BY KASSIM AFEGBUA

A visit to Edo State today, will bring even the least discerning to the consternations that forged my invective writing, each time I talked about Edo State and its current government. Two dominant features, lethargy and deceit will greet anyone on arrival in Benin City. The people suffer daily struggles, for the government is asleep whenever they are not looting. From the airport, visitors will be greeted with a poster of Governor Obaseki’s “audio” performance; what is displayed on the poster is hung on the street light poles erected during Adams Oshiomhole’s government. The rot that Governor Obaseki has visited on the state is in a realm never been known to any Edo indigene. On navigating down to the inner circus of the GRA, going past the golf course, they will see lethargy smiling. An inkling that the government is on holiday will stare them in the face, evoking deep seated disdain. Deceit, will wave from another corner, seemingly pitying them because of what they are surely going to pass through. The lawns are bushy and unkempt, the golf course boulevard leading to the Government House and the 4th Brigade is flooded, with rain water forming craters in an expectedly serene environment that plays host to the Benin pride, the Benin Club.

Driving down to the State Police Headquarters, means that their vehicle will resemble a vehicle used in search of beacons in a remote marshland; flood water from other vehicles concurrently using the road will get splashed on theirs as theirs will be bound to do to those others; a sign that they know they are in Benin. Approaching the Protea Hotel, will bring them to one of the white elephant projects in Benin: for one month, the state government has been battling to fix a 20 meter long road; and with the rainfall, the hedious sight will remind them of Maroko of old.

At the back of Protea Hotel is the hallmark of Governor Obaseki’s achievements; some high rise buildings built in 1978 during Late Samuel Ogbemudia’s government, when he was military Governor of Bendel state. Those high rise buildings have now been renovated by Governor Obaseki; he even invited former President Jonathan to commission mere renovations. I remembered when I first read a now cliché lamentation, “who do us this thing?” I laughed, but commissioning renovations calls for the question. Around the precinct of the Government House, is the old building that was expanded and named after Chief John Oyegun, former Governor of the state. He calls that the hub of the civil service- a civil service now highly populated by casuals and contract staff who are paid N50k per month. The road that connects these renovated buildings are to say the least, bad art; it is blotched with potholes that make vehicular movement hazardous and painful each time it rains. On this road, is the State Headquarters of the DSS and the EFCC. When they proceed to Sapele Road from there, they will be greeted with vestiges and relics of what Benin used to be. Edo is a state that has been left to rot to the point of releasing bad odour; so bad that it can initiate intestinal movement in a person. The stench that oozes from the gutters and permeates the environment will report to them that the surface drains have been left unattended.

Sapele Road still boasts the walkways and street lights that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole built to stimulate the return of night life to that part of the ageing city, though Governor Obaseki has now crumbled all that. Driving further, especially at night they will notice the black darkness that envelopes the entire city.  Not even something as simple as changing electricity bulbs or its alternative is being attended to. A clear indication that Governor Oshiomhole’s effort is now ill fated. Night life with the wind of neglect now typifies the new normal in Benin City. Because of flooding and erosion, some of the roads constructed by Adams Oshiomhole are showing sign of lethargy. A government that is asleep during the day cannot make night life boom. On the other side of the city, at the Ring-Road end, is the imposing Oba Akenzua edifice that has become the city’s habitat for rats and rodents; only such lower creatures can find use for the now decrepit monument. The Oba Akenzua Centre used to be the prestigious arena for conferences and talk-shows, until Governor  Obaseki came to town and wreaked havoc on our dear Benin City. Before Adams Oshiomhole exited office, he handed over that edifice to the Benin Palace in reverence for the cultural heritage of the Monarchy. Governor Obaseki in his tenure, employed his resources to bring down the Benin Kingdom and Palace. He actually put the Akenzua Center under lock and key, in his quest to demystify and undermine the Benin Palace and its stool.

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Driving towards Siluko Road, it is the same artistry of Oshiomhole’s intervention that still dominates the area. The street light poles are still there, but the lights have vanished. It appears that Obaseki needs darkness to cover his dastardly actions. There also, erosion has dealt a huge blow to the road because the underground drains that run through Evbotubu to Igbinaduwa could not be fully terminated at Ikpoba River through surface-wide drains connecting Eghosa River through Mission Road and Ewa Street before Oshiomole left. Not surprised, Governor Obaseki left the project as was, compounding the flooding in that axis till date. If they are unlucky to drive through Ekhehuan Road down to Evbotubu, may God save them to be able to get out of flooded planes as they are surely going to confront a mini-ocean caused by the abandoned road repair that has lasted seven years. Ekhehuan Road is a shame on the Obaseki administration.

His e-rats social media urchins say the road will be a beauty when it is completed; idiots, that’s what they are. Will the road be completed from his jail cell? Maybe. At the moment, no work is being done on that road and they  are talking about completion. By the time they drive round Benin City, all the visible signs of an aged city will stare them in the face. Comrade Oshiomole was able to build some legacy roads during his time; also, he erected the Ring Road fountain, to the admiration of the people. Sadly that area is now a refuse dump; occuring during Obaseki’s epoch. What ever beauty they will see from Dawson Road, to Constain Road, Five Junction to Ugbowo Road, 2nd East Circular Road to Sapele Road, Airport Road to Ogba River, are all the interventions of Adams Oshiomhole. The city’s drains are now blocked, and because of Obaseki’s failure to desilt, the flooding has burgeoned and the erosion has risen to a crescendo. INEC office got the bitter taste of Obaseki’s flooding last week when over 4,000 BIVAS machines were reportedly affected. cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

When they drive out of Benin heading towards Ekpoma, the story becomes a puzzle. He argues that the road belongs to the Federal Government and so, he will have nothing to do with it. What about state roads that are wearing the garb of neglect, how does he reconcile their state with his labeling exercise, and attitude? He indulges in blackmail to whip up petty sentiments. Now that the APC candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo has brought the Federal Government’s attention to that road, the story to reclaim glory that doesn’t belong to Obaseki is upped. Amagba, a suburb of the city is blessed with two good roads, because one had to be built, in order to justify the demolition of the APC youths leader, Tony Kabaka’s, hotel. In the old Court premises that housed Government Press of old Bendel State on Sapele road, he has established his so-called state tech-hub. There is a flurry of activities there,  but what makes it a hub is yet uncertain. Driving round Benin City will be as challenging as climbing a mountain using bare hands. The city is heavily challenged as a result of neglect. In order to gain cheap scores for the record, they are likely going to see short streets being rehabilitated. The link road between Iyekogba Estate down to Sapele Road on the back end, has become replete with potholes within a short space of five years. That is what happens when government employs the services of roadside contractors from Lagos and elsewhere, to fix roads.

Deceit is written on the walls all over the city and indeed across the state; written in Obaseki’s handwriting. He told the already befuddled Edo citizens that they have laid optic fibre cables across the state and we all shouted blue murder. Not even any of the service providers can boast of such a huge investment to cover the size of the state; but Governor Obaseki’s government of deceit is unashamedly telling lies again. Optical fibre cables across Edo state? Huge fraud! Internet connectivity is still a challenge. Some mobile networks still don’t work in many communities. To be able to connect to the internet or any other connectivity, phone users had to climb to mountain tops to have network. The currency to manufacture lies is akin to a high tension electricity cable; the ease of saying the opposite especially now that elections are by the corner, is the new normal for Obaseki’s government.

Workers in Governor Obaseki’s industry of lies don’t bat their eyelids when they are at it. The boys are ensconced in a building like forgotten palliatives, ever ready and waiting to respond to social media attacks, for which they are paid 50k per month. When they close from their shifts, they will see those boys filing out of their hide-out like school children who have been badly catered for. The boys lack conscience, and feel no qualms about watching Edo people suffer as they are beguiled by their paymaster. They diatribe and castigate anyone who tells the truth about their paymaster’s shenanigans. They are sermonists, preaching sermons of lies, and  bombing the internet with photos, doctored, to make observers think that Edo is now a “ Little London.” Edo’s walls are breaking apart. The beauty of Edo has been largely impaired by this government, that is senseless and underperforming. They are Jesters; indeed comedians in government will be a good headline to report on them. Ostentatious mobile dancers would be the right montage.

Obaseki, a governor who preaches one thing, and does the opposite. Many say something must be intrinsically wrong with him somewhere as there are myriad questions to ask about him as a person, considering his realities. The allure of power is not enough to make someone so slippery and capricious. We need to dig deeper into his brain to decipher him. In Edo, the air is eerie and the atmosphere is polluted not just by the sinews of odours from the unkempt drains but also, from the abandonment that has become second nature in Governor Obaseki’s political pantheon. Anyone who confronts his lethargy, he threatens with Oko prison. He has ruffled some feathers by sending them to Oko prison before now. His latest onslaught is against APC youths in the name of fighting cultism; a new social upset I suppose. This his war against cultism is timely, wouldn’t you say? That man will stop at nothing to rein in those who are not in agreement with his beleaguered candidate. If State Policing were in force in Edo state, a brutish governor like Godwin Obaseki would recreate an Israeli versus Palestinian theatre of war in Edo.

He would turn on his own people, whom he ought to protect, and chew them for breakfast. Beastlike; yes, that is him. He is  presently training more recruits to be co-opted into his Public Works Volunteers Group; an outfit we all know is effectuated to rig the 21st September election in Obaseki’s favour. That is Godwin Obaseki for you; he takes no prisoners in his pursuits. He plans to put these individuals in police uniforms on Election Day, to carry out his plot, at his behest. Those boys unfortunately, will be exposed to whatever, in Obaseki’s bid to have his way. To such, the English would say, we’ll see!!! How so ever Obaseki sets out on that day, the APC will match his excesses, toe to toe. Edo people must be ready to insist on dying on their feet rather than living on their knees. He will find out that he’s only clever by half. We are watching keenly and closely, to see how his plot will pan out. And in all of this madness, Asue Ighodalo has been his advisor and now wants to be crowned the new sheriff. A sour punchline to a bad joke!!

The Star