Dear Governor Obaseki, Be Humble & Magnanimous In Your Victory; Let Mr. Oshiomhole Be (A piece of Advice from a Disinterested Fellow)

I have just read a piece of news under the headline, ”Obaseki: There’ll Be No Mercy For Oshiomhole If He Creates Problems In Edo.”

THENIGERIALAWYER of 22 September 2020, reports that “Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, says there will be no mercy for Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), if he creates problems in the state.” With due respect, dear Governor, your excellency, sir, I consider such a statement coming from you at this time, a childish, thoughtless statement, if indeed you did say that. Oga Governor, sir, may I humbly advise you to show magnanimity and levelheadedness in your victory. You need to RemainFocused on impacting positively on the lives of the people and residents of EDO State, and not on planning to fight Mr Oshiomhole. You’ve already fought and trounced Mr Oshiomhole in a David-and-Goliath style war, or, as Mr Oshiomhole himself had said, in a Political-Lizard-and-Political-Lion manner. Now, please, it’s time to let Mr. Oshiomhole be; you don’t continue a fight after you’ve already won. Besides, Mr. Oshiomhole himself has already learnt sufficient lessons from his self-inflicted travails. Removed from the position of APC Chairman as a result of his thoughtless, provocative, mostly ill-advised divisive public statements and especially his unprecedentedly poor leadership style, now he has been trounced or (as some would say), roundly defeated and dumped in his home-state mainly because of his excessive pride, loquacious inconsistent speech-style and overbearing nature. He has also learned hard lessons regarding the consequences of approbating and reprobating at the same time. In my opinion, these are enough retributive justice consequences for the once highly-revered Comrade who later unfortunately deliberately allowed mere worldly power to get into his head and to drive him into thinking he was now God. The earlier saying that Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely was later better explained by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his book, “Voice of Wisdom,” thus: ”Power enslaves and absolute power enslaves absolutely” Perhaps, Mr Oshiomhole didn’t read that great book to appreciate the virtues of humility and moderation, especially when entrusted with power.

▪️Dear Mr Governor Obaseki, please leave Mr Oshiomhole alone and face the business of governing your state well; there is a great deal of work yet to be done in your state. If you face these works squarely, you’d not have any time to fight Mr. Oshiomhole. Further, the people (especially EDO youths; I salute their doggedness and courage) have been with you, to make the people’s vote count and this victory a reality, and you have a duty to not disappoint the people, especially the youths. Don’t let your victory get into your head and do not (like Mr Oshiomhole) be oppressive and intolerant, lest you end up in the same shoes as Mr. Oshiomhole. I have said my own! He who has ears, let him hear. Our problem in not hearing is not that we do not have ears; it is just that most of us do not use them! This could be a part of the reason Craig D. Lounsbrough once asked: “Do we forget, or, is it that we just refuse to remember?” Anyway, as George Santayana said, “those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes.” Dear Governor, learn from Oshiomhole’s past mistakes and consequent harsh experiences, so you don’t fall into the same trap. You’re not God, just as Mr Oshiomhole has learnt he too isn’t! Thank you for listening.

POST SCRIPTUM:
Honestly, if I were in your shoes, instead of boasting on how to “deal with” Mr Oshiomhole, I should be planning to pay Mr. Oshiomhole a surprise courtesy visit to demonstrate I am for all, that I mean well, and that my style is different from Mr Oshiomhole’s. Whatever evil he may have done to you, or you think he has done, you must not forget that but for Mr. Oshiomhole, you might not have become EDO State Governor in 2016, which later made it possible for you to win a second term/time in 2020, although under a stiff opposition from your 2016 benefactor. Please pay him a visit and demonstrate you are exceptional. Just do it! Don’t hesitate. Power is transient!

Respectfully,
Sylvester Udemezue (UDEMS)
(22/09/2020)

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