Obaseki, Xmas and the freeloaders

FROM time immemorial, Christmas has been observed as a season of love and goodwill. Believing the needy and the vulnerable in the society also deserve care, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state and his Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu with their wives (Mrs. Betsy Obaseki and Mrs. Maryan Shaibu), opted to spend some quality time this past Yuletide season with the internally displaced persons (IDP) as part of their activities to mark the festivity across the state.

Not surprising, the gesture – giving a thought for those in dire need – drew applause from many quarters. I was contemplating writing to praise the new Edo helmsman and his deputy only to stumble on the write-up by one Nosa Omorodion, more or less advertising ignorance or mischief or both.

Omorodion’s article was entitled “Governor Obaseki’s Father Christmas Posture: What Gifts for Edo People?” Going through the hogwash he cobbled together, I cannot help but respond– it is my social responsibility. Firstly, to correct his erroneous impression and secondly, to sound a note of warning to others like him that Edo people elected Obaseki to work for them and no attempt should be made to blackmail him in their warped thinking and thereby become a cog in the wheel of progress for a forward-looking governor whose sole interest is to make Edo a model state.

Yes, Christmas is truly that time of the year when citizens – not just a state but of the Christian world – to rejoice and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas celebrations are characterised by acts of kindness, giving out gifts to loved ones, sharing with the needy and bringing cheer and happiness to others.

It is, therefore, ill-conceived and completely out of order for this Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apologist to attempt to suggest that a good deed by the governor to the most vulnerable was meant to propitiate the ‘northern gods’ in order to be favoured in the governorship election dispute at the tribunal. Who thinks like that? Only Nosa Omorodion and his co-travellers!

I think that acts of kindness should be extended to any human being irrespective of their tribe, religion or ethnicity let alone internally displaced persons who have lost everything to circumstances beyond their control. What’s more, Obaseki did not travel to Borno, neither did he go to Adamawa but he reached out to the people in Edo State.

True Christian tradition demands that you love your neighbours as yourself. And if I may ask, who is Omorodion’s neighbour? The camp in question is in Edo State under the care of Edo State Government and even in the advanced world where there are refugees, the government takes care of them. They provide shelter, food, healthcare and education for them. They are not discriminatory, unlike the likes of misguided Omorodion, on the basis of “they are not our children”.

However, when you see him – I mean Nosa Omorodion, ask him – “Are the children in question not Nigerians, our own people?” How about being our neighbors’ keeper according to the Holy Bible? Obaseki’s act of human kindness is a laudable one and has been acknowledged and applauded by most right-thinking people save for the likes of misguided Omorodion whose motive is not altruism but the bitterness of not having their godfathers in government.

Or how else can rationalise the following rantings by Omorodion: “Can one blame any Edo person that takes offence at this gross display of ironic magnanimity?…Should the children’s food, according to Christ in whose memory Christmas is celebrated and who majority of the IDPs have been trained not to tolerate, be given to strangers?

“Should Obaseki, with his wife from another place like Oshiomhole and his foreign wife Iara, seek to adopt foreign children while neglecting those to whom they owe irrevocable obligation? Must the children’s bread be given to dogs?…”

Who are the foreign children – Nigerians who are displaced by Boko Haram? Do you know what? I think Nosa Omorodion requires our sympathy because such mindset is warped and imprisoned and needs to be freed.

Contrary to the insinuations of Nosa Omorodion, humane governments and citizens alike encourage the acts of kindness and give out to the needy and are not dictated to by a few disgruntled elements whose motives are very sinister.

However, I must be pardoned – as I admit that I don’t know Nosa Omorodion’s background and level of exposure for I am a little taken aback again by his  vituperation about the cash squeeze today. Nigeria is in a recession and in countries where recession occurs, there is bound to be cash squeeze.

With the fall of crude oil prices and the economic sabotage of Nigeria’s critical oil installations and other infrastructure, why won’t there be cash squeeze? Where would President Muhammadu Buhari find the money from and where will Obaseki?

That Edo people are hopeful and confident that Obaseki will deliver for them is not disputed. That Edo people made the right choice electing Obaseki is also not in dispute. That Obaseki has what it takes to build the Edo of our dreams is also not in doubt.

Since Obaseki’s first day in office on November 12, 2016 Edo people have seen the pronouncements and policy direction of his government. From the stock taking, to the Edo Strategy Dialogue and the 2017 Budget presentation to Edo State House of Assembly, the direction of Obaseki’s vision couldn’t be more clear-cut.

We are Edo people, we are Nigerians and we are tolerant of our diversity in religion and ethnicity. We are hospitable, we care for our neighbors. We care about what happens around us, we are humane and can’t take offence at acts of kindness meant to bring succor to the less privileged and vulnerable amongst – irrespective of where they come from and most importantly, that we are fully behind Obaseki to build the Edo of our dream.

• Mayaki is the Chief Press Secretary (Interim) in the Governor’s Office