Barely eight years, Edo State under the leadership of His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki has gone from being a symbol of urban disorder to a widely cited example of an effective African governance.
Impressively the State government has as well succeeded in multiplying its tax revenues and using these resources to restore basic infrastructure and expand public services and law enforcement. Extensive field research indicates that reform commitment in Edo was driven by electoral pressures as well as elite ambitions to construct an orderly and prosperous megacity.
With no shred of doubt, great leaders build strong institutions, leading to everlasting legacies. Congratulations to the people of Edo State on this landmark achievement by the people’s Governor, Obaseki. His giant strides in various sectors have earned him people’s trust.
Instead of playing politics and indulging in the usual grandstanding that so many others have been doing in their states, Obaseki is one Governor that is clearly rolling up his sleeves up, working extreemly hard for his people and looking within. It appears to me that he believes that the work itself and the purposeful establishment of an intimidating legacy of good governance and massive infrastructural development throughout the state will do the talking for him. And he is right.
Obaseki is clearly basing his system of governance on a model.which basically espouses the view that the state must be compassionate to the poorest and weakest in society and must provide the highest quality of amenities, including schools, hospitals, housing, transport systems and virtually everything else for them either free of charge or at minimal cost.
Obaseki’s philosophical and ideological position of compassion for the poor and weak and opportunities for the rich and powerful has given in cutting edge in governance.
Over the years, Obaseki has incredibly created a fine balance between the imperatives and great benefits of private enterprise and investment and the forces of the free market on the one hand and state intervention and governmental responsibility for the poor and less fortunate on the other. One wonder he bags the nickname “a trailblazer”.
Frankly I am just amazed and it is only a man that is filled with the deepest compassion for the less privilaged and one who appreciates the fact that political power and leadership is bestowed upon individuals for one purpose only- to transform the lives of the ordinary people, to make their community a far better and easier place for them to live, to provide the opportunities and environment that will enable them to achieve their full potentials and to bring hope and succour to the poor, the needy and the less privilaged- that can do all this. How Obaseki manages to fund all these things and at the same time pay his salaries and take care of all his recurrent expenses is a wonder to me and many others.
Another shocker from this uncommon, quintessential, amiable and affable leader is his penchant for improving on workers’ welfare and well-being. It is on record that Obaseki approved December 27, 2023 for the payment of the 13th month salary to workers in the state. He also made history by raising the minimum wage in the state from the federal government approved ₦30, 000 to ₦70, 000. His respect for traditional institutions and the royals are also exceptional and legendary.
Governor Obaseki’s priority is clearly to transform the face and fortunes of the people of the state and to ensure that he helps the poor and leaves a robust legacy of massive infrastructural development, decency and compassion.
The transformation brought to Edo State under Obaseki has literally given the citizenry immense joy and hope and indeed for Nigeria. If Obaseki had the kind of financial resources available to the governors of Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta states respectively I can only imagine what he would have achieved by now. His efforts in Edo state are a testimony to the fact that when the right man is given the opportunity to serve the people things really can and do change.
However, for the people to continue with this good governance and massive dividend of democracy in Edo State, a former Chairman of Nigeria Breweries Plc, Barrister Asue Ighodalo, gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains the best man to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki, having worked in the background for several years with high moral rectitude, accountability, discipline and integrity.
Ighodalo, a bonafide Edo citizen from Ewohimi in Edo Central, is ready to bring his experience of serving as chairman of various companies to bear when he gets the nods of the electorate in September 21 to govern the state. He is practically offering himself for service because of his desire to make Edo strong socio-economically, and with the resolve to provide for the people and take them out of poverty to prosperity with respect to the rule of law.
-High Chief Egietseme Idinye was a two-time governorship aspirant in Edo State, a chieftain of PDP and media personality
