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Edo State: Any Hope for the Minority? By Ayara Dennis Omeiza If people are privileged to choose state, region and country of their choice, certainly, people from Edo-North Senatorial district would have looked else-where. Suffice it to say that, some Nigerians would probably have chosen modern and a saner country than our dear country. Lest am misunderstood, there is no suggestion whatsoever that being a Nigerian is not a thing of joy to some who have their cake baked by government. Being a minority is a seemingly mistake not by the almighty God who created with equity but by the demarcators of our society. The fact here is, being a minority in an unjust society is traumatizing and frustrating especially in our political conclave of decision making which tilt decision to favour the majority. One would have thought that being a minority within another minority fold could hav e open a more equitable platform for all but unfortunately, the reverse is the case. Marginalization has become a tool of coercion and the political cloud appears to be so dark that there might not be a silver lining behind it as the popular saying goes. The race for Dennis Osadebe House in Benin (Edo State Government house) has begun in earnest with more than 20 months left in the life of this present “elected” administration. The actors are posed for a show as usual, the fixers are fixing crack walls and opening up another, the politicians are out for political scheming, Edo South and Edo Central are bracing up for a soap opera show in the political field, while Edo North are left in the cold like a bewildered mum, gazing at the combatants. It is ironical that, of all the (3) three senatorial zones in the state, Edo North has been the most backward and politically marginalized zone in the state. It may interest us to note that, the zone has Six Local Government Areas out of the total number of 18 Local Council in the State. Unfortunately, she has not been trusted with power by the power that be. To worsen issues, the present political calculation in Edo State has shown that the jostling for Edo State numero uno will be a mirage to this zone no matter how credible their candidate is, thus, thereby confirming the speculation that there is an unwritten part which excludes Edo North from occupying this coveted seat Democracy of course is a game of number and this has been our albatross, but it also has a vital recipe called Consensus which even made it easy for our President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to emerge in 1999 and 2003. The aforementioned, was a child of consensus born by destiny nurtured by common understanding of all ethnic groups. In considering power fragmentation and political landscape of Edo State, the Bini`s though more in number have had their fair share by producing first and second executive governors of the state while the Esan has equally produced the Late Professor Ambrose Ali in the Second Republic in a more wider spectrum (Bendel State). This no doubt left a vacuum in the Edo North axis which is the only zone yet to produce a Governor. The marginalization goes beyond political office patronage as it has a Local Government Council which has not been splitted since the creation of local government councils in the country. This development has made the local government the most abandoned and neglected council in the country. With abundant yet abandoned resources. It is not a right but a political privilege, patronage and acceptance of a people in line with power shift agitation which the south-south are actively involved in to allow Edo north produce the governor in the magical year 2007. Interestingly, the Esama of Bini Kingdom is up in arm against Chief Tony Anenih, the Abuja fixer and this translate to a royal battle between Edo central and Edo south senatorial district, leaving Mike Oghodiomhe, the Deputy Governor of Edo State in the cooler while the much talked about Professor Julius Ihevbare`s interest in the race all from Edo North like a dance in an open field without a speculator and a price tag. Edo State must be a place for all of us to liv e in and not for some of us as this could beget violence and truncate peace which is the state is known for.
Ayara Dennis Omeiza New World Prof. Computer Institute, No 1 Beriut Road, Kano.
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