By Sunny Ifijen
Beloveth, as I celebrate my 50th birthday, thanking God for my humble beginning, amidst the ambience of family, complexities of business, innuendos of politics, lustre of aith, transience of luxury, effervescent of knowledge, committee of friends and my benevolence of mentors. Indeed, it has been a sojourn of moments, milestones and memories, yet the mission still unaccomplished.
Irrespective of our individual fulfillment, according Prof. P.L.O.Molumba of Kenyan, “You have not succeeded if you do not have a succeeding successor.” This is my perspective of the unsuccessful leaders of Owan and Akoko-Edo extract.
My attainment of golden jubilee is an opportunity to reflect not only on my life and adventures, but to re-echo the need for Akoko-Edo and Owan people to reflect deeper in their shared fate of marginalization which seem pathological under the Afemai bond.
Due to the myopic selfishness of most Akoko-Edo and Owan leaders, we have been manipulated in a slave-master bond called Afemai.
Ironically, the current fate of Akoko-Edo and Owan is contrary to the 2004 founders brotherhood between Justice Ohiwere, Alhaji Kassim Momoh, Chief Charles Lawani, Chief Arogundade, and other Edo-North elites which was aimed at enhancing the development of human and infrastructure within Akoko-Edo, Owan and Etsako.
But from 2008, the Afemai romance became a pathological rape of the destinies of Owan and Akoko-Edo for a inordinate Etsako agenda which crescendoed in 2023 when the immediate-past Governor(Adams Oshiomole) un-Afemaily grab the Edo-North Senate seat from his own Etsako brother (Senator Francis Alimikhena) who had spent eight years, in addition to the earlier eight years of Senator Kassim Oyofo).
It’s noteworthy that Oshiomole became Senator at a time where the Etsakos had an incumbent Deputy-Governor, Minister, Ambassador, Grade ‘A’ as well as board members. This is aside the infrastructural development the area have witnessed without fair recourse to the Afemai bond.
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Oh! the sting of death on Alhaji Inu Umoru and Barr. Samson Ekhabafe, was a monumental blow on the deserved hopes of Owan and Akoko-Edo in the Afemai Union; wherein the position of Senator(our collective heritage) suppose to be rotational by principle, as well as justifiable and equitable spread of human and infrastructural development within the Afemai tripod (which is coincidentally three Federal Constituencies).
Legendary Bob Marley said “You can fool see people sometimes but you can not fool ALL the People, ALL the time.” With our array of prominent royal fathers, religious leaders, renowned intellectuals, professional gladiators, business moguls, astute diplomats, and a thriving population that have become a decisive factor in Edo equation, yet it took the benevolence of non-Afemai persons to make Owan and Akoko-Edo become Speaker and Deputy-Governor respectively.
Indeed, it is a divine new era where we must re-define the Afemai accord. Otherwise, we will begin to denounce Afemai and just maintain our geographical nomenclature as”EDO-NORTH.
Behold, this struggle goes beyond Comrade Sunny Ifijen, Hon.Omeiza Ogumah, Elder Edgar Freeman, Elder Ozamaye, Rev.Uadia,Elder Erimekena, Engr.Ayo Olowojoba, and others behind the screen.
It is a generational vision for every progressive Akoko-Edo and Owan Indigenes to propagate across politics, religion, traditional institutions, academia, social groups, civil societies, etc.
So far, this ALLIANCE appreciates the developmental trajectory of Dr. Earnest Afolabi Umakhihe. His dogged first-time guber ambition was gallant-lustre semblance of Prof. Ihonbvere’s unrivaled 2007 governorship campaign of “NA HIM BE DIS.”
This ALLIANCE is proud of Speaker Blessing Agbebaku who in the face of political pressure to betray Akoko-Edo, stood for posterity to give Akoko-Edo the 1st Deputy-Governor, Engr. Marvelous Omobayo (our son in whom Akoko-Edo is highly pleased).
Meanwhile, as I thank GOD, family and friends for their birthday gifts, yet a lifetime birthday gift will be to see a UNITY OF PURPOSE meeting organized by any of Excellency Rev. Peter Obadan, Senators Domingo Obende /Yisa Braimoh, Hon. Pally Iriase, Hon. Peter Akpatason, Hon. Abdul Oroh, Hon. Johnson Agbolagba, Otunba Oladele Balogun, Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, IGP Solomon Ariase (rtd), General Areinde rtd, C.P. Dawodu rtd, Mr. Uwaseru, Arumemi Johnson of Arik Air, etc. May they not fail the unborn generations of Akoko-Edo and Owan extraction.
Let me appreciate supporters and beneficiaries of the OWAN and AKOKO-EDO ALLIANCE who have stood firmly with us since 2022.
We appreciate those in diaspora for understanding the plight of Owan and Akoko-Edo people. Our Unity of Purpose is the only bargaining power we must explore, 2023 was a test-run, 2024 will be Louder, 2027 will be decisive.
On a final note, I wish to specifically appreciate Governor Godwin Obaseki whose tenure have been most magnificent to our people.
With two sons of Owan and Akoko-Edo occupying sensitive positions in his administration, in addition to the appreciable development in the area, I can only say thank you to the wake and see Governor for remembering Owan and Akoko-Edo after such a lengthy period of political marginalization.
•Ifijen is the convener Owan and Akoko Edo alliance