As the battle for who control the heart and soul of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State rages between Governor Obaseki, and ex-governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Osamede Adun, popularly known as “Bob Izua”, a political chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party has finally openly pledged his loyalty to the governor.

Every watcher of the political drama in Edo State would agree that this represents a huge boost to the camp of the governor as he prepares for the upcoming governorship election in Edo state

Since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, the political space has thrown up interesting individuals who became cult-like personalities over time. With no little or no formal education, these individuals have made a mark in politics that they are considered very relevant in their constituencies, states of origin, and the nation at large.

Their influence looms large, and they play a key role in deciding who gets what when political offices and appointments are distributed in local, state, and national governments. These individuals are courted, respected, worshipped, and feared because of their wealth and influence. Indeed, any serious politician who underrates or ignores their influence and ability to manipulate things in their favour when it comes to winning election in their constituencies or states does so at his peril.

A good example of such an interesting character is Chief Osamede Adun, known mostly by his nickname “ Bob Izua”, a political chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party. Bob Izua has over the years become so influential in the politics of Edo State that he can declare prospective candidates to have won elections, even when such elections are yet to be conducted. By engaging in a host of activities, Bob Izua

ensures that his anointed candidates eventually win elections in his constituency and the state. It is, therefore, not surprising that he is respected, adored, and worshipped by members of the political class. He enjoys the patronage, recognition, and protection of any government in power.

This is because he has an uncanny ability to calculate how the political pendulum in any local or state election, and even the national politics would swing. This has helped him switched political camps and loyalty which has been the hallmark of his continued relevance in politics. He also knows how to warm his way to the hearts of those in power, court their friendship and favours.
For a man who grew up without any background, and barely completed his primary basic education before entering Oba market in Benin City, first to assist his mother who is a petty trader to sell wares, and later becoming a “Motor Boy,” the life of Bob Izua is very eventful. He practically grew up in the motor park and at a tender age, he was exposed to an environment where deviant sub-culture rivalry, the battle of supremacy for leadership and control of motor parks, thuggery, brute force, violence, bloodshed, and even murder was a way of life.

At about the age of fifteen, his fame as a rugged and fearless warlord has spread among the over twenty-five motor parks in the former Bendel State (Now Edo State), where he became an active member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (“NURTW”).

His first exposure to politics came in 1979 when he was one of those recruited by the NURTW to ensure that the ruling party, the Unity Party of Nigeria (“UPN”) won the governorship elections in Bendel State. Armed with guns, machetes, cudgels, and other dangerous weapons, he, and other trusted fighters for the NURTW snatched ballot boxes, and disrupted elections by beating, maiming, and intimidating voters in opposition strongholds.

For the atrocious role in played during the election, Bob Izua was rewarded with appointment as a Personal Assistant on Internal Security Matters to the late Governor, Professor Ambrose Alli. Even though the appointment looked appealing to the ordinary man, it was a position associated with unleashing violence, threatening, silencing, and sometimes ensuring that critics and dissidents of the government disappeared or were, in some cases, murdered in cold blood.

Within four years of holding that position, Bob Izua earned the unenviable reputation of an extremely dangerous man who was never afraid of the sight of blood. Bob Izua became a contractor enjoying juicy and overinflated contracts from the government. He invested in several businesses and became a very wealthy man.

Over the years, he successfully combined his private business with activities in the NURTW where he rose to the position of Edo State Chairman. With money to throw around in a predominantly poor and illiterate society, Bob Izua soon became a cult-like personality and a political godfather in Edo State and the whole of the South-South Geo-political region. In 1999, he was appointed by Governor Lucky Igbinedion as the Chairman, Protection of Government Property, Edo State, for the role in played in ensuring that the latter became the governor of the state in an election Bob Izua actively sponsored violence, voters’ suppression, inducement, and rigging.

From the pool of admirers, favour-seekers, and hangers-on who depend on him for their survival and livelihood, Bob Izua effectively built an army of thugs and outlaws which he has used to terrorize his home state and the South-South Geo-political region, silence members of opposing political party, and even dissidents within his own political party. On Bob Izua’s instruction, his army of thugs have snatched and destroyed ballot boxes during elections, beaten, maimed, and attacked members of the opposition political party. Bob Izua’s “unorthodox army” have equally engaged in a host of other activities aimed at not only disrupting elections, but also ensuring that the wish of the people expressed by casting their ballots are subverted.

A few years ago, Bob Izua was said to have ordered a recalcitrant opposition party member who refused to yield to his attempt to manipulate election results in Ogbe Ward in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State to be shot dead. Bob Izua and some of his thugs were arrested for a few days but admitted to bail, and subsequently discharged and acquitted by a shambolic and kangaroo court whose decision was rumoured to have been ordered from above. For the inconvenience he suffered from the arrest and prosecution, Bob Izua was appointed the Chairman, Town Planning Law Enforcement Committee by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

In a country where law enforcement you agencies can easily be corrupted, Bob Izua now enjoy near absolute immunity from arrest and prosecution. Apart from his nefarious activities in the political arena, Bob Izua has been fingered in several acts of intimidation, harassment of individuals and groups, land grabbing, assassinations, and murder of business competitors. For instance, he was rumoured to be responsible for the death of Mr. George Idah, the Oredo Local Government Chairman who was killed in his office in 1992.

Also, in 1995, a lady confessed that Bob Izua paid her to poison Mr. Godwin Edosa, a transporter, whose company was in fierce competition with BOB IZUA MOTORS, his transport outfit that operates throughout Nigeria. Bob Izua was equally fingered in the kidnapping and death of another transporter, Mr. Joseph Osayande, the owner of Big Joe Motors, in 2000. On all occasions, what baffles everyone is that Bob Izua will be detained for a few days by the police and released without charges or prosecution.

Bob Izua moves around with a retinue of police officers attached to him who are most times active participants in unleashing fear and brute force on innocent citizens. The availability of police officers to Bob Izua is certainly odd in a country where the police force is understaffed and unable to effectively protect its citizens. It is alleged that senior police officers are on the payroll of Bob Izua and that he has a history of using the police to arbitrarily arrest and harass anyone he considers an enemy.

Bob Izua’s open declaration of his support for the governor has opened yet another page for political pundits and watchers who believe that Edo people and indeed the APC are in for interesting times.