Okpebholo’s mastery of the Edo political temperature in gauging opposition’s mindset is a master stroke that often times keeps them in momentary gaze. Edo opposition politics and their famished members are becoming ridiculous actors of a bad drama script. Whenever they see a new project courtesy of Governor Okpebholo, they turn the other angle, pretending to be blind to the positive vibrations that presently resonate in the state. Just when they thought nothing was coming their way again, Okpebholo would unleash another lethal blow to their camp, leaving them scampering for cover, out of shame and sham. The Edo Airline will come on stream!!. They shouted in their loud voices, no way! “Airline is not our problem”, they muffed. “Why waste Edo money for an elitist venture?” “This is misplaced priority, we no go gree” It is better to spend the money on roads, instead of an airline project. All kinds of half-baked commentaries that are neither here nor there. They saw the book cover, and without reading the content, they hastily run into their jaundiced conclusion.
Edo Airline is a subject matter that is presently generating discourse in opposition circles. They don’t want to enter Edo Airline, but get to the airport and see the way they are scrambling for tickets, sometimes, cursing and shouting, wondering the delays at the airport. Now that Okpebholo is bringing Edo Airline to fill the gap, hell must be let loose, not out of genuine reconstruction, but out of sheer jealousy that what their technocrats couldn’t do, a man they denigrated so much, is doing the impossible. They saw the name EDO AIRLINE, and without asking questions about how far we have gone, and the modus operandi, ran into hasty conclusions about the airline. Are they aware of the state’s commitment to the project? Not at all. Do they understand the details of the transaction? Not at all. Nigerians love writing about a subject matter they know little or nothing about. To them, it has to be about disagreement. They espoused ideas that are dialectically different from what we have captured in our rhythms. On their own, they ran commentaries about a project they practically know nothing about. But unknown to them that we have birthed the Edo Air project.
Edo opposition politicians prefer their “tuke-tuke” buses instead of the brand new buses for the Edo Line transport. They prefer us to use their “tuke-tuke” buses instead of the Edo Airline that would soon commence in Benin City. Edo Line Transport has made its impact in the short time that the Governor rehabilitated the once moribund transport services. He wants to compliment that with the Edo Airline; a deliberate decision to break new grounds for a robust multi-sectoral development to keep Edo state in the momentum. If Edo must be called the heartbeat, something must resonate that appeal. The Edo Airline jolted our opposition elements like a bolt from the blues. They can’t imagine that a man they denigrated so much, has the business acumen to relaunch the state on the path of aviation renaissance. In the days of Okada Airline, Edo was pivotal in aviation business. Trying to re-awaken that same spirit to re-ignite that sector is what Governor Okpebholo is trying to do.
When Enugu Airline birthed under Governor Mbah as a PDP Governor, (before he ported to APC), they rejoiced and celebrated it with pomp and ceremony. When Cally Air started under Governor Ayade as a PDP member,(before he adjusted himself into APC), they clapped to the hearing of everyone. When Ibom Air started in Akwa-Ibom, they sang songs of hosannah. They didn’t run those nebulous commentaries that now find expression on their lips today. They praised those Governors for such rare initiatives. Typical of their hypocritical verbiage, steeped in deliberate political hatred, as soon as they heard Edo Airline, they shouted blue murder; such red herring that exposed their dubiety and hypocrisy. They want Edo to grow in their bedrooms. They want Edo to be stagnated so they could justify their initial criticisms. Now that Edo is on the super highway of growth and development, they turn the blind eye. But Okpebholo’s determination to lift the state from the inherited muds, through infrastructural renewal has continued to torment their heart of hearts.
Edo opposition politicians are miffed at Okpebholo’s cutting-edge approach to propel a new thinking in the Edo narrative. They frown at everything positive that the Governor is trying to do, but easily escalate any negative news that tend to portray the state in bad light. Edo opposition desire to see a state that is fixated on old, weather beaten rhetorics of underperformance, a state that was castrated by those who prefer “tuke-tuke” buses to Edo Airline project. Okpebholo is suddenly surpassing their expectations, doing projects that the people can connect to. These assurances fall on the sore thumbs of those opposition “tuke-tuke” mentality. For sure, Edo is on the rise. Okpebholo is rebuilding a state whose narratives were captured in outright negativity. The infrastructural renewal in the state under Okpebholo’s practical governance approach has been remarkable. And once Edo Airline raises the bar in the aviation sector, a new paradigm will flourish to take Edo state to the next level. Those who are in a hurry to critique a project they know nothing about, should hide their heads in shame for misleading the public. Edo Airline has come to stay. No going back on the project.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Prince Kassim Afegbua is the Hon Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Edo State Government.
