•Market women, children defy his security during inspection
•Shares drinks with artisans, promises more projects

Simon Ebegbulem,  Benin City

People who knew Edo State and its dilapidated infrastructure years before the coming of Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led administration in 2008, and the huge infrastructural development in the place today, would understand why the people of the state today see Oshiomhole as the Messiah the state longed for for years. There are several areas particularly in the South senatorial district, referred to as the heart of the Benin Kingdom, where landlords and people abandoned their houses and fled following the devastating state of flood and erosion.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole

Some of such areas include Siluko area where we have the Teacher’s House, Five junction, 2nd East Circular, Upper Mission, Gani Fawehinmi road, New Lagos road area where the former two time governor of the old Bendel State, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia resides. In some of these areas, it was either the houses submerged or that the roads were no longer passable due to years of abandonment. Houses in these areas became valueless because nobody would want to buy a property in areas that are only habitable during the dry season and relocate during the raining seasons.

But today, the situation has changed following the drastic intervention by the Oshiomhole-led administration on road construction and flood/erosion control. It is no surprise therefore that each time the governor goes on inspection of projects it turns out to be a seeming carnival. People in these areas have returned to their abandoned homes, so on such occasions, they troop out, both young and old rush to welcome the governor. Unlike those holocaust years, house rents in these areas have appreciated but the people are happy because the constructed roads also have street lights, walk ways and solid erosion control system.

So the outpouring of love is no surprise any time the governor visits.   His style of leadership has so endeared him to many in the state, that it will be difficult for people to forget him even years after his tenure. And while inspecting these projects, the governor creates time to sit with artisans to enjoy roasted plantain and share drinks with them. He engages them with discussions and that enables him to get firsthand information about what’s happening within the state. This makes him unique among his colleague governors.

It was tremendous last Tuesday when the governor inspected the 2nd East Circular road project. The security details of Governor Oshiomhole had a hectic time keeping overjoyed market women, children and other residents of the 2nd East Circular Road in Benin City at bay as they surged out in large numbers singing praises and trying to have a feel of the Governor for the ongoing construction of their road. Some of the women danced, others waved brooms, while yet others swept the road   to appreciate the Governor during an inspection of the ongoing 6-lane dual carriage road with street lights, side drains and walkways.

Their show of love was emotional and the governor felt it. He embraced both the little kids and their mothers, urging his security details to be calm. The elderly women and men prayed fervently for him. Oshiomhole   who joined the women in dancing told them that the construction of the road and other ongoing projects in the state were in fulfillment of his promise to continue to work for the people till the last day of his administration.

He said, with the road, the value of property in the area will increase, assuring that the project which has already got to the Sokponba road from Akpakpava road will link Sapele Road before the next rainy season, saying “that way, we would have restored this place as part of the heart of Benin.”

While appreciating the people, Oshiomhole said: “let me thank you for your support, thank you for your prayers, and thank you for standing by us and I hope these children, when they grow up to become governors and leaders will continue from where we stop. As you can see, we did promise we were going to work much more after the elections and as you can see, we have never stopped working and we will never stop working. But you know, because you are happy, there are some people who are also not happy.

There are people who don’t like good things, and they talk anyhow on television. But what you have seen with your eyes is more than what they are saying on television. Just stand with us; we will do our best and we will make sure that the next governor comes from APC. Don’t vote for a party that will return us to the past, because you can see that if PDP had worked the way we are working now, we would have covered all the other streets. So, I promise you that the next governor that is coming, I am going to take him round the City so that he will complete the projects that are left. Thank you very much and keep praying for us.”