Edo Election Bonfire: Obaseki Vs Oshomole/Iyamu?

Let me make very clear from the beginning. I am a firm believer and supporter of all forms of altruism. I believe in people’s right to collective rather than personal interest, I support policies as well as programme for the people and take positions of persons with good hearts who go out of theirs ways to contribute to making the society better. I do not support and cannot stand users, pretenders, cheats under any guise. Same way, I cannot support con men and women who only love and care about themselves, their private interests and scheme for power as well as domination. There should be no room for such people in our body polity or life.

Still, I cannot imagine a society devoid of selfishness? Ugh, not to have selfish people. Difficult, if not impossible. We all have streak of selfishness in us. However, one thing should be clear-ethically or morally- in my mind, a person, community or society that glorifies selfishness is base. So, this is my stance, as much as I encourage you not to attempt denying human nature; not deny that you wake every day thinking and wanting what comes to you personally, you also must, as principle, be human enough to have burning inside you, need to love your neighbour(s) as well as community. And, as equally important, stay weary of those who want to manipulate you with distorted views that your good intentions and interests are aligned to theirs.

After the brief piece I posted advising on the best approach to critiquing and analysing political situation without appearing to be prejudicial, senseless, overtly irrational or illogical,” I got onslaught of calls questioning 1. What side I am on? As stated above, I hope you now know. 2. I was also questioned on what authority or research I did to qualify me making pronouncement on the eligibility of Governor Obaseki to contest? I did not make any such pronouncement, I simply stated that he is in the best situation to clear the air by simply making clear, the HSC imbroglio-he has to have evidence, certificate, or have someone of authority in his former school make pronouncement as was the case with the University of Ibadan(UI) Registrar, etc-it is his reputation on the line and he has to fight with whatever evidences at his disposal. 3. I was also told of being ignorant of Oshomole’s shenanigans and by adjunct, that of his supposedly anointed adjutant, Izi Iyamu: Evidence, I screamed.

And, I make bold, I am a Writer. Not perfect, yet Writer. Writer writes speaking by “pen;” whether computer, phone, ball point pen or pencil. A Writer has obligation, amongst others, to do research, ethically make presentations factually, while still could be opinionated, have angles to sway, switch or guide the readers. Yes, Writer can take side, not morally wrong but can be ethically, professionally conflicting.

I did not need to take side in my piece, did not do any research but simply wrote a guide on proper way of feedback as not to incite through illogical reasoning that could cause disharmony, distortion and violence. Edo State is one of many polling and voting volatile bonfire states in Nigeria. The politics there is emotionally ladened always like on frying pan and all I wanted to do was say, our utterances needed be guided because with the slightest spill of temper, the state could easily be buried in confrontations and the most sufferers of such crisis are women, children, aged, the sick, disabled, etc. So, we really do need to be aware and weary of deliberate deceit padded in half-truths. We all also should be aware and avoid, even remotely, all forms of labelling whether it is directed at the antagonist or protagonist as in the Edo’s case.

What is the Edo case? From all the claims through calls and tests I received, I see a divide and disagreement between two camps on the issues of selfishness versus the collective interest of the Edo people presented as being between Oshomole, and by extension Izi Iyamu cast as the selfish interested antagonist on the one part and Obaseki representing Edo collective interest as protagonist on the other. And the claims, all unsubstantiated and coming from mostly the camp supporting Obaseki are that Oshomole wants to install Izi Iyamu. Iyamu it is said, (unsubstantiated) has antecedence of thuggery from when he was in Edo College to his time at the University of Benin(Uniben). Iyamu it is further claimed has well oiled thugs and killers in wait to unleash terror when electioneering starts; terror like Edo people has not seen since the time of Lucky Igbinedion. These two, the claims went on, want to come back to loot the Edo treasury; paying out to political thugs, killers, god fathers and cronies. Further claim was that Oshomole did so, (again, unsubstantiated), during his time as Governor and wants his stooge to continue the tradition. Names were tossed as the thugs and killers that got rich during the period of Oshomole and some victims were also listed. Obaseki on the other hand, was said to be the victim; being vilified because he turned ingrate, refusing to do the biddings of the master who installed him, four years ago. It was claimed that he was directed to continue the “payout tradition” but refused (please note, non of these claims were substantiated, no shred of evidence presented to me or referred-all claims were said to be eye witnesses accounts or hear say). The charges of certificate misrepresentation and the accusation that Obaseki should have known better, had all the time to, through due process and diligence amended, where there were mistakes on his NYSC certificate or procure his HSC certificate before this round of screening were said to be trumped up excuses to remove the Governor. The charges and conclusion the Committee came to, I was informed, were already concluded a day before the appearance of Obaseki to the committee-clearly, all contradictory to the report, including tape recording, reported in the main stream news media as part of the submission by Prof. Ayuba. Even the Prof got cast in bad light as stooge, doing Oshomole’s biddings and authenticity of his certificates questioned.

Final Words:

Selfishness versus collective interest parallels the title of a 1961 collection of essays “The Virtue of Selfishness” by author-philosopher Ayn Rand (with Nathaniel Branden). 

The crust of the essay is of the moral principles of Objectivism, her ethical and moral philosophy which holds that the life of the individual; the life proper to a rational being, the self interest of the rational individual, is the only viable standard of moral value. So, human naturally and expectedly by all logic is selfish-and faces the age old battle between individualism and the collective interest of the society daily. The fight in Edo State, by inference is that of individuals by crook or hook, seeking power. What they do with the power after, your guess is as good as mine. I have watched over ten video of the two combatants wrapping each other in velvet and want to conclude that the real divide is between them, representing the “selfish” versus the collective interest of the played; the Edo people. So, what can be done? The majority in society with good intention and preservation must find ways to balance the divide. Clearly, the claims and counter claims on both sides have been distorted by series of half-truths, half lies and driving wedge into the thinking of the people and in turn reducing the values and views of politics as well as political leadership, as reckless, certificate forgers, looters and band of thugs.

There is a message and lesson for us all in the clash and contest between these two: The marriage between Oshomole and Obaseki celebrated with pomp and pageantry; dancing and eulogising each other and touted as best thing that ever happened to Edo people has now clearly been put on display as “the house that self-interest of two built” now fallen like pack of cards. There are videos, I was sent several and photos all over the internet showing evidences of the celebrated marriage as we are now witnessing and watching the divorce. The Edo people are on a ride by these two drivers and must decide if it is time to take over the steering wheel. So, if their bickering or concern is really about preserving and guarding the collective interest of the Edo people, then no more need  for the continued public beefing. Obaseki May have been outwitted in APC, he still has platforms in the smaller parties, including, big wig suitor, PDP in the wing. Put the onus propandi on the lapse of the people of Edo State. Let the competition be fair so both sides have platform to present and make their cases to the people and, let Edo people, I repeat, Edo people freely make informed decision voting in and out who they believe and approve.