I thought it was an absolute mistake last week that Gov. Godwin Obaseki announced that he has decided to buy 6 sienna buses and increase jail sentences to fight confraternity in Edo State. Clearly, he thinks this will combat a very serious problem head on.
However, this is not the right approach at all considering we have an Edo State ex-commissioner in Osaze Ero who was arrested 4 years ago in Italy for confraternity charges which he knew nothing about. Osaze spent 18 months in international prison learning and explaining to the world the state of confraternity in Edo State. How it is that Edo confraternity was grouped on the same scale as the Italian mafia and other drug cartels around the world. Osaze Ero managed to explain to the world media that this is not so. He beat the Italian prosecution system, freed innocent Nigerians, got his British MP involved, took the Italian govt to court, protested at the Italian embassy in London and Lagos. Osaze Ero successfully explained to the world that Edo young boys who do not have role models and live on poverty lines are not mafia, and they should not be condemned.
Bloomberg network from the USA shutdown a central London restaurant two months ago to do a whole production special on Osaze Ero highlighting the wrongs about the Italian justice system and confraternity in or from Edo State. The programme will be out this summer of 2024. This man, Osaze Ero, is currently in Edo State and the governor wants to fight confraternity but he has placed Osaze Ero in his campaigning team. This is wrong!
What Osaze Ero can do in Edo state across all confraternity lines is what we need to fight confraternity in Edo State. Someone who can talk to the youths and bring international opportunities to Edo state via the fight against confraternity so please Mr Governor let us think again.
Governance is the worst job ever, ask the UK Prime minister or the American president, but in Edo state, people expect us be scared to criticize government when they have made the wrong decision. How on earth has the governor concluded that 6 sienna buses is better than Osaze Ero to fight confraternity in Edo state is above me? That’s like saying you have a Ferrari but you like entering tuketuke. Whether it is the governor’s handlers or advisers, what we all have in common is that we want the best for Edo State.
The best right now is for Gov Obaseki to give Osaze Ero all the support he needs to intervene in confraternity in Edo State, stop the killings and give our youths opportunities. We have someone who can bring the spotlight of the world to the core of our problems, whilst creating opportunities in the process for those who need it most- confraternity boys. He has already told our story. Osaze Ero now has the profile to do it for Edo State and let confraternity truly be a thing of the past in our dear state.
Those who are paying the ultimate sacrifice on the streets of Edo State confraternity are a new generation who missed out on the guidance of the old Nigeria. They don’t have role models today because the current system cannot produce them, however, events often provide us great opportunities as Edo people to impact the world positively. As they say, it is in our DNA. Osaze Ero wins over 6 Sienna buses and the governor should quickly do the right thing before he leaves office.
The Editor