By: Cecil Esekhaigbe
In May 2019 through an article titled “Gov Obaseki and the cocktail of endorsements” I admonished the political class in Edo State to avert unnecessary political haemorrhage by staying focused to fulfilling the Social Contract with the people– THE WELFARE AND SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE.
I sensed a thickening cloud of political brouhaha fuelled by ego, conqueror mentality, superiority/ inferiority complexes and Mercantile ventures. A kinetic misconception and trust deficiency began to create a tensed political atmosphere which needed to be nipped at the bud.
The political jobbers succeeded in sowing the seed of discord between a political father and son and all efforts to arrest the whirlwind by a few concerned persons met a brick wall .Let me for the sake of clarity conceptualize the political jobbers.
They are the ones that will sell ideas of build build your own political structure on the premise of fighting godfatherism . They are the ones to cause rift and crises to benefit from, in the absence of visible means of livelihood.
They are the ones that change political camps at will depending on where the bread is baked.
They are the ones who fabricate stories to inflame the passion of a vulnerable chief executive in order to get selfish attention.
They are the ones who have no real connection with voters but posed as honourables and leaders.
As the unnecessary rift and avoidable political battle between Oshiomhole and Obaseki simmered, the conspiracy of silence of the great and respected Edo leaders of thought became nightmarish.
The Edo State House of Assembly tales at moonlight finally brought to the fore the dangers to democracy and the road to political armageddon.
The gale of court processes , Thuggery and political intolerance dominated the entire political Edo landscape. The attendant consequences of these variables are waste of scarce resources, socio economic distortions and political convulsion. This is MADNESS. And it should have been prevented from getting to the market square. It is a common belief in Esanland that madness that got to market square is hardly reversible.
In a similar vein my people say that a rift between friends or relatives that have been taken to the village square creates deep tissue scares. Peace is such an enduring virtue and that was why in my small way I tried to drive this point home to Gov Obaseki and Chairman Oshiomhole. That is why our Lord Jesus said “my peace I give you and leave with you” It is always that you make peace,keep peace or enforce peace.The first 2 options hold sway in civilised climes while the last comes into effect in a failing clime.
Edo State the heart beat of the nation cannot be said to be a failing state under normal circumstances but to allow peace to be forced on it challenges the basic historical civilisation of our dear state. To breed a state of nature challenges the sophistication of our being and to sow a divisive and political intolerance challenges our traditions of Royalty.
Let the combatants have a sombre reflection and see what they have done to our dear state . Edo state has been on the negative news for negative reasons. Brothers have betrayed brothers, sisters the same thing while friends have stabbed each other at the back all for pots of porridge . The scripture says ” What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul”
I am a firm believer of Divine intervention and I pray that PEACE returns quickly to our dear state.
It’s a truism that those who make peace unattainable make crises inevitable. Since we missed making and keeping the peace the enforcement of peace comes with casualties in this case political casualties. As in Niniveh may God have mercies .
May those with good intentions board the Ark of Noah with the imminent political casualties.
Long live Edo State, Long Live Nigeria .
General Cecil Esekhaigbe rtd PhD
