My fight against godfatherism is a fight for development; my fight against godfatherism is not borne out of disrespect, it is borne out of my commitment that in a democracy, only the people shall be king’’- Adams Oshiomhole, quoted in Nowinta’s Book, 2012: Conqueror of the godfathers (page 72).
Are the people really the King now or Oshiomhole, himself is?
Edo State University, Iyamo, Auchi, going by the recent public paid advertisements calling for vacancies in the media, is the latest tertiary institution in Nigeria.
Viewing it from all angles, the University is a welcome development, given the fact that thousands of Edo indigenes who have not been able to gain admissions to other universities in the country lately will have the greatest opportunity to access it.
The huge economic advantage the university will generate in the state cannot be over emphasized too.
One can go on and on to analyze other benefits of the newest Ivory Tower in Heart Beat of the nation.
Some critics have queried why Comrade Oshiomhole decided to establish such tertiary institution in his own village back yard, while others said there is nothing wrong in doing that; that late Professor Ali as Governor took a state University to his village in Ekpoma.
It is all part of the progressive agenda with which all people of goodwill would like to identify.
For those who may not know, there is another University in the making at Ekiadolor in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, where we presently have the College of Education.
The College of Education, Ekiadolor, has its bag of troubles. Nobody is saying that Comrade Oshiomhole should not upgrade it to the status of a University.
But, what has the Governor done to bring genuine peace and modern infrastructural life to this institution of higher learning strenuously established by the iconic late Governor Ambrose Folorunsho Ali during the Second Republic?
There is no doubt that the school that has been renamed Tayo Akpata University of Education has become a minus on the scale of educational feats of Comrade Oshiomhole, as it wears a terrible garment of retrogression.
Student population has been seriously depleted because of incessant strike action by both academic and non-academic staff who are being owed months of salaries and arrears; management is allegedly owing the school cooperative up to alleged forty five million naira; deserving pensioners have not been paid their pensions and gratuities.
For throwing spanners on the wheel of government’s efforts at sanitizing the educational sector, one expected Oshiomhole to have yanked the Provost, Prof. Amen Uhunmwangho out of the system by now. May be the guy is ‘loyal’ to the core?
Now, Oshiomhole wants to transmute the college into a University in a traumatic manner, where the staff are being treated like slaves and animals?
On the other hand, the state-owned Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, publishers of the Nigerian Observer newspapers has been left to rot by Comrade Oshiomhole.
Since 2008 the Governor, a known and celebrated propagandist has refused to visit the company. What sin did the staff of Nigerian Observer commit against the Comrade?
Alltimepost.com Publisher, Comrade Emman Okuns wept when he visited the Observer during his recent visit to Nigeria, seeing the sordid state of affairs of the corporation that provided him and several other accomplished Journalists the opportunity to begin their journalism career.
Some Local Government Chairmen in the State that have proven to be abysmally incompetent are still retained in office because they are ‘loyal ‘even in the face of the fact that they are allegedly owing workers backlog of salaries.
Are the workers in these councils sub humans? What do the Governor and these over fed and pampered Chairmen want them to eat, stones?
Many Nigerians still remember our close friend and dear Comrade, Festus Iyayi, former President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who was allegedly assassinated on November 12, 2013 by government forces (not Oshiomhole’s) for fighting for the robust cause of tertiary education in Nigeria.
At the final grave side ceremony in Ugbegun, Iyayi’s village in 2013, Comrade Oshiomhole in an effort to immortalize Comrade Iyayi named the grammar school there ‘Festus Iyayi Memorial Grammar School’
Till this moment, nothing has been done in this regard, as the school is dilapidating; no borehole facility etc. Is that how to honor a great guy like Iyayi?
Yes! Red roofs are in every senatorial district; roads are being constructed and rehabilitated etc., but more emphasis should have been laid on the human beings in Edo state.
As a Comrade branded and fed in the Labor movement, one expected Oshiomhole to have done the extraordinary to ensure that all categories of unpaid workers under Edo State Government (including those on local government payrolls) get paid.
The comrade brags about paying the state workers up-to-date, but how about those workers under the local government payrolls, including thousands of teachers who have not been paid their salaries and other benefits?
The Comrade’s campaign slogan in 2007 was ‘making poverty history,’ but ironically the way and manner he has handled the people has only put a sizeable number of workers below the poverty line.
Is it the judiciary workers in the state who are presently experiencing ‘hell’ in the hands of the Comrade?
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State is saying that the delegates list used for the 2012 governorship primaries that gave Oshiomhole second shot to contest as Governor, is the same document they will use for 2016 Governorship primary.
What a way to select Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s ‘anointed’ successor!
As the life of the Oshiomhole Administration winds down, we are deeply concerned about his ability to finish well.
However, time is still on his side to make corrections in areas of lapses if he will listen to the voice of reason!
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