Ebomhiana Musa
Adams Aliyu Eric Oshiomhole came to the political firmament of Edo State in the year 2007 and took it by storm, graduating from the politics of labour to party politics (partisan). He was taken for granted, given the peculiarity of Edo, a state with a political terrain infested with all manner of godfathers who played god in the lives of their fellow mortals. Given this notoriety, many laughed him to scorn when he dared to say that he wanted to be governor of Edo. But the lion-hearted and die-hard unionist remained undeterred, he proved to them that no man is God.
He won the election convincingly and as expected, the godfathers ambushed him, robbed him of the hard won victory. And the battle shifted to the tribunal, it took another one year of struggle for a man born into struggle, to reclaim his mandate via a judicial pronouncement. Today, all that has become history.
This quintessential son of Afemai, many love to call “Comrade” brought to bear his rich background in trade unionism, leveraging on the numerous handshakes across the different socio-political divides in the country and across the Atlantic, the enigmatic Comrade turned around the fortune of Edo, the ancient Benin City became the envy of all. In fact, he turned the entire State to an “Eldorado” of sort. The landmarks in terms of socio-economic and infrastructural developments dot the nooks and crannies of Edo and the footprints remain indelible.
Comrade refused to be cowed by the challenges deliberately posed by the irritant godfathers who placed all sorts of roadblocks on his path in his attempts to making a difference in Edo State. Indeed, he was a pain in the neck of the godfathers who never wanted anything good for Edo State. Comrade was focussed, he refused to be distracted as he remained resolute and unruffled. At the end of his eight bumpy years in office, the hard-fighting Comrade made a huge difference in all facet of life of his people. He radically changed the narrative of governance in Edo. In fact, if tenure elongation had been allowed, I dare say that Edo people would have willingly yielded Osadebey Avenue to him again and again, given the various genuine sentiments expressed at the twilight of his constitutionally allowed eight years tenure. Little wonder therefore that some of his admirers call him Osho Baba, the father of modern Edo State.
What he sees, sitting in the comfort of his home, many would climb the rooftop, yet see nothing. Apparently, this is what informed most of the courageous landmark decisions taken while in office, especially, the choice of a successor and the ban of motor bikes ( okada) in the Benin metropolis. Despite the initial hues and cries over his choice of successor, Comrade remained as “stubborn” as ever. But today, less than two years down the line, Edo people now know better and the state remains the greatest beneficiary of the choice of Mr Godwin Obaseki and Comrade Philip Shaibu.
From a very humble background, born and raised by peasant farmers in a hamlet now village of Iyamho, the first in the line of eight children. He is down to earth and never ashamed of his humble background, he tells it to whoever cares to listen. Comrade is a clear case study of a self-made man who became a household name across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and indeed, the labour world.
A man who, through dint of hard work and resilience, shot himself into national and international limelight. From a mere factory hand in a textile industry he led the trade union movement in Nigeria as the 4th President. And then, a two term Governor of Edo State, taking his trade mark brown French suit (Khaki) into the Government House in Benin. Indeed, Comrade is a destiny child! He popularised the concept of comradeship in government circle. To date, his admirers love to simply call him “Comrade” and addressed him as “ Mr Governor” while in office.
Undoubtedly, Edo remains one of the politically sophisticated States in Nigeria, yet, Comrade administered it successfully, back to back for eight years. The goodwill he enjoys among the Edo people in and out of office remains unimaginable and a reference point in governance. At the peak of his career as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, he became a thorn in the flesh of the then government of President Olusegun Obasanjo who was said to have angrily queried him at a meeting for behaving as if he was an alternate president of Nigeria. Obasanjo was said to have accused Comrade of running a parallel government in Nigeria. It was all in his insistence on a living wage and humane condition for the Nigerian worker. With all sense of responsibility, I must say that the NLC lost its colour and vibrancy with the exit of Oshiomhole in 2006. Ever since, the NLC has never been the same. Today, what used to be the conscience of the Nigerian workers is now a shadow of its self, spliting into two factions. Now, it only barks but can not bite having lost its teeth!
However, the small frame of Comrade clearly belies the stuff he is made of, his strength of character, the uncommon courage, the uncommon brilliance. When he explodes, it’s like a dynamite. So, take him for granted at your own peril.
This giant killer remains a political general in Nigeria with a large army of followership, some of them, to a point of fanaticism. A great mobiliser who knows how to successfully navigate the roughest and toughest political terrain in Nigeria. This human dynamo, though tough, he is humane and generous to a fault. This is a man who has spent the greater part of his life fighting the fight of the masses because he once wore the shoes and he knows where they pinch!
I must admit that I’m not fit to propose a toast to this great Nigerian at 66. However, join me to celebrate a man who may have come before his time, My political mentor, a political juggernaut, a unionist par excellence, a Leader of leaders, an authentic comrade, a lover of the masses and a defender of the down- trodden and above all, father of modern Edo State. Congratulations sir, dear Comrade.
Musa was former Special Adviser (Media) to Speaker Dimeji Bankole, now Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Deputy Governor.