Edo 2024: Dele Igbinedion On A Mission Of Making Achievable Promises -By Isaac Asabor

At some major motor parks in Lagos state, bus conductors and their drivers are usually seen beckoning travelers by laying claim to facilities their vehicles are not equipped with. For instance, it is not unusual to see a conductor screaming “Benin by A/C, particularly within inter-state motor parks located within the Ketu/Ojota axis (meaning that intending travelers to Benin-city would be transported by an Air-conditioned equipped vehicle). But alas! Having fallen into the lap of the transporter, the traveler would even before getting to Mowe in Ogun state become unbearably uncomfortable as a result of heat and a foul smell emanating from the vehicle contrary to the claim made before he or she boarded the vehicle. The traveler, without option, would frustratingly travel the long distance without experiencing the cool and soothing breeze that an Air conditioner is characterized by.

In a similar vein, they are wont to also beckon to intending travelers by screaming “Benin by air” to the disbelief of many who already know their stock-in-trade at Lagos motor parks. However, since passengers never took them seriously over their claims, they are usually not surprised when they travel through the pot-hole-riddled and sometimes, circuitous Lagos-Benin-Ore Road when they realize that the journey was not in any way by air as deceptively announced by the bus conductor and his driver. Ostensibly as a way of making intending travelers believe that the buses that were originally manufactured to ply the roads can also fly in the air, road transport operators are wont to seemingly engage in the monkey business of issuing branded tickets to passengers, entering their names in the manifest book, and allocate seats to them totally with the serial numbers on the manifest.

Some of the established transporters even go as far as offering takeaway foods in which the payment for the ticket has already been taken care of by each of the passengers.

Without any iota of exaggeration, you will agree with this writer that the foregoing services are reminiscent of the services obtainable from virtually all airline operators. As service delivery is by each passing day getting better, road transporters are no doubt emulating their counterparts in the airline sector of the transport industry. Unfortunately, no matter the level of deceit or packaging, buses do not fly in the air.

Interestingly, as road transporters are wont to promise passengers what they do not have, so also will some of the political parties that would participate in the February 2024 governorship election in Edo state begin to tell white lies to the people by making promises they quite know they would not be able to fulfill.

To many political observers, telling white lies during an electioneering campaign is normal. The erroneous belief is in agreement with Lucy Hale’s quote that says “But little white lies here and there is human nature. Everybody does that.” However, just like Margaret Keane in her postulation said, “Don’t tell lies, ever. No matter – not even little lies, “so also is Barrister Dele Igbinedion, who aspires to fly the Labour Party (LP) Gubernatorial flag in Edo State, come 2024, is known to be a leader that does make promises he cannot achieve. At this juncture, it is not misguided to vouch for Igbinedion by saying that he has over the years taken a position on the same philosophical pedestal asMatshonaDhliwayowho said, “Never make a promise you can’t keep. Never take someone you love for granted. Never underestimate the power of trust.”

Still, in the same nexus, it is germane to opine that members of the campaign committees of most political parties in the state are by now becoming nervously and anxiously expectant while the literary drivers and conductors of their respective campaign train are already scheming on how they would tell the electorates lies about unachievable projects by the time the political umpire will blow the whistle for proper politicking and campaign to commence. The desperation and illusion they have towards political power, no doubt, are somewhat forcing most of them to make the promises they are likely not capable of fulfilling.

I must confess that I was compelled to openly express this view through this medium to allay the fear of those who are of the view that the ship of state in the next political dispensation will aimlessly navigate around the same vicious cycle that has usually being characterized by wasted eight years of poverty, excuses, blames, lies, deceits, abuses, hypocrisy, backstabbing, name-calling, intrigue, nepotism, stealing, laundering, cultism, threats and violence.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it suffices to say that the leader the Edo people need for now is the one that will set achievable goals and achieve such goals with a high sense of exigency, tenacity, and accountability, in the same manner Nehemiah did in the biblical days. Recall that Nehemiah, whose role changed from that of royal cupbearer to the governor of Judah, utilized multiple leadership strategies in accomplishing his goal of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. His work was accomplished through an active prayer life, providing a vision to his followers, using his closeness to King Artaxerxes to receive help, role modeling, adaptability, and foresight. Furthermore, Nehemiah paid close attention to his followers’ needs and was dogged in accomplishing his goals.

To me, Igbinedion is not a brand of politician that will see the occupation of the state government house on Osadebay Avenue as a do-or-die affair. He is a politician that promises what he is capable of achieving in no time.

The reason for the foregoing cannot be farfetched as a personality check on him reveals that he is dependable, people-oriented even as he is at home with the plight of people at the grassroots, and know what needs to be done in caring about their collective welfare. Without a doubt, he has touched lives, particularly through his chambers, Dele Igbinedion Chambers, where he serves as the Managing Partner.  He has over the years demonstrated the benevolence in him, and has brought it to bear, either when in government or outside government, at one point or the other, and even up till now.  That is the attraction. Given the foregoing, there is no denying the fact that his policies will no doubt collectively have a human face.

To not a few of his supporters, he has for the umpteenth time been exemplifying this leadership trait, so going to Osadebey Avenue,  to him is not what will make him become power drunk. Igbinedion is not a leader that would make unachievable promises. He is not a leader whose condition is characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence, or an obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions. Simply put, he is not a megalomaniac.

He understands that Edo state and all the local government areas in the state should be seen as the bigger picture. Without a doubt, Igbinedion has been touching lives almost all his life because he is a people-oriented person. He always thinks about the welfare of his people as he cares about them.

Given the foregoing, it can conjecturally be opined that thatis why he could not leave his people (the entire Edo people that cut across Edo South, Edo Central, and Edo North) as he is poised to serve them in order to leave a legacy. In fact, in one of his posts on Facebook regarding EDO AGENDA 2024, he said, “To govern Edo, you must live in Edo. You must be with the people, feel the streets. Know what pains our Edo people. How can you know Edo’s problems, if you cannot live in Edo? Why not govern Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, the UK, the US, or wherever you live?