Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is close to the half-way mark of his gubernatorial mandate, a good time for stock-taking at unemployment, infrastructural rehabilitation, health care revamp and electoral redemption. These promises were re-echoed on November 12, 2008 in his inauguration as the Governor of state after the turbulent legal battle.

The historical and rhetorical speech soared to the highest heights with approving shriek from one and all who are suddenly saddled with a new regime; mild way into the regime of another – a totally conformist slush of a kind that embraces the old tradition of governing from a position of disconnect. He won the admiration of majority of Edo people who shrugged off the mockery of their common patrimony from the PDP previous ruinous governments.      

‘‘We…must realize that as important as today is, it only marks the beginning, and not the end, of a process. Monumental challenges lie ahead of us and we must galvanize our energies and intellect to meeting those challenges. At the forefront of these challenges are the need to re-build our educational system, revamp infrastructure and create employment through the stimulation of production in both agriculture and industry.’’

That date was November 12, 2008. Looking back, two years after, can it be said that Governor Oshiomhole delivered on those electioneering promises? Can it be said that he floundered in areas where the means to actualize those lofty promises given the paucity of available resource at his disposal? Or was it a share indolence on his part that ‘‘creation of employment through the stimulation of production in both agriculture and industry,’’ is yet to take effective root? Has he succeeded in retrieving the state from harm’s way in other to fix a bad situation?

These answered and unanswered questions and his unremitting stance on the sanctity of the ballot box form the fulcrum of both his symbolic and actual performance as a democrat whose words as bond, must be taken with all seriousness. ACN in the state has accused PDP of misrule and composite ruin for ten years with economic and moral deficit, and lot more. But PDP is saying their neglect of the state over the years was exaggerated: not as loud as ACN is trying to make of it. Argument!

But one high chief in the city centre, John Omorogbe, the Oyairioba of Benin Kingdom take a swipe at the PDP for idle criticism of ACN administration in less than two years. He alleged that a party as bankrupt as the PDP lacks the moral rectitude to mount the roof top to bring ACN into disrepute. ‘‘The Governor has done a good job’’, he said. I am a member of PDP but we could not do what Oshiomhole has achieved. The PDP should apologize to the people of Edo State and Nigerians at large and congratulate the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

He likened Oshiomhole’s coming to that of Moses, the last historical figure to affect ocean levels with divine help when he parted the Red Sea . He sore grappled about the hollowness of PDP which has arrested development in the state before the coming of Oshiomhole. He made daring reference to his area of the state; the terribly erosion ravaged and refuse laden Constain/Isonorho, now urbanized, as one of the examples of ACN report card by dints of one man’s sheer courage to deliver the good to the teeming people of the state.

‘‘I thought it was a joke when Governor Oshiomhole visited the area and promised to reclaim six lanes in the neighbourhood. Once it rained, all the dirt would flush down the area. Many people suffered as a result and homes were washed ashore Ikpoba River along with children’’, was how a resident captured his Midas touch. The heap of refuse which had risen as high as a two-storey build was evacuated within days.

PDP surely, is having her foot in the grave. Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, the leader of the party’s South Senatorial Zone did the interment of the party a few weeks ago at the commissioning of Astro Turf at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia alluded to the kind sentiments Chief John Omorogbe had expressed about the performance of Governor Oshiomhole in his interview with May 24, 2010 edition of Newswatch Magazine.

‘‘When you see someone better than yourself, as a gentle man, at least, you must acknowledge it’’. Oshiomhole has actively delivered on his electoral promises on reconstructing the state in order to restore it to where I stopped. He has embarked on massive infrastructural development, health care delivery system, and renovation of hospitals across the state, urban renewal, creation of about 7500 jobs through EDO YES, and total reconstruction of public schools.                  

Edo people may have course to celebrate. Those who deserve freedom, as they say, are those who are ready to fight for it everyday, with every pinch of their blood. This seems to have taken fruition in that much fought over Osadebe Avenue, Edo Government House. The people appeared determine to forever reject and extricate themselves from unholy domination of a cabal who have been appropriating their civic rights, and refused them to lend their voice to the government of their time.  

They may well be seeing November 12 as a day of freedom. If the festive mood goes on without disquiet, as it were on the day the labour icon took over; in the quiet recesses of the ancient city of Benin – an empire and people made fame by their strong deference to culture and tradition – it is that their astuteness has yielded positive results in their democratic quest for freedom.

If the liberated people of the state and the diminutive labour leader turned One-Man-One-Vote proponent did not dim the day worthy of commemoration, the free people of Nigeria and all known precursors of freedom advocate should roll out their drums to celebrate.

The day would mark for them a day for the appreciation of investment of times and talents, the struggle to assert the peoples’ will to achieve civilization in the comity of nations and, to the positive democratic endeavour that seeks to supporting empowerment, and the uplift of their social standard.

Akhabue Okogie, a public affairs analyst writes from Uromi.