Exactly five days to the Edo Governorship election, I was on the TVC flagship programme Journalists’ Hangout. Of course, the election was under the mirror. The Police authorities had announced the deployment of 31, 000 officers for duty. I thought that was an overkill and I said so. I was afraid it might scare voters away because it was as if they were going to war.
I had observed that in a State with 18 local governments, that boils down to about 1,700 in each of the local governments, except that some might not need that number. Thank God the election has come and gone and the people of Edo State have proved the doomsayers wrong. It was by far more peaceful and organized than the chaos that Kogi was, which I referred to on JH on September 15.
Governor Godwin Obaseki has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with in that State. I salute him and his very loyal Deputy Philip Shaibu.
Governor Godwin Obaseki has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with in that State. I salute him and his very loyal Deputy Philip Shaibu.
However, all those who are close to Obaseki need to rein him in now before it is too late and he becomes you know who I am talking about. His reelection was a referendum and an act of faith from the Edo people. He has to wake up and be magnanimous and bend down to work now if he does not want to lose face and rub the faces of those who stood by him in the mud. He cannot afford to see anyone as an enemy. God has helped him to crack his nut and he should forget about all those who kicked against his decision to give the Government House a second shot. He has demonstrated courage; not every man would be so courageous and stick to his gun after over 40 persons you appointed jumped ship midstream.
Leadership is not in winning elections alone; it is in managing the success.
My word to Gov Obaseki is: he is now the leader of all. He should not take the path of witchhunting or “dealing” with all those who opposed him. No. That is not leadership.
His outburst against Adams Oshiomhole on ARISE TV is ill-advised. No. If I were to be his media adviser, I’ll have counselled against such a diatribe. The Edo people have clearly shown where their loyalty and preference lie, why not leave it at that?
Leadership is not in winning elections alone; it is in managing the success. Obaseki should not be cocky. He should look around him and see examples of leaders now and in the past, who came to power in the blaze of glory but today are ignored and booed even by those who propelled them to power.
This is the time to let Edo people know that they made a right choice, not a time for Obaseki to seek for his own pound of flesh. That is the burden he carries now.
GOD WIN ooo.
*Oyegbile is a journalist based in Lagos
