Guest Column

NigerianNews

Sesan Bello
Journalist/Critical thinker
/Volunteer-Watchdog
London, GB

Concluding, I congratulate the people of Edo state, the Comrade Governor himself and all Nigerians for the coming of our own Obama. His victory is our victory and his arrival on the platform of power is a brand new challenge to Nigerian politicians.  Mis-given or stolen mandates have been recovered before, but this is unique. I say congratulations to the Appeal Court Judge who, with that singular judgement, has written his name in the Nigerian book of history with a golden pen for I can see a flourishing Edo state in no distant future.

Oshiomole: Able governor.
by Sesan Bello

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Once again we have cause to celebrate. Here is another landmark on a nation’s journey to the promise land. Kudos to Oshiomole who persisted, his supporters who voted, and of course, the fearless judge, whose bravery is worth celebrating, who refused to sing from the same hymn sheet from which we’ve been singing in the past, to deliver the landmark judgement that would remain historic in Edo state’s decades of party politicking. This is one giant leap for Nigeria in attaining political maturity.

Unequivocally, looking at the number of people anguishing from poverty that had overtaken our land, and the increasingly vociferous demands for the rule of law and good governance, it is no less than a dream translated to reality for ordinary people to have the like of Oshiomole as a State Governor.

But counting on election victory perception of Nigerian politicians (within whom Oshiomole will now work) and their veiling around by crocodile smiles and tears which makes the state’s number one job quite intricate, unpacking the reality’s significance to the ordinary people of Edo State is an uphill task that arguably remains shrouded in doubts, as our galling past custom and practise of ‘winners-stick-around-to-take-all’ and ‘business-as-usual’ are still prettily much with us around the corner.

It seems realistic however, that our inevitable and gradual migration towards a more ‘all-inclusive, ordinary-people-oriented’ and ‘good-good-for-all’ political attitude, as this judgement reveals and recent events in Nigeria indicate, is now in top gear.

Of course, one wouldn’t have expected anything less -- and from Oshiomole -- only a sort of perfection or improving on this will do for him. Over the years, he had earned for himself good name with, and respect of, Nigerians and this had in the first place helped him through, coming in as a first timer to party politics’ general elections.

But in pragmatic manner, Oshiomole will still need to show us the way to a goal set by the Appeal Court Justice who returned his stolen mandate, without necessarily murdering good governance on the alter of cronyism, mediocrity, political patronage and godfatherism (which may be coming from party elders and traditional rulers) by rather delivering to all and sundry the commitments he made in that unfussy spiritual bond he entered with his listeners, in the ancient city of Benin on his inauguration day.

Well... Soon, we will see. Those who had been dancing to the drums of the former governor will now start singing the new governor’s praise in the form of expensive newspaper congratulatory messages and well wishes. This happens only in Nigeria. I have never seen such a thing anywhere else in the world or at least, in the United Kingdom.

It is my personal conviction, need to say here, that to be able to drive a change; a veritable, cannot-be-dispensed-with characteristic is a spirit of long suffering and perseverance that is needed by a focused leadership. Oshiomole appears to be blessed with all these as evidently exhibited during his stewardship of Labour struggle-days.

Now he’s bound to see more of persecution – he will be distracted with creative combination of discredit and name-calling, threatened with impeachment and witch-hunted with deliberate misrepresentation, falsehood and lies, except of course he conducts the state’s business of governance less honourably to the gratification of the whims and caprices of those choristers and -- may be -- the dictates of a supposedly representative, legislative house acting with less scrupulous propriety, which I do not envisage. Indeed, a genuine new era has come to Edo state of Nigeria and it is quite hoped that the man in-charge will not allow his morale to be dampened by any of these filibusters. Rather, he will let his good cause spread and be felt in other parts of the nation.

I’ve always wondered what nature of spirit there is in governors’ houses and offices that delivering on their pre-election promises had always turned a problem as soon as they assumed office.  I think my worries are now over-- that can now be pinned down to a meaningful reason with the arrival of Oshiomole on the political scene. I have a strong conviction in whatever he does or says. Not just now; right from his labour days when he would mobilise all of us against the military junta of old.

Of his government, Nigerians can predict it will most certainly fight harder for the workers, raise hope for the poor masses, give voice to the voiceless and I dare add; set a new agenda for Nigerian democracy and a new deal for Nigerian politicians. You might view this as thinking too tall on my part. Yes… because I have no doubt in the man. He will not fail to walk like a giant and act as big as he used to. He’s done it before; he can do it now, it’s not new to him.

Sooner, we will be there. We’re already on our way to the promise land. The present Governor of Lagos State is another model already on this path. He no doubt belongs in the group of exemplary leadership models, with a few firsts and achievements credited to his administration.  I hope to see the list swells and performances improve as time advances.

Concluding, I congratulate the people of Edo state, the Comrade Governor himself and all Nigerians for the coming of our own Obama. His victory is our victory and his arrival on the platform of power is a brand new challenge to Nigerian politicians.  Mis-given or stolen mandates have been recovered before, but this is unique. I say congratulations to the Appeal Court Judge who, with that singular judgement, has written his name in the Nigerian book of history with a golden pen for I can see a flourishing Edo state in no distant future.