In a political season already filled with accusations, counter-accusations, and meticulously orchestrated media performances, Senator Adams Oshiomhole has once again taken the spotlight this time delivering a scathing critique that spares no one from the recent administration of Edo State. His latest remarks depict a stark reality: according to him, Edo’s recent history resembles a graveyard of grand announcements, empty promises, and “groundbreakings” that failed to yield any actual progress.
The Senator representing Edo North did not hold back as he analyzed the shortcomings of the previous administration. From the illusory Gelegele Port that “shifted into Benin when it rained,” to housing initiatives that existed solely in speeches and project signboards, Oshiomhole illustrated a governance model founded on theatrics rather than real advancement. It was political storytelling laced with sarcasm, yet also marked by the wounds of a man who believes that time and resources were wasted.
His critique delved further into the education sector. The EdoBEST programme once celebrated as a digital revolution was, in his assessment, merely a misleading spectacle. How can a digital monitoring system succeed, he questioned, when numerous schools lacked Wi-Fi, electricity, or even sufficient teachers? It was a sharp condemnation of a system cloaked in polished public relations yet lacking in substance.
Next, he directed his criticism towards journalists who, in his opinion, seemed excessively sympathetic to the opposition. He labeled PDP leaders as “political ancestors” a dramatic metaphor that quickly gained traction in discussions. “When you are dead, you join the ancestors,” he remarked, challenging how a “politically dead party” could offer anything of significance. Regardless of whether one agrees with him, it was quintessential Oshiomhole blunt, vivid, and unrestrained.
However, beyond the theatrics, Oshiomhole’s remarks conveyed a strategic narrative: Governor Monday Okpebholo is revitalizing Edo.
In evaluating Okpebholo’s first year in office, the Senator highlighted a significant contrast. He stated that the governor did not merely inherit a state, but rather a landscape severely affected by neglect. Nevertheless, within a year, he asserts that there are tangible, verifiable projects an understated yet pointed distinction between promises made on paper and actual development on the ground.
He specifically mentioned the Ramat Park flyover, describing it as a transformative initiative that would alleviate Benin City’s infamous traffic issues and enhance economic efficiency. He commended the revival of long-neglected schools and underscored the remarkable turnaround at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. A university that was “nearly collapsing,” he remarked, is now revitalized after the governor raised the monthly subvention to N500 million.
Perhaps most captivating was Oshiomhole’s measured yet assured tone regarding the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA). As the chair of the committee assessing the project, he reassured the people of Edo that clarity would finally be provided on the contentious initiative whether it is MOWAA, EMOWAA, or something entirely different.
In true Oshiomhole style, the drama was pronounced—but so were the messages. Whether critics perceive him as a champion or a disruptor, one fact remains: his voice continues to influence the political landscape of Edo State. And with Okpebholo’s administration entering a pivotal phase, this political theatre is far from concluded.
