MY THOUGHTS ON ERASMUS IKHIDE’S ‘FUNERAL’ ESSAY ON ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (l), and Erasmus Ikhide. |
- By Osazua IVBAZE
Senator Adams Oshiomhole's 'Funeral'
by Erasmus Ikhide, to which I am making this response, is the most devastating
uppercut the Iyamoh politician could have received in recent times.
Interestingly, Erasmus hails from Edo
North, Iuleha in Owan West, to be specific. He was once, Oshiomhole's SA on
Media.
I think Oshiomhole called for it and
should therefore bear the pain.
His other side is that of a man who
acts as though he knows everything. He has no place in his heart to accommodate
opinions of others that do not bow to his own.
With this arrogantly high regard for
himself, he has become an intensely self-opinionated bully and a conversational
narcissist. He loves listening to, and hearing himself speak.
Does Oshiomohle hate Esan?
Let's examine the scenarios below.
At a press briefing in Abuja, 24 hours
to the APC rerun primaries, Oshiomhole, looking visibly upset, could not
conceal his deep-seated hatred for Esan or mask it in diplomatic niceties.
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He argued that since 1999, the TIV,
who constitute the majority of the tribes in Benue State, has been producing
the State's Governors. He said it was the same thing in Kogi, where he claimed
the majority tribe has also been producing the governors.
While these arguments were advanced to
justify his reason for not supporting Edo Central, he probably forgot to
realize that if the Benue example was the case in Edo State, there would have
been no way for him to be a governor for 8 years. He also pretended to forget
the arrangement that brought President Bola Tinubu to power.
As a former labour activist, former
two-term Governor, and now a Senator, I expected Oshiomhole to have known that
in diversity or plurality, democracy requires that persons/groups be treated
equally insofar as they are participants
in electoral processes and governance. This form of equality, powered by
equity, fairness, and justice, is foundational to democracy because it follows
from the very definition of democracy.
I never imagined, that given his
experience, he will allow himself to be pushed by hatred for Esan, to become
the marketer of majoritarianism idea, where the numerical majority of a
population should have the final say in determining decisions. It often
disregards the needs and wishes of the minority groups.
Despite his attitude towards Esan, I
refuse to hate him. As a victim of his
own character flaws, I can only pray for his deliverance so that he may be able
to behold the beauty of a larger and brighter picture in our pluralistic space
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