By John Osasuyi
NO sooner had he uttered the statement than the entire Banquet Hall erupted tonight in a standing ovation. The Master of Ceremony had only invited Chief B. U. Edebiri to make a toast, but got more than he ostensibly bargained for.

After a long speech spiced with rib_cracking anecdotes, the highly respected Esogban of Bini Kingdom made what was thought another weighty royal endorsement of Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the 2012 governorship contest in Edo State.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole

Though Chief Edebiri did not mention names in his moving speech, the innuendo was certainly too poignant to be confused.

By that, no one was in doubt, in case any had existed, on where the sympathy of the Bini royal establishment lays vis_à_vis the coming governorship election, particularly against the backdrop of a whispering campaign being mounted by some elements in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that only ‘a proper Bini man’ (from Edo South) should win their votes.

Apparently goaded by the nodding response from the audience, including music icon, Sir Victor Uwaifo, the Esogban of Bini Kingdom continued for a Bini man meant anyone with genuine love of Bini Kingdom at heart which he said has been demonstrated by the Comrade Governor.

As the approving claps intensified amid cat_calls, not even the chief host himself, Comrade Oshiomhole, could resist the urge to join the likes of Comrade Abdulwahab Omar (president of Nigeria Labour Congress) on the high table and the entire house in giving Chief Edebiri a resounding applause.

Indeed, the occasion was a gala night hosted by the Edo State Government in honour of the leadership of the NLC who came to the acclaimed ‘Heartbeat of the nation’ for a three_day retreat of the National Administrative Council (NAC is the highest organ of NLC). Dateline: October 13.

For the occasion, the high_ceilinged Banquet Hall in the Government House was filled to capacity. The roll_call included the leadership of the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Honorable Uyi Igbe; members of the state executive council; director of SSS; state commissioner of police; officials of the state branch of NLC and some notable faces from Nollywood like Alex Osifo.

Indeed, it was more than a gala night. Perhaps, it is correct to say the event turned out to be more of  a night of tributes for Comrade Oshiomhole whose exertions in Edo, often described as monumental, have continued to receive plaudits from within and outside the state.

Beside the Esogban of Bini Kingdom, another notable chief at the occasion was Chief Nosakhare Isekure, the Chief Priest of Bini Kingdom. He was similarly effusive in praising Oshiomhole for ‘turning the fortunes of Benin City and entire Edo State around in the last three years.’

As a mark of appreciation, the outspoken Chief Priest of Bini Kingdom disclosed a personal initiative to stage an exhibition to herald the third anniversary of the Oshiomhole in the coming days. In his words, Edo State had not been blessed with a visionary and committed leader in recent history until Oshiomhole came on board three years ago.

So ecstatic was the feeling that pervaded the hall that night that, when introduced, the legendary ‘guitar boy’ (Sir Uwaifo) broke into an impromptu rendition of his evergreen song ‘Jeromi’, to the clapping pleasure of the audience. In the middle, he creatively adapted a line, ‘Ei guo na ven, Jeromi’, to ‘Ei guo na ven, Oshiomhole’. The applause got more rapturous.

When it was his turn to speak at the gala night, chairman of the state branch of NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ademoku, would set the tone for the national president by announcing that  ‘All the workers of Edo State have already endorsed Comrade Oshiomhole for second term come next year’ and shall go all out to mobilise the entire state to ensure that is achieved.

Expectedly, Comrade Omar put the icing on the cake presented by Ademoku by declaring emphatically that ‘There is no vacancy in Edo Government House come 2012’ . He reported that he and his team were quite impressed with not only the quantity but also the quality of projects they inspected earlier in the day within Benin City.

The NLC president indeed expressed pride that Comrade Oshiomhole has proved that labour leaders are not only good at agitating but also good at using political power for the good of the greater majority.

The high point of the night was when the comrade governor got up to make a response. Expectedly, Oshiomhole, a gifted orator, did not disappoint. He thanked Omar and his team for their support and solidarity, starting from when he had to fight for the retrieval of his ‘stolen’ mandate through the court between 2007 and 2008.

He identified the labour movement as the institution that prepared him for political leadership and taught him to believe that nothing is more noble than fighting for the common man. He promised never to rest on his oars so that the Labour would continue to be proud of him.