March 11, 2015Iwrote an opinion piece with the headline “Why Edo in Safe Hands Must Not Die”. I saw demise of the group coming shortly after the July election in which the comrade governor got what is popularly known in Edo State as 18/18, that is, he roundly defeated all his opponents in the 18 local governments in the state to get a sweet four-year second term mandate which is expected to terminate in about seven months time. It appears a particular group of lion-hearted, young, enterprising, educated and highly determined persons may have been left in the cold. I did advised and pleaded then that this group, Edo in Safe Hands must out live its founders. I advanced some reasons why it must not die. Unfortunately, it appears the group has eventually gone under and a new body with striking similarities in terms of formation, agenda and membership has come on stream in its stead. The new group, Edo Accord Initiative has Hon Denis Idahosa has its chairman. The group held a seminar in Benin last week drawing participants from across the 18 local governments. The presence of some top government officials and politicians on the occasion sent a strong message of sort.The intellectually stimulating event hosted the speaker of the state house of assembly, Hon Victor Edoror, the state commissioner for local government and chieftains affairs, Chief Tom Uloko, Executive Director, Protocol, office of the Governor, Comrade John Akhigbe and Tony Adun, otherwise known as Kabaka. The arrival of a frontline aspirants contesting the office of governor in the September 10 election in the state, Godwin Obaseke kept tongues wagging as to what the group as to what the new group is up to. However, it is very clear here that Edo Accord Initiative may have replaced Edo in Safe Hands. But what is not in doubt is that the group with very strong presence across the 18 council areas in the state is expected to be deployed to work for the All Progressive Party, APC and its eventual flag bearer for the gubernatorial election in September. That is, it’s not formed to feather the nest of any aspirant but to promote the interests of the APC and it’s candidate. Sadly, Edo in Safe Hands has gone under. Below, is the opinion piece as published then.
The event was the swearing-in of a new commissioner for higher education in the Ministry of Education, Washington Osa Osifo sometime in year 2013. The occupant of the seat in the state executive council had been sacked a week beforeas a result of what the Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole called “normal change in life”, debunking insinuations by the opposition People Democratic Party, PDP,of fraud in the ministry. A group of young men and women were everywhere in the hall. The group, Edo in Safe Hands came to celebrate one of their own. That was about the first time I saw them in real action. Infact, Washington Osa Osifo was the immediate past leader of the group.
As expected, by the time the Comrade Governor arrived for the ceremony at about 1pm, the hall was full to capacity, all efforts made by the security personnel to clear the isles for easy passage was futile. The group was very visible; it instantly caught the attention of everybody as they waved miniature flags of the then Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, intermittently shouting what I later understood to be the group’s slogan. “EDO IN SAFE HANDS, WELCOME TO THE FUTURE!” rented the air. They also broke into solidarity songs, eulogizing the various development strides of the comrade governor in the state.They are so passionate about this, an indication of their level of commitment and attachment to the course of the group. If you like call it fanaticism.
Their overwhelming presence on the occasion became clearer when the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Phillip Shuaibu, in his usual style, sauntered in to the hall, having brisk handshake with party members as he made his way to the high table. With military precision, the entire members of the group in the hall sprang to their feet, waving the flag while shouting their usual slogan as if it were an anthem. Not satisfied with the way he was welcomed to the hall, one of the leaders of the group who had just been elected chairman of Ovia South West Local Government, Morrison Okhuarobor and said to be a former chair of the group, stepped down from the podium and ordered the group for a repeat so as to accord their leader a fitting and proper welcome, describing him as the General Officer Commander(GOC) Of Edo In Safe Hands. Instantly, they stood, roared in unison their usual slogan with the GOC acknowledging the special salutation, waving his hands approvingly.
A perceptive mind needed not be told that a group within a group was in the making. If you like call it a political structure or a militant arm of a rampaging political party. Whichever way you choose to see it, you are dead right. But the Comrade Governor was quick to caution that “the ACN is undoubtedly the base of our mobilization”. In other words, the group should not be seen as the party itself and cannot take the place of the party in the unconsciousness of the people. I want to believe that the comments of the Comrade Governor may have been responsible for the inactivity of this group.But I know that the existence of a group like Edo in Safe Hands does not vitiate the position and importance of the party, now APC as the coordinating umbrella body. So, this group should be given every encouragement. The youthful fresh blood running in their veins must be allowed to be in the interest of the party and the Edo people.
Apparently referring to the All Progressive Congress, APC, which has suddenly become the PDP nightmare, the Comrade Governor had said,“very soon we will offload into the APC which we believe will clear Nigeria’s headache. You also know what the Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, can do. It will clear and bulldoze all the rubbish in the land.” About two years down the road, it’s clear that the statements of the Comrade Governor has become a reality. The APC has become a thorn in the flesh of the PDP. As a mega party making positive waves across the states and beyond, rooting for power at the national level, the APC needs a highly commited, non-violent but unarmed group like Edo In Safe Hands.Sincerely, I think this group should be encouraged to serve as the youth wing withing the party, a microcosm within a macrocosm. There is this popular Yoruba saying that there is need to have someone in the house with some elements of madness because of the mad ones out there. The Edo in Safe Hands already has its members across the 18 council areas of Edo state with a board of trustees.The members are young,vibrant and well educated while the board of trustees which serves as the conscience of the group is made up of credible people of capacity and means from across the senatorial district. Unfortunately, this group seems to have gone under after the July 2012 election of the Comrade governor.I plead that the group must not die.I know that the members who make up its board of trustees are all responsible persons of means and it will be their shame if the group goes into oblivion. My plea to Hon Phillip Shuaibu, Barr Osarodion Oghie, Prince Stephen Alao, Dr (Mrs) Amadasun and others is to stand and keep the dream alive. Posterity will never forgive them if Edo in Safe Hands goes under. This is a group that has been nurtured to become the darling of progressive minded Edo people and the envy of the opposition in the state. This is why it must out live its founding fathers.
My candid adviceis for the board to ensure that the group admits only quality members into its fold. Quality in terms of education and socio-economic background.Any act of thuggery at functions should be visited with the harshest punishment. This is the only way it will continue to command the respect of the people and the party. The moment its leadership allows miscreants and people with questionable characters to infiltrate its ranks; it will pollute the clean water fetched by the founding fathers and kill the noble idea behind its formation.
