Edo politics: Daylight Robbery by an Enemy is painful in an Enemy's Mind.

Prince Kelly O. Udebhulu

By Prince Kelly O. Udebhulu.

The basic Esan requirement besides infrastructural development in its humanly meaning translates into the desire of the people of the Edo Central Senatorial District to be treated as part of the political caucus of Edo State. It is a call for justice, fair play, and inclusiveness to become the byline of Edo Ethno-organizational structure. However, and recently too, the Esan are being left farther and farther behind in Edo State. The administrative tripod that was "hitherto mutually" shared cum the Edo State House of Assembly's Speaker for the Esan people has been rudely taken away from the Edo central without signs of remorse or guilty conscience by the perpetrators. Even till this day, the victims and the robbers whine and dine joyously while the on- lookers hopelessly weep.

"I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves" - Harriet Tubman.

This is an offshoot of the enemies of Esan deliberate willingness to alienate the Esan and set them off against their bigger cousins, the Be­nin, to give way to the appearance that there exists a schism between the Esan and their natural allies, the Benin, and to perpetuate their cabals in the political reckoning.

In doing so, the enemies of Esan have forgotten one thing they can’t easily wish away, that the Afemai, Benin and Esan are really one. They have forgotten we are a delta of a single riv­er. We share the same heritage and culture. We share the same language albeit with some dialectical differences. We share the same historical experiences. Our destinies are inextricably bound together and we are the Edos.

Ironically, the enemies of Esan people do not see it this way. They see divisions among Esan political leaders and they are exploiting it to the fullest.

These enemies of Esan people have recruited a coterie of turncoat Esan political leaders to water down efforts by any outspoken Esan political leader or personality that would have fought them to their knees. Thus, you find purported political leaders of Esan within the ranks of the enemies of Esan people embarking on a campaign of calumny against their kinsmen and advancing the cause of the alienation of the Esan people from the political relevance professionally. Many today see them as leaders but of a truth, they are really traitors who are willing to wish away the Esan right and dream for their personal fiefdom and thus hardening the view that the Esan are not politically relevant in Edo state and should be waved aside much like the Igbos at the federal sphere who are perennially denied the presidency by the other major ethnic groups.

It is against this background that I must sound the alarm that unless we regain of agreed political share back and the speakership position given back to Edo central now, we are in for a long dry season. It would take a while before we ever come into po­litical reckoning again, if ever. There is absolutely no reason why any son or daughter should be afraid of the Esan growth and development. Edo is one.