Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion administration which took over
the reig
ns Of power on May 29th 1999 inherited a State not only with huge social and economic decay but with humongous financial deficit. Allocations from both the Federation Account and internally generated revenue were abysmally low and unimpressive.
The Igbinedion administration made impact within the limits of available resources and ability.

By 2007, democracy had succeeded in Nigeria with the first democratic transition from one civilian government to another. The emergence of Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor leadership following a keenly contested election in Edo with former Labour Leader, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole brought about a sudden increase the tempo of governance and of resources from the Federation account. This snowballed into heightened political activities in the State when eventually Comrade Adams Oshiomhole took over the reins of Leadership of the State on November 12, 2006. Till he left office in 2016, Edo witnessed unprecedented infrastructural development in roads,schools, hospitals etc. It is even said that this era witnessed a robust relationship between the people and the government culminating in the unprecedented victory of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his loyal Deputy Rt. Hon (Dr.) Pius Egberanmwen Odubu in their second term by winning in all eighteen Local Government Areas the State.

Like Governments before it, the Oshiomhole administration had a human face and approached governance with the understanding that it existed for the well being of the citizens.
This is the thrust of my new year 2023 message to Edo People.

That a new Edo State with a Government that has human face is possible. An Edo State where Government and governance is not war between the Governor and the people or institutions of state. An Edo where those who are at the helm of affairs show respect and gratitude not only to the people but to all institutions particularly traditional and political institutions. An Edo State in which despite the huge security challenges, government will not only provide an enabling environment for peace and order to be maintained but will ensure political stability among all the contending political interests within and outside the parties in order to secure their cooperation for the development of the State.

We need an Edo State where the hallmark of governance is truth, integrity and unquestionable commitment to the people. An Edo State where those who invested their trust and resources in the leadership recruitment process will not be disappointed. Indeed, an Edo State where the artificial gap created by Government between and amongst its people is erased is possible.

Yet, we can have an Edo State where practical and demonstrable development is visible rather than few and unimpactful social services and reforms.

Governance is not war! You cannot develop a State by annihilating the people, their properties and means of livelihood. Yes, Government must take difficult decisions sometimes, but such decisions must have cushioning alternatives so as not to render those to be affected hopeless and helpless. Government can acquire properties of citizens for overriding public interests/purposes, but it cannot do so by telling them to go to hell and without adequately compensating them .

Government must be realistic in policy formulation and implementation but it must not hoodwink the citizens with unrealistic projects that have no capacity of impacting on their lives.

Government needs not waste resources executing agreements overseas that will eventually turn out to be ruses and efforts in futility.

While it will be foolhardy to asseverate that each successive Governments EDO has had have made no impact at all no matter how slim, it is important to emphasize that at the stage we are now , Edo State requires a trusted government that will respect its citizens yet creatively meet their development needs in terms of job creation, expansion of economic opportunities, urban and rural infrastructures, leadership based on integrity, transparency and accountability in governance, institutional reforms consolidation, social cohesion, local government autonomy, a functioning and independent Legislature(not a caricature parliament that runs contrary to the provisions of the constitution), and an understanding of the philosophy of grassroots development among others.

These, in my humble view can only be brought about by a leadership that understands the people, the state and have intimate connections with every facet of it. In other words, Edo State needs an autochthonous Leadership that will not create hardship for its people under the guise of novel developmental ideas.

In governing a State like Edo, we cannot gloss over the heritage of the people and pretend as if they don’t matter to them.
We must pursue policies that sustains development efforts of the past without compromising the imperative of future development.

We must strike a balance between Government, governance and respect for the citizens.

My Fellow Edo People As we enter a new year 2023 I urge us to begin the process of searching for a leader that you all know and understands their antecedents. A leader that will respect and will not add to your yoke like Absalom. A Leader that will serve you with a human face.

Once again I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Rt. Hon Samson R Osagie,Ph.D.
Legal Practitioner & Former Minority Whip, House Of Representatives.