Oshiomhole: The End of a Political Colossus (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on Political Transformations, Relevant Beyond its Immediate Context]

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Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 21, 2020, 8:09:45 AM9/21/20
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From: vincent modebelu vin_mo...@yahoo.com [AfricanWorldForum] <AfricanW...@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2020 at 03:13

Oshiomhole: The end of a political colossus (Analysis) 

Sunday, September 20, 2020 3:45 pm | Daily News Headlines | 1 Comment(s)




A dejected Oshiomhole


























By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the September 19, 2020 governorship poll in Edo State certainly marks the end of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s illustrious political career. It is the end of a political colossus, he is ostensibly the architect of his own debacle.

It is nothing but falling from grace to grass in the space of less than two years.  Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the poll, is certainly not the loser, it is Oshiomhole who is the loser. He has been retired politically and will now have to find solace in his Iyamho home.

Two years ago, Oshiomhole was everywhere, he reached the pinnacle of his political career as the National Chairman of the APC, after unseating the former, John Odigie-Oyegun. Before then, he was a two-term governor who excelled and transform Edo State in terms of infrastructure development.

Then he installed his stooge, Obaseki as his successor. Obaseki, who was then Oshiomhole’s economic adviser dedicated his heart to the job, which was why the former governor trusted him. But things fell apart between the duo when Obaseki felt that Oshiomhole wanted to be the godfather of Edo politics and was taking more than he should have taken in terms of appointment from the federal.

The final straw that broke the camel’s neck was when Obaseki, in the dead of the night secretly inaugurated the Edo State House of Assembly with seven lawmakers loyal to him and shut out 14 others loyal to Oshiomhole. From then, it has been dirty and bitter battle between Obaseki and Oshiomhole. Obaseki had always had his ways in the battle between the duo.

Oshiomhole, who felt cheated wanted to show Obaseki that he is still the king of Edo politics and will unseat him. He felt that he could use his office as the then national chairman of APC to hunt him down. He then went for Ize-Iyamu, who was then in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as his joker to outwit Obaseki in a bid to retain his power and toga as the undisputed king of Edo politics. Ize-Iyamu, who contested against Obaseki in 2015 and narrowly lost, left the PDP for APC to challenge Obaseki for the crown. Political pundits had alleged that  Ize-Iyamu won the 2015 poll against Obaseki and was rigged out by Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole felt he could use his popularity as a grassroots man to end Obaseki’s dominance.


The battle against Obaseki cost Oshiomhole his national chairmanship position of the APC. He was dragging the APC down, using the office to fight his dirty war. A very smart Obaseki used his loyalists in Oshiomhole’s wardi to suspend him as member of the APC on allegations of anti-party activities. Oshiomhole had waved off the suspension as nothing until it began to work against him. Series of court cases led to his being sacked as the national chairman of APC by the appeal court.

Before then, Oshiomhole’s National Working Committee, NWC, had disqualified Obaseki from contesting the governorship election over flimsy allegations and upheld Ize-Iyamu as the right consensus candidate of the party. The move made Obaseki to decamp to the PDP to seek his re-election. He was quickly embraced by the PDP and became a potent threat to the APC’s aspiration of retaining Edo State.

President Muhammadu Buhari ended Oshiomhole’s reign as party chairman when he recommended the dissolution of the NWC of the APC and the setting up of an Interim Committee, led by to reconcile aggrieved members of the party who have been angered by Oshiomhole’s inordinate ambition.


Oshiomhole then knew that if his candidate, Ize-Iyamu did not win the Edo governorship election, he is a goner. That was why he put everything he has gotten to ensure that Obaseki is booted out of office to make him still relevant in Edo politics. Thus, the Edo battle was meant to be a face-saving for Oshiomhole. He was everywhere during the campaign, telling Edo people that he made a mistake to have presented Obaseki to them in 2015 and begged for forgiveness.

With Obaseki gaining more sympathy from the public and his campaign slogan hinged on ending ‘godfatherism’ in Edo State, the people bought into his idea. It is not that Obaseki performed creditably well in Edo State than Oshiomhole, but he has gotten the sympathy of the people. Thus, the victory of Obaseki in the September 2020 governorship election was not because he decamped to the PDP, his victory was not aided by the PDP, but it was protest votes against Oshiomhole that gave him the victory.

Thus, the biggest gainer in the Edo election was the PDP. Few months ago, the PDP never thought it could recapture Edo from the APC. The party was in crisis before Obaseki defected. But as luck would have it, Obaseki was forced to decamp by Oshiomhole and the party became a threat.

Also, the intrusion of the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu into Edo’s local politics spelt doom for the APC. His inglorious four minutes video in which he asked Edo people to reject Obaseki was seen as attempt by Tinubu to make Edo another of his political base and the spreading of his ‘godfatherism’ base from the Southwest to South South. Tinubu ostensibly contributed to the downfall of the APC in Edo State. Edo people saw him as trying to gain control over them and they resisted. This is because in local politics, locals are always against interference from foreign bodies into their affairs.




It is a lesson for Tinubu, that he should stay in his political base and should desist from meddling in political affairs of other jurisdictions in the country. The ‘Jagaban’ of Lagos politics has been drawing bad blood from Nigerians over his purported ambition for the 2023 presidency. He may have thought that gaining control in Edo State may boost his ambition.

Another reason for APC’s loss in Edo was the party’s choice of Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje as the choice of the APC National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship Election. Ganduje’s dollar saga disqualified him from holding such position. His choice represented a negativity for the APC. The cliche, ‘Gandollar’ was feasted upon by the PDP during the campaign.

What if Oshiomhole had not use the APC National Chairman office to hunt Obaseki? 
What if Oshiomhole had not been over-ambitious and had not fallen apart with Obaseki? 
He would still have remained the party’s chairman and relevant in Edo politics. 
But for now, Obaseki has retired his once godfather from politics and sent him into political irrelevance. 
Oshiomhole has lost in all front, he has fallen from grace to grass, he has been silenced and what is next for him? Only time will tell.



vin......///


What may be added is that the desire to dominate a protégé installed as governor with his help of which Oshiomole is being accused is the same political godfather culture he described himself as abolishing in Edfo stare with the relegation of Chief Tony Anenih and the Igbinedion  factor in Edo politics.

What Oshiomole tried to do to Obaseki was seamlessly accomplished in Lagos State when Ambodeh was recently prevented from returning as governor by his own party.

Why the difference?

SW reliance on hierarchical control as derived from Yoruba culture?

toyin




 Observe and see

What may be added is that the desire to dominate a protégé installed as governor with his help of which Oshiomole is being accused is the same political godfather culture he described himself as abolishing in Edfo stare with the relegation of Chief Tony Anenih and the Igbinedion  factor in Edo politics.

What Oshiomole tried to do to Obaseki was seamlessly accomplished in Lagos State when Ambodeh was recently prevented from returning as governor by his own party.

Why the difference?

SW reliance on hierarchical control as derived from Yoruba culture?
__,_._,___

Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 21, 2020, 4:46:38 PM9/21/20
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​Before Vidkun Quisling, there was Obaseki, whose original name was Agho Ogbedeoyo. In order to understand the connection between Vidkun Quisling and Agho Ogbedeoyo, let's find out first who was Vidkun Quisling.

Vidkun Quisling was Norway's Minister of Defence between 1931 and 1933 in the then Farmers' Party government. In 1933 he formed a Nazi political party called National Assemble. He visited Berlin in December 1939 where he presented to Hitler a plan of German occupation of Norway which would be followed by him, Quisling, taking over government's power. When on 9 April 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Norway Vidkun Quisling declared himself the head of government of Norway. King Håkon of Norway rejected him completely. King Håkon fled Norway, subsequently, and Quisling was able to form an NS-government (NS=National Assemble or Coalition government) in February 1942. Quisling's name has since been synonymous with a traitor throughout the world after the defeat of Hitler and Nazi Germany in 1945.

The equivalent of King Håkon of Norway in Nigeria was the Oba (King) of Benin, Nogbaisi Ovonramwen, who ascended throne in 1888. Agho Ogbedeoyo was a native of Agbor who migrated to Benin where he became a successful trader. King Ovonramwen allowed Agho access to his palace and the daughter of Oba Ovonramwen, princess Etuohun, became the wife of Agho Ogbedeoyo in 1889. In connection with that marriage Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen granted Agho the title Obaseki in 1889. Thenceforth, Agho Ogbedeoyo was known as Agho Obaseki. Eight years later, 1897, the English troops invaded Benin and the brave Oba Ovonramwen fought the invaders tenaciously and escaped from the palace. The British sent emissaries to him in his hideout that they would allow him to continue to reign as King if he agreed to his territory being put under British Protection. The Oba refused in 1897 just as King Håkan of Norway refused to be under Nazi German sovereignty in 1940. At that stage, Agho Obaseki who was supposed to be loyal to the Oba by virtue of marriage to the King's daughter betrayed him. Agho Obaseki led the British to the hideout of Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen who chained him and banished him to Calabar. By virtue of his marriage to the exiled King's daughter, Etuohun, Agho Obaseki wanted to be Oba of Benin but the people revolted and rejected him. Yet the British made him the head of administration until 1914 when Oba Ovonramwen died. Prince Aiguobasimwin Ovonramwen became Oba Eweka II in 1914 and through the benevolence of the British Colonialist, Agho Obaseki, was imposed on the new Oba as his Iyase, meaning Chief Adviser to Oba. Agho Obaseki, the great grandfather of Godwin Noghghase Obaseki, the controversial current governor of Edo state, remained Iyase of Benin from 1914 until his death on 9 September 1920 by the grace of the British and against the will of the Beni People. Shall we be talking about a godfather or a traitor?
S. Kadiri 

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Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of a Political Colossus (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on Political Transformations, Relevant Beyond its Immediate Context]
 
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Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 21, 2020, 5:06:32 PM9/21/20
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Kadiri,

Well done.

The battle was fought and won in the 21st century, not another one 

If you have a case agst Obaseki, eg of being a traitor, spill it out.

You can't know Edo history more than Benin people and they chose Obaseki.

If APC had not blocked his candidacy within their camp, Edo would have been APC today.

Anyway, they are both the same.

Little or no distinctive ideological substance, if they have any at all.

Toyin


OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 21, 2020, 6:29:20 PM9/21/20
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But what I see is different.  Lack of principles among Nigerian politicians.

Will Obaseki now be pursuing PDP programmes he had attacked as APC governor or will he be pursuing APC programmes?

They are just in politics for the beer money isnt it?

OAA



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-------- Original message --------
From: Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin....@gmail.com>
Date: 21/09/2020 22:14 (GMT+00:00)
To: usaafricadialogue <USAAfric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of a PoliticalColossus  (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on PoliticalTransformations, Relevant  Beyond its Immediate Context]

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Kadiri,

Well done.

The battle was fought and won in the 21st century, not another one 

If you have a case agst Obaseki, eg of being a traitor, spill it out.

You can't know Edo history more than Benin people and they chose Obaseki.

If APC had not blocked his candidacy within their camp, Edo would have been APC today.

Anyway, they are both the same.

Little or no distinctive ideological substance, if they have any at all.

Toyin


On Mon, Sep 21, 2020, 21:46 Salimonu Kadiri <ogunl...@hotmail.com> wrote:

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Ibrahim Abdullah

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Sep 21, 2020, 7:15:10 PM9/21/20
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There no such thing as APC or PDP programs----both parties exist and operate outside programs. 

Sent from my iPhone

On 21 Sep 2020, at 10:29 PM, OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagb...@hotmail.com> wrote:



OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 22, 2020, 4:29:32 AM9/22/20
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Well during the peak of Obaseki/ Oshiomhole  crisis. Sahlihu Lukman referred to the constitution of the APC with regards to NWC and NEC functions and  a constitution means a set of ideals which translates to programs.

We heard of a social security program in Edo APC (which Edo indigenes on this forum can attest to) put in place under Oshiomhole's governorship and his NLC antecedent which I recommended be formalised as national security program blueprint for the APC. 

Given this scenario can we say the parties dont have distinctive features/ programs?  Was that not the impetus for Oshiomhole's move to the national level on progressive credentials?

OAA



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From: Ibrahim Abdullah <ibdu...@gmail.com>
Date: 22/09/2020 00:16 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of aPoliticalColossus   (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis onPoliticalTransformations, Relevant   Beyond its Immediate Context]

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There no such thing as APC or PDP programs----both parties exist and operate outside programs. 

Sent from my iPhone

On 21 Sep 2020, at 10:29 PM, OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagb...@hotmail.com> wrote:



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Uyilawa Usuanlele

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Sep 22, 2020, 4:29:51 AM9/22/20
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Salimonu Kadiri,
                          I dont know what your point is, but aspects of your story about Agho Ogbeide Oyoo who became Obaseki and later Iyase are not factual but peppered with outright untruths.  to demonize the Obaseki family for leading the revolt against your APC tribal gods. 
                         Firstly you claimed that Agho Ogbedeoyo was a native of Agbor who migrated to Benin where he became a successful trader. This is not true, Agho Ogbeide Oyoo was not from Agbor. His ancestor left Benin long before the 15th C and was appointed the Enogie (Obi) of Nsukwa (now in Delta State) which was part of Benin Empire) as was normal practice for the Oba of Benin to send Princes to distant lands as rulers- Warri, Lagos, Idoani, Ikale etc. Agho's ancestors brought a succession dispute to Benin in the 18th C and after the settlement, Agho's great-grandfather lost and as a diviner he was retained in Benin. Agho's grandfather and father were born in Benin and his father Ogbeide Oyo was so trusted and conferred that he was conferred the title of Ine ne Ibiwe, (caretaker of the Oba's harem and royal children). Agho was a playmate of Oba Ovonramwen who put him in charge of his private business and conferred on him the Obaseki title. 
                      Secondly, you assert that Agho Obaseki led the British to the hideout of Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen who chained him and banished him to Calabar. This is another untruth as Agho Obaseki did not lead the British to where Oba Ovonramwen was hiding. Agho might have persuaded Ovonramwen to come to surrender (after 6 months in hiding) and when he did, he stayed with Agho. When the British deposed Oba Ovonramwen after a "mock trial" and decided to take him to visit Calabar and other places, the Oba sought refuge with the Ezomo (war commander). The Consul general threatened another war and the Ezomo quickly notified the British to get Ovonramen from his house. 
                    Thirdly, it was sometimes after Ovonramwen was deported that Agho started warming his way to the British by reporting a planned uprising in 1906 and doing many contracts. He was made the District head of Benin City (one of the many districts) in 1908 and became the chief agent of the British. The British Resident did propose making Agho the Oba after Ovonramwen joined his ancestors, but the Benins rejected the proposal and the British foisted him on Oba Eweka as the Iyase.
                   Agho was not the only Benin chief that worked with and for the British. Even some of the Princes took up jobs with the British and did contracts as well. Yes Agho betrayed the Benins by squealing on their planned uprising and the Benins paid him back by making the British to remove him from office in 1920 shortly after which he died.  
                   The questions then are what has your fabulations about Agho got to do with his grandson Godwin Obaseki?     
 2.) Why are you silent about Osagie Ize- Iyamu's grandfather, Chief Izevbizua Iyamu, also a foremost British agent and District head of Urhonigbe and Igbanke who was driven out of the villagers or escorted out by British soldiers on some occasions?  

Uyi
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Salimonu Kadiri <ogunl...@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2020 4:43 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of a Political Colossus (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on Political Transformations, Relevant Beyond its Immediate Context]
 

OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 22, 2020, 8:56:36 AM9/22/20
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Uyi.

I dont think there are substantial differences between your account and Baba Kadiri's account.  Both portray Agho Obaseki as ' 'Quisling' as Baba Kadiri suggests.

Your account confirms the royal links between the Benin Royals and Yoruba Royals which we debated earlier in the forum and which we agreed was started by Oranmiyan from Ile- Ife.  For me this confirms the unalterable kinship between the Benin, Warri and Yoruba people.

What you established is that treachery cannot be said to be an established feature of only a particular family.  It is part of general human nature I absolutely concur.  I have wanted to immediately after Baba Kadiri's post cite the June 12 episode when the Yoruba advised Aare Abiola to pick Babagana Kingibe as running mate because they thought in view of marital links to the Yoruba he would not dare betray his Principal like other unprincipled northern power brokers.  He did just that preferring to abandon the fight  for democracy pitching his tent with his uniformed Kanuri clansman (Abacha) and thereby reducing the June 12 struggle to an ethnic battle.  


Aare Abiola himself, before throwing his hat in the ring to help dislodge the Babangida infamy, as I recall, asked for assurances that ' they wont ditch us' ( as normal northern power brokers are wont to do) once they were added to achieve their objectives.  They did just that!  

What is more the same dishonourable people are already  saying there is no assurance the post Buhari administration would produce a southern president.

Yes treachery is not restricted to just one family and I bet there are honourable people in the Obaseki family but what Godwin did can be attributed to nothing but treachery. This is Baba Kadiri's essential reading.  Obaseki  could have found ways to settle his differences with his former boss rather than just changing his party and make his gains his party's loss if he actually loved his party and not just power.  Of course if you say the same could be said of Ize-Iyamu if he had won,  I would agree absolutely with you.

As it were the APC have taken their loss with grace showing a superior ethos in politicking.  They  have retained their faith in Oshiomhole and the progressive credentials he had brought to the party no matter the tactical errors he had made in this matter. Whether misled or they have decided to part with APC the Edo electorate have made their decision.  All we can say is good luck!


OAA 



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-------- Original message --------
From: Uyilawa Usuanlele <big...@hotmail.com>
Date: 22/09/2020 09:37 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of a PoliticalColossus  (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on PoliticalTransformations, Relevant  Beyond its Immediate Context]

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Salimonu Kadiri,
                          I dont know what your point is, but aspects of your story about Agho Ogbeide Oyoo who became Obaseki and later Iyase are not factual but peppered with outright untruths.  to demonize the Obaseki family for leading the revolt against your APC tribal gods. 
                         Firstly you claimed that Agho Ogbedeoyo was a native of Agbor who migrated to Benin where he became a successful trader. This is not true, Agho Ogbeide Oyoo was not from Agbor. His ancestor left Benin long before the 15th C and was appointed the Enogie (Obi) of Nsukwa (now in Delta State) which was part of Benin Empire) as was normal practice for the Oba of Benin to send Princes to distant lands as rulers- Warri, Lagos, Idoani, Ikale etc. Agho's ancestors brought a succession dispute to Benin in the 18th C and after the settlement, Agho's great-grandfather lost and as a diviner he was retained in Benin. Agho's grandfather and father were born in Benin and his father Ogbeide Oyo was so trusted and conferred that he was conferred the title of Ine ne Ibiwe, (caretaker of the Oba's harem and royal children). Agho was a playmate of Oba Ovonramwen who put him in charge of his private business and conferred on him the Obaseki title. 
                      Secondly, you assert that Agho Obaseki led the British to the hideout of Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen who chained him and banished him to Calabar. This is another untruth as Agho Obaseki did not lead the British to where Oba Ovonramwen was hiding. Agho might have persuaded Ovonramwen to come to surrender (after 6 months in hiding) and when he did, he stayed with Agho. When the British deposed Oba Ovonramwen after a "mock trial" and decided to take him to visit Calabar and other places, the Oba sought refuge with the Ezomo (war commander). The Consul general threatened another war and the Ezomo quickly notified the British to get Ovonramen from his house. 
                    Thirdly, it was sometimes after Ovonramwen was deported that Agho started warming his way to the British by reporting a planned uprising in 1906 and doing many contracts. He was made the District head of Benin City (one of the many districts) in 1908 and became the chief agent of the British. The British Resident did propose making Agho the Oba after Ovonramwen joined his ancestors, but the Benins rejected the proposal and the British foisted him on Oba Eweka as the Iyase.
                   Agho was not the only Benin chief that worked with and for the British. Even some of the Princes took up jobs with the British and did contracts as well. Yes Agho betrayed the Benins by squealing on their planned uprising and the Benins paid him back by making the British to remove him from office in 1920 shortly after which he died.  
                   The questions then are what has your fabulations about Agho got to do with his grandson Godwin Obaseki?     
 2.) Why are you silent about Osagie Ize- Iyamu's grandfather, Chief Izevbizua Iyamu, also a foremost British agent and District head of Urhonigbe and Igbanke who was driven out of the villagers or escorted out by British soldiers on some occasions?  

Uyi
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Salimonu Kadiri <ogunl...@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2020 4:43 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of a Political Colossus (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on Political Transformations, Relevant Beyond its Immediate Context]
 

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Uyilawa Usuanlele

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Sep 22, 2020, 8:56:42 AM9/22/20
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OAA,
          Oshiomole put no welfare program anywhere. During his first term, he employed a few thousand school leavers and graduates on a pittance of N20K monthly for about two years. After he secured a second term, he dismissed the school leavers and graduates, continuously raided local government allocations, left the Pensioners and Local government unpaid for months if not years. 
Uyi  

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagb...@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2020 7:33 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of aPoliticalColossus (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis onPoliticalTransformations, Relevant Beyond its Immediate Context]
 

OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 22, 2020, 9:41:13 AM9/22/20
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Uyi.

As st the time we debated this earlier this year the impression given was that remnants of this program was still in place.  If this is now considered Obaseki's own programme you have just confirmed this programme had a precursor in a discontinued Oshiomhole programme and that a  programme was run in Obaseki's first term governorship as an APC governor.


Whatever may have motivated the discontinuance of the original Oshiomhole programme it is high time that a systematised version is run nationally by the APC,   even if only at the federal level and APC controlled states. 

 This was how social security systems began in western countries at the dawn of the 20th century when they were not the economic super powers they are today. Poverty  ( as the case is in Nigeria today) propelled it not affluence.  Nigerian can afford this if stolen wealth ( originally belonging to these poor people) is recovered and this will surely reverse the brain drain.


OAA



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-------- Original message --------
From: Uyilawa Usuanlele <big...@hotmail.com>
Date: 22/09/2020 14:10 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End ofaPoliticalColossus    (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical AnalysisonPoliticalTransformations, Relevant    Beyond its Immediate Context]

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OAA,
          Oshiomole put no welfare program anywhere. During his first term, he employed a few thousand school leavers and graduates on a pittance of N20K monthly for about two years. After he secured a second term, he dismissed the school leavers and graduates, continuously raided local government allocations, left the Pensioners and Local government unpaid for months if not years. 
Uyi  
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Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of aPoliticalColossus (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis onPoliticalTransformations, Relevant Beyond its Immediate Context]
 

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Gbolahan Gbadamosi

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Sep 22, 2020, 9:41:23 AM9/22/20
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When I read some historical accounts, especially those dating back 200 years, 300 years and many more years back, I always shake my head and laugh. 

I am not an historian but I always enjoy reading and learning from history, absolutely no disrespect therefore. 

To my point now, when I read the accounts of history of the Benin Kingdom painted by Alagba Kadiri and the rebuttal by Okhaemwen Uyi Usuanlele I had to double my laughter.

When you read both accounts you must wonder if either of them was  a participant at these periods they recount. Neither wrote as if these were historical accounts, it read very much like eye witness accounts. Clearly, as these events were being passed down and narrated over the centuries distortions but have occurred depending on which side the narrator belongs. I know the Binis take their history seriously – very seriously.

Nonetheless, I did not have to google it to know that Alagba Kadiri is APC and Okhaemwen Uyi Usuanlele is PDP.

I put it to both of them that they actually belong to the same political party. The difference between those two parties is merely the symbols (broom and umbrella) – the leaders and members of each party are synonymous and easily interchangeable.

Seriously, I know neither of you is in politics. I just want to enjoy my laughter this afternoon. Keep well both. ☺

 

Gbolahan Gbadamosi


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OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 22, 2020, 10:24:28 AM9/22/20
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Oga Gbadamosi: 

You make me  laugh even louder.  Of course there are inflections to historiographies and that is why history scholars have to tease out the boundaries of narratives for the plausible nature and order of events.  No matter how we disagree about the veracity of the different accounts of the Gospels, we cannot but agree the central referent was a man who once lived in Judea and not a lady in China.

Of course both narrators of the deeds of the historical Obaseki are Politicians with the big 'P' and not soap box politicians!


OAA



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Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 22, 2020, 11:50:47 AM9/22/20
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Classic Edo pidgin -

from ''The Battle for Edo:Winners and Losers''

''Bola Ahmed Tinubu: Bloodied Nose

The APC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be regretting his open antagonism towards Governor Godwin Obaseki. A teeming number of Edo people saw his intervention as an affront not only against the governor, but the entire people of the state. This led to deep resentment that spurn widely used aphorisms like, ‘Edo No Be Lagos’, ‘ Obaseki No Be Ambode’ and ‘Oshiomhole No Be Tinubu’.  ''


On Tue, 22 Sep 2020 at 16:02, Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin....@gmail.com> wrote:
Politiking Beyond Principles


Another history reworking from APC orientations-

''Yes treachery is not restricted to just one family and I bet there are honourable people in the Obaseki family but what Godwin did can be attributed to nothing but treachery. This is Baba Kadiri's essential reading.  Obaseki  could have found ways to settle his differences with his former boss rather than just changing his party and make his gains his party's loss if he actually loved his party and not just power.  Of course if you say the same could be said of Ize-Iyamu if he had won,  I would agree absolutely with you.''
OAA

This writer has conveniently skipped the fact that the Oshiomole controlled EDO APC disqualified their own governor, Obaseki,  from contesting in the election, alleging improprieties in his credentials.

 Your own governor, cleared by your party to run, won a election and now running the state in the name of your party, is now disqualified by you for issues that existed before he ran the first time and was cleared by you, leading to his now leading an entire state.

What does Oshiomole do?

He imports Ize-Iyamu from the rival PDP to act as APC gubernatorial candidate, the same Ize-Iyamu defeated by Obaseki with Oshiomhole's help at the last gubernatorial election.

A commentator now comments loftily of betrayal from Obaseki, arguing that Obaseki should have stayed put in APC instead of decamping.

A New Generation in Edo Politics?

The two winners in this election are Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu.

Obaseki, an unknown, to the best of my knowledge, before he ascended the governorship with Oshiomole's help, has more or less retired his benefactor from Edo politics or significantly diluted his power and taken his place.

Oshiomole boasted, from what I remember, that he had retired godfathers from Edo politics, a reference most likely to Tony Anenih and the Igbenedion dynasty. 

Obaseki therefore inherits the diluting of the powers of those figures, while replacing Oshiomile, who displaced them, becoming therefore a defining force in Edo politics and a force to be reckoned with on the national stage.

Ize-Iyamu, described as a scion of Lucky Igbenedion, has demonstrated his readiness to do what is necessary to reach the governorship, as represented by his accepting the APC's invitation to cross over to join them, thereby aligning himself with the interests of the Oshiomole group who could remain a bulwark for him, particularly in the struggle at the next guber to dilute or supplant Obaseki's power in the state.

He also communicated credibly during the campaign, as I concluded from watching him talk on TV.

If he plays his cards well, and his party orients itself wisely, he could win the next round, even though he lost in this round even in his own local govt, the reason for which he needs to address.

I am not writing in support of him, since I have not assessed him beyond his speech at that TV showing. I'm simply trying to interpret political strategy. I also do not support any party, or any politician, advocating instead for a national referendum about the future of the country.

The Future of Edo APC and the Problematic Association with Bola Tinubu and his SW APC

APC Edo needs to avoid direct association with the Tinubu SW leadership. Tinubu seems to have a bad reputation outside his core loyalists, even in the SW.

What was done to Ambode in Lagos, which was attempted agst Obaseki, has not helped that reputation. People are interpreting these developments as suggesting a stultifying  command structure in APC.

Beliefs About an Agreement Between  Buhari's Muslim North and the Tinubu SW Group

Part of Tinubu's problem, and of APC generally, is inadvertently invoked by OAA-

''What is more the same dishonourable people are already  saying there is no assurance the post Buhari administration would produce a southern president.''

  by ''Southern,''  read SW/Yoruba as the intended subtext.

People are interpreting this often referenced understanding of who succeeds the man from Daura as a cold hearted dinner with the devil- the person challenged by Tinubu's party at the time for exonerating his amazingly corrupt boss Sani Abacha of corruption at the Abacha memorial in 2008, and yet, in 2015, being presented by the APC alliance integrating Tinubu and Buhari as an anti-corruption messiah and anti-terrorism champion, a man  who was unhelpful in the GEJ govt's fight agst Boko Haram, with the Wole Soyinkas, the Pius Adesanmis and other stalwarts of civil rights of which the SW has historically been dominant, as the social critic Ikhide Ikheloa rightly observed, lining up to help whitewash and install this strangely revived figure,  while Omoyele Sowore's  news medium Sahara Reporters was  not only most active in illuminating the troubles and failings of the GEJ govt but Sowore himself was  able to grant an interview celebrating military rule, the culture Buhari's first time as national ruler represents.

The next Presidential election is  understood by many, if not most, as a test of whether or not the Muslim North will hand over the Presidency to the SW. References to the South as a whole in this context are at best polite euphemisms or efforts at politiking. I dont expect the SE faction seeking the next Presidency believes it will get it but seeks to generate visibility for its aspirations towards the round after the next one.

The support of the Amaechis and the Timpriye Silvas from the South-South and South-East in APC may be seen as  more individualistic than as representing ethno-regional aspirations and is not likely to be expected to yield dividends beyond strategic appointments.

thanks

toyin


















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Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 22, 2020, 11:50:53 AM9/22/20
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OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 22, 2020, 1:25:06 PM9/22/20
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Toyin Adepoju:

You contradict yourself on several grounds:

We know governors proclaimed winners in states other than Edo had been subsequently disqualified.  So Edo is not unique if APC previously endorsed Obaseki but subsequently pressured Oshiomhole to disqualify him due to previous issues not taken into consideration before the initial endorsement. The response should not be to decamp to another party to get the governorship at all costs.  He could opt to serve the party he loves in another capacity.  In this particularl case the governorship position is more important than the party loyalty.

'Tinubu is not Oshiomhole' refrain is not appropriate because a state godfather is different from national godfather.  Oshiomhole held sway over only one state; Tinubu over several and not just Lagos.  The power base of both is incomparable.  Edo people may have resented the role of Tinubu due to the usual Edo/ Yoruba animosity in certain quarters but northerners know who to take more serious regarding their electoral fortunes.

Yes, the East's best shot to presidential powers,  post Buhari as things stand right now is incidentally the repeat and consolidation of the Aare Abiola initial brokered pact of hand shake across the Niger, the Blair- Brown way. ( That was what informed my piece ' The Imperative of Majority Rule.')

The white washed sinner became a necessity because that was the most credible option repeatedly presented by the North up till 2019.  Politics is a game of pragmatics.  We cannot say no candidate meets the minimum requirements of the South so only southern leaders should dominate politics for the foreseeable future.  That itself will be constituted as tyranny of the South.  The founding nationalists should not have agreed to go into nationhood with the North then.

For me the concluded Edo  governorship elections reinforce my belief that more than anything the quality of any democracy reflects the quality of the followership.  This is why Awo invested so much in free education.  With good education the followership ask the right questions of their leaders and make informed choices.

As things stand Obaseki has commenced his damage limitation exercise and who knows what tomorrow may bring?

OAA





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-------- Original message --------
From: Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin....@gmail.com>
Date: 22/09/2020 16:57 (GMT+00:00)
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of a PoliticalColossus  (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on PoliticalTransformations, Relevant  Beyond its Immediate Context]

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Classic Edo pidgin -

from ''The Battle for Edo:Winners and Losers''

''Bola Ahmed Tinubu: Bloodied Nose

The APC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be regretting his open antagonism towards Governor Godwin Obaseki. A teeming number of Edo people saw his intervention as an affront not only against the governor, but the entire people of the state. This led to deep resentment that spurn widely used aphorisms like, ‘Edo No Be Lagos’, ‘ Obaseki No Be Ambode’ and ‘Oshiomhole No Be Tinubu’.  ''


On Tue, 22 Sep 2020 at 16:02, Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin....@gmail.com> wrote:

Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 22, 2020, 2:48:54 PM9/22/20
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​Before the 10th century AD, there was no Bini but Igodomigodo. Late in the 10th century Oranmiyan from Oyo Empire was said to have attacked and captured Igodomigodo whose leader then was said to be known as Ogiso Evian. It was Oranmiyan who changed the name, Igodomigodo, to ÌLU ÌBINÚ, meaning the town of anger and on leaving the town, he installed his son as King Eweka the 1st. When the Portuguese came in the 15th century, they corrupted the name of the town to Beni.

In 2016, a rebel group arose in Edo State against Solomon Aisiokhuoba Igbinoghodua Akenzua better known as Oba Erediauwa. The rebel group which called itself Ogiamien Royal Family, claimed that the son of Ogiso Evian named Ogiamien Erebo signed in 1200 AD a Treaty at a place called Ekiokpagha with Eweka the 1st in which there were two kingdoms. Since Ekiokpagha Treaty has not been made public, it would be interesting to know in which language it was written. According to the rebels, Ogiamien Erebo ruled Utautan Kingdom while Oba Eweka the 1st ruled in the part now known as Benin Kingdom. It was for this reason that Rich Arisco Osemwengie allowed himself to be crowned as Ogiamien of Utantan Igodomigodo nations in 2016. For doing that, he was arrested and incarcerated for a while. According to Oba of Benin, Ogiamien Royal Family were slaves /strangers in the kingdom and not Beni aborigines. The Ogiamien family charged back, claiming that the lineage of the present King of Benin, Ehenede Erediauwa, now Ewuare II, is tainted with the blood of, Yoruba conqueror of Igodomigodo, Oranmiyan the father of Eweka the 1st..

Whatever twist anyone may want to make of history to suit one's ego, the fact remains that there was no known name as Obaseki in Benin until 1889 when Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen invented the title to clothe Agho Ogbedeoyo who dropped his father's real name (surname) to become known as Agho Obaseki. In choosing the invented title, Obaseki, Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen had observed that Agho Ogbedeoyo in trade was an extremely greedy, selfish and dishonest person. Thus, the title, Obaseki in Benin language is said to be translatable to, Oba's favour is more valuable than mere success in trade!! We cannot undo in the 21st century what our forbearers did in late 19th century even when we are ashamed of what they did. Agho Obaseki betrayed King Nogbaisi Ovonramwen to the British forces with the hope replacing the Oba as the King. My conclusion, ironically, is that Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki has replicated his great grandfather's, Agho Obaseki's betrayal, of Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen in 1897, on Adam Aliu Oshiomhole in 2020. Common-sense wise, the grandson is just like the grandfather when it comes to being a traitor. That is what I am asserting and I will very much appreciate if you, Uyilawa Usuanlele, can educate me who Osagie Ize-Iyamu has betrayed to become a traitor.
S. Kadiri  

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Uyilawa Usuanlele <big...@hotmail.com>
Sent: 22 September 2020 06:29

Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 22, 2020, 5:06:29 PM9/22/20
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Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 22, 2020, 5:07:49 PM9/22/20
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​If I were eligible to vote in Edo gubernatorial election, I would never have voted for either the governorship candidate of APC or PDP because, to me, both candidates are political whores. In a literate and civilised society, a Governor could have emerged from one of the other 12 candidates that took part in the election besides APC and PDP.

As for history I am not a historian. I read it only as a hobby. On historical past, Henry A. Kissinger wrote : One of the most difficult challenges a nation confronts is to interpret correctly the lessons of its past. For the lessons of history, as of all experience, are contingent - they teach the consequences of certain actions, but they leave to each generation the task of determining which situations are comparable (p.16, Nuclear Weapons & Foreign Policy). Following what I have read in history books I compared the political behaviour of Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki in the 21st century to that of his grandfather's, Agho Obaseki's, behaviour in the 19th century to find similarity between the two men. History has recorded that there was Oba of Benin named Nogbaisi Ovonramwen; there was also one Agho Ogbedeoyo who married to the daughter of Ovonramwen and was titled with the name Obaseki that became the surname of Agho instead of Ogbedeoyo; there was a British expeditionary force led by Captain James Phillips in 1897 that attacked Benin and sacked the King's Palace; that it was Agho Obaseki that betrayed Oba Ovonramwen to the British that captured and banished him to Calabar; that Agho Obaseki tried to be King of Benin between 1898 to 1914 but Beni people resisted it; that when Nogbaisi Ovonramwen died in 1914, his son, Prince Aiguobasimwin Ovonramwen, succeeded him as Oba Eweka II; and the British imposed Agho Obaseki as Chief Adviser to Oba (called Iyase), the position he held from 1914 until his death on 9 September 1920. Those accounts are available to read in many history books about Africa and Nigeria in particular. I don't think one should personally witness incidents in history before one can agree that they occurred in as much as records of history are corroborated by other writers.
S. Kadiri 

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Gbolahan Gbadamosi <gbola.g...@gmail.com>
Sent: 22 September 2020 15:32
To: USA-Africa Dialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

Uyilawa Usuanlele

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Sep 22, 2020, 7:08:54 PM9/22/20
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GG,
       I did not expect you to reduce everything to a binary of APC and PDP by blanketing me as a PDP member. All my life, i have never belonged to any political party and have no sympathy for the two Nigerian political parties. I only responded to the fabulations and lies of Salimonu Kadiri who has always defended the policies of the APC government on this forum. My concern is correcting the lies that Kadiri continues to spin into history of Benin as best as i know it. I was not writing an academic paper that requires me to cite sources. So, if it was not to your taste or style, there is nothing i can do about that. Please disabuse your mind from you belief that i am a PDP member, because i dared to criticise the APC. One does not have to belong to PDP to see and be incensed by the performance of the APC government. 
      Finally, i am not an Ọkhaẹmwẹn. 
Uyi

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Gbolahan Gbadamosi <gbola.g...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2020 9:32 AM
To: USA-Africa Dialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

Uyilawa Usuanlele

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Sep 22, 2020, 7:34:45 PM9/22/20
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OAA,
         Firstly, my concern was correcting the lies, Salimonu Kadiri spins into Benin history and don't care if he decides to label Agho Obaseki a quisling. If you decide to join him in labeling Agho Obaseki a quisling because he was a colonial agent, that is your business. 
          Secondly i never agreed with you anywhere that "...the royal links between the Benin Royals and Yoruba Royals ...was started by Oranmiyan from Ile- Ife" .My take was and still is that the Benin royal link with Ife started with the Benin Prince Ekaladerhan who became the ruler of Ife as Oduduwa and he sent his son Omonoyan ( who the Yoruba call Oranmiyan) to Benin to rule in his stead because he was already too old to make the long journey. 
          As for your APC and Oshiomole, i have no interest in the matter as i don't want my good name to be associated with their parties. I rest my case.
Uyi 
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Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2020 8:22 AM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of a PoliticalColossus (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis on PoliticalTransformations, Relevant Beyond its Immediate Context]
 

Gbolahan Gbadamosi

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Sep 23, 2020, 4:57:48 AM9/23/20
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Uyi,

 

I did not expect you to take things so seriously. I wrote that note in a lighter mood and if you reflect on it (or have another read) you will notice. Not only did I show respect, I cleared all doubts with my last sentence (just in case anyone was going to misread it).

 

Alagba Kadiri seems to get the joke in his own response. If neither of you was around at the time of Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen then you can only be making your claims from sources and I was not expecting you to put references, biko.

 

It is clear that neither of you have any respect for either political party, as I do not myself. As far as I am concerned, Alagba Kadiri is an Alagba to me. And you must have noticed banters on the platform - Oga, Chief, Oloye, etc are appellations in a lighter mood. So, when you rejected my offer of “Ọkhaẹmwẹn” (Chief), I knew you were no longer playing with me.

 

Life is short, I just thought we should lighten up a bit sometimes. My respects please.

 

Gbolahan Gbadamosi


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Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 23, 2020, 12:52:15 PM9/23/20
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​.... Agho Ogbeide Oyoo was not from Agbor. His ancestors left Benin long before the 15th C and was appointed the Enogie (Obi) of Nsukwa (now in Delta State) which was part of Benin Empire as was normal practice for the Oba of Benin to send princes to distant lands as rulers.... the gospel truth history according to Uyilawa Usuanlele.

If the ancestors of Agho Ogbeide Oyoo migrated from Benin long before 15th century, where was Agho Ogbeideoyo, who was given a new surname, Obaseki, by Oba Ovonramwen, born? What was the name of the person among the ancestors of Agho Ogbideoyo who was appointed the Onogie (Obi) of Nsukwa? Granted that it was the normal practice for Oba of Benin to send Princes to distant lands as rulers, was any of Agho Ogbeideoyo ancestors a prince? If the answer is yes, which of the Oba of Benin was the father of the said Agho Ogbedeoyo's prince?

When I wrote that Agho Obaseki was a traitor who betrayed Oba Nobaisi Ovonramwen by leading the British forces to his hideout where he was captured, Uyilawa Usuanlele the historian said it was a lie. Uyilawa Usuanlele version of true history as he put it is, "Agho might have persuaded Ovonramwen to surrender and when he did, he stayed with Agho." Even a non-professional Historian knows that in the history of war, the vanquished whether voluntarily or out of persuasion always surrenders to the victor. Agho must have had physical contact with Ovonramwen to persuade him to surrender and if he agreed to surrender, he would do it direct to the British military commander. This fact reveals that Uyilawa Usuanlele is only trying to whitewash the dirty part of Benin history by overtly and covertly implying that Ovonramwen surrendered to Agho and lived with him. Having told us that 'Agho's ancestors brought a succession dispute to Benin in the 18th C ... and Agho's great grandfather lost,' Uyilawa Usuanlele should logically have understood that Agho Obaseki just wanted to seize the opportunity of British invasion of Benin to achieve what his ancestors failed to get in the 18th century even though he and his ancestors did not belong to Royal Family in Benin. In plain language, Agho Obaseki betrayed Oba Ovonramwen to the British army with the hope of him becoming Oba of Benin. And if you, Uyilawa Usuanlele, truthfully insist that a butterfly is a bird, I have no power to convince you to believe contrarily.
S. Kadiri

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Uyilawa Usuanlele <big...@hotmail.com>
Sent: 23 September 2020 01:04

Okechukwu Ukaga

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Sep 23, 2020, 1:11:14 PM9/23/20
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"...what Godwin did can be attributed to nothing but treachery. This is Baba Kadiri's essential reading.  Obaseki  could have found ways to settle his differences with his former boss rather than just changing his party and make his gains his party's loss if he actually loved his party and not just power.  Of course if you say the same could be said of Ize-Iyamu if he had won,  I would agree absolutely with you." OAA

Using this logic, would you (and Kadri) be consistent enough to and agree then that what Buhari did in abandoning ANPP (under which he ran 2 times as a presidential) and moving to CPC can similarly be attributed to nothing but treachery; and that Buhari could have found ways to settle his differences with others in ANPP rather than just changing his party if he actually loved his party and not just power? 

Now, let the gymnastics begin....

OU




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Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 23, 2020, 3:28:58 PM9/23/20
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​Before you get back, I am sorry to remark that the most stupid people in the world must be Nigerians if the charade that took place in Edo on 19 September 2020 is regarded by them as a democratic election. The Edo State in Nigeria is situated on a landmass of 17,802 square kilometres. According to 2006 census, the population of Edo was 3 million, 233 thousand, and 366 (3, 233, 366). It has 18 Local government Areas consisting of 192 wards and 2,627 polling units.

Preparing for 19 September 2020 governorship election in Edo state INEC vouched that there were 2 million, 210 thousand and 534 voters (2, 210, 534) were registered. Out of 2, 210, 534 registered voters only 1 million, 726 thousand and 738 (1,726,738) collected their Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) confirming their eligibilities to vote. That means that about 20% of registered voters decided not to participate in the election by not collecting their PVCs. On the election day, the total turnout of voters was 557,443, representing about 25% of eligible voters of 1,726,738. Total valid votes according to INEC was 537,407 out of which the declared winner of what was termed a democratic election, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki of the PDP, won 307, 955 votes while his APC rival candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, won 223,619 votes. From the foregoing accounts, 1million, 169 thousand and 295 (1, 169, 295) eligible Edo voters were either prevented from voting or voluntarily abstained from voting because they did not want to elect their governor from among political prostitutes. Take note that abstention is a form of voting and a disapproval of the choice being offered. Whichever way it was, non-participation of 1, 169, 295 eligible Edo voters in the gubernatorial election rendered the results undemocratic and invalid. For the election to be valid, at least, over 50% of eligible voters ought to have cast their votes in the election. I hope the election petition tribunal would look into this aspect and restore the democratic rights of the 1, 169, 295 eligible voters excluded or prevented from voting.
S. Kadiri

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin....@gmail.com>
Sent: 22 September 2020 21:33
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

Uyilawa Usuanlele

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Sep 24, 2020, 11:05:05 AM9/24/20
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Salimonu, 
                 I have debunked your lies borne out of bitterness of your tine god Tinubu's loss of part of his APC fiefdom and so i wont waste my precious time further responding your fabricated stories. Have a good day. 
Uyi

Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2020 9:38 AM

OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 24, 2020, 11:05:15 AM9/24/20
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First of all Baba Kadiri and I have answerd your question in anticipation, in various ways.

Baba Kadiri considered both candidates of APC and PDP as political whores and said if he were Edo he would not vote for either of them.  The excerpt you quoted from me said practically the same thing of Ize Iyamu.  And how does Buhari come in?

Just because neither I nor Baba Kadiri are consummate Buhari bashers as some people here are does not mean we support everything he does.  I have said Buhari is as imperfect as any human being but unlike others I am not just looking for any opportunity to give a dog a bad name to hang him.

I am afraid the situation you seek to compare are not similar. If Buhari was facing an impeachment move by APC and he switched to  PDP to stave off the move then I would know what to say.  If the APC had resolved not to field Buhari last year and he changed to PDP by a pact with Atiku then the situation would be similar and I would say of Buhari what I said of Obaseki.

I again draw your attention to how I closed that post which tallies with Baba Kadiri's position above.  This is essentially a followership problem and not a leadership problem.  Its to do with the values of the followership.  After all Obaseki did not exclusively unilaterally vote himself in.

Nigeria's so called leadership problems persist because such leaders are derived from questionable following when it comes to values.


OAA



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

-------- Original message --------
From: 'Okechukwu Ukaga' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Date: 23/09/2020 18:14 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Oshiomhole: The End of aPoliticalColossus  (Analysis) [ A Rich Historical Analysis onPoliticalTransformations, Relevant Beyond  its Immediate Context]

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"...what Godwin did can be attributed to nothing but treachery. This is Baba Kadiri's essential reading.  Obaseki  could have found ways to settle his differences with his former boss rather than just changing his party and make his gains his party's loss if he actually loved his party and not just power.  Of course if you say the same could be said of Ize-Iyamu if he had won,  I would agree absolutely with you." OAA

Using this logic, would you (and Kadri) be consistent enough to and agree then that what Buhari did in abandoning ANPP (under which he ran 2 times as a presidential) and moving to CPC can similarly be attributed to nothing but treachery; and that Buhari could have found ways to settle his differences with others in ANPP rather than just changing his party if he actually loved his party and not just power? 

Now, let the gymnastics begin....

OU




On Tue, Sep 22, 2020 at 7:56 AM OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagb...@hotmail.com> wrote:

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Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 24, 2020, 11:05:58 AM9/24/20
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It is true that Buhari contested the 2007 presidential election in a joint ticket with the late Edwin Umeh Ezeoke as his vice on the platform of ANPP. As you may probably remember, even the declared winner of the 2007 Presidential election, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, admitted that the election was massively rigged. He therefore declared his intention to form a broad-based government that would include major political parties that contested in the election. However, the ANPP encouraged Buhari to challenge the result of the Presidential election at the election petition tribunal, which he did. While the case was ongoing, some ANPP top notches, including Edvin Umeh Ezeoke, had accepted official positions in Yar'Adua's government. Buhari finally lost the election petition at the Supreme Court and thereafter decided to leave ANPP to form CPC on which platform he contested the 2011 Presidential election. Obaseki did not form a new political party, but joined the PDP from APC in July 2020 to contest Edo governorship election in September 2020. Obaseki displayed a combination of political whoredom and treachery simultaneously which is in no way comparable to Buhari's formation of CPC after the betrayal he suffered from the ANPP.
S. Kadiri 

From: 'Okechukwu Ukaga' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 24, 2020, 2:56:01 PM9/24/20
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''Obaseki did not form a new political party, but joined the PDP from APC in July 2020 to contest Edo governorship election in September 2020. Obaseki displayed a combination of political whoredom and treachery simultaneously which is in no way comparable to Buhari's formation of CPC after the betrayal he suffered from the ANPP.''

Kadiri

''Oshiomole was most  sagacious in importing Ize-Iyamu into APC in order to replace Obaseki as APC gubernatorial candidate who was miraculously found wanting and disqualified by APC after a long drawn out battle with Oshiomole after Obaseki became governor.

There is nothing of whoredom and desperation in not only disqualifying the governor representing your party from running in an election for the same seat he occupies on your behalf but going ahead to replace him with a person from another party whom you had roundly denigrated as the opposition candidate in the previous elections that brought Obaseki  into power.

All this done in the midst of your running battles with the governor.

Most sagacious moves, really''

Logical Deduction from Kadiri quote above 



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Okechukwu Ukaga

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Sep 24, 2020, 2:56:35 PM9/24/20
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Olayinka,
I appreciate your feedback. Obviously, I am not one of those interested in jumping at every opportunity to bash Buhari. My point is simply that there is nothing unique or unusual about what Obaseki did; so criticizing him for changing parties amounts to unfairly singling out and giving a dog a bad name just to hang him. Unlike Buhari that I know a little bit, and have supported in the past, I do not know Obaseki and did not care if he won or lost the election. However, I like consistency and can't help but call out duplicity. Despite your efforts to different Obaseki's move, it is essentially the same thing Buhari, Oshiomhole (who moved from Labor party to APC) and all others have done routinely --move to another party when is seems the best option for achieving their goal. As many have rightly noted (including Prof Ayo Olukotun, just this week), Nigerian political parties are not real parties with clear policy niches and programmatic agenda, but lose assemblies of power and wealth seeking individuals. It is therefore usual and not surprising to see politicians move from one party to the other (PDP to APC or ANPP to CPC to APC and back and forth) depending on which seems to offer the best opportunity --to get power and resources- at any given time. And why bring Buhari into this, you ask?  As current president and leader of the ruling party, he is the biggest role model. Why  hold others to a higher standard than Buhari, Oshiomhole, et al.   
Regards,
-Okey
 


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Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 24, 2020, 2:56:50 PM9/24/20
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​I must tell you, Uyilawa Usuanlele, that it is only an intoxicated liar, a real braggart and a degenerated rodeo clown that would claim that Agho Ogbeideoyo's ancestor was a Benin Prince that the Oba of Benin once upon a time sent to rule as Enogie (Obi) in your imaginary town of Nsukwa, in the Niger Delta. With your invented history, you ignorantly touched the wasp's nest with your head and you were mercilessly stung. I hope you have now learnt that this a forum for intellectual display of knowledge and not a place for empty arrogance. 
S. Kadiri

Sent: 24 September 2020 03:50

Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 24, 2020, 5:53:32 PM9/24/20
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''an intoxicated liar, a real braggart and a degenerated rodeo clown'' 
Salimonu

Lets desist from insults. They contribute nothing to a debate.

Also why insult others bcs of a politician in Nigeria who lives in a different world from most Nigerians as is generally the case in Nigerian politics?

toyin

toyin


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Salimonu Kadiri

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Sep 24, 2020, 5:54:17 PM9/24/20
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May I refer you, Adepoju, to my response to Gbolahan Gbadamosi's post of 22 September 2020 which began thus, "If I were eligible to vote in Edo gubernatorial election, I would never have voted for either the governorship candidate of APC or PDP because, to me, both candidates are political whores." Therefore, you are only repeating, what I said about 48 hours ago concerning Ize-Iyamu and Obaseki as APC and PDP candidates respectively in the Edo governorship election. 
So, I don't get what sense you are trying to make with your submision below.
S. Kadiri

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin....@gmail.com>
Sent: 24 September 2020 17:57
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

OLAYINKA AGBETUYI

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Sep 24, 2020, 9:05:03 PM9/24/20
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Toyin Adepoju:

You forgot to caution Uyi who was first to insult Baba Kadiri by calling him a liar.

OAA



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.



-------- Original message --------
From: Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin....@gmail.com>

Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

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Sep 24, 2020, 9:05:09 PM9/24/20
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Thanks, Salimonu.

I am helping to consolidate your expression of your views.

You referenced only Obaseki in connection with whoredom.

I am helping you add Oshiomole in line with your logic.

It seems my efforts represent your thinking?

thanks

toyin



toyin

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