 The family of Senator (Professor) Oserheimen Osunbor sure has strong reason to celebrate the Governor’s 57 years on earth just as the people of Edo state will be thanking God over the unequalled, people-oriented successes of the present administration brought about by one man. To a very predictable extent the future of the state is now full of hopes.
For the Osunbors, their family name will forever remain etched in the annals of history beyond opening doors. Not for being listed on the catalogue of elected leaders but for finding space on the fair side of history. Its one of the finest goodwill a man can bequeath his home, family, friends and associates and most importantly his state.
Recent events show that Senator (Professor) Osunbor broke a dreaded jinx that toyed the people’s fears with his successes as Governor since May 29, 2008. Only in septuagenarian Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and the beloved, late Professor Ambrose Ali did the state ever witnessed leadership flowing with ‘meek,’ many decades ago.
For Osunbor’s administration, it is uncommon revival of life, moral re-armament in governance, prudence with public funds and re-generation of exemplary leadership traits.
Born on 5th October 1951 in Opoji, Esan Central local government area where his parents lived as teachers then, Senator (Professor) Osunbor often described by admirers as a ‘monolith of excellence’ started his academic sojourn in PTT Demonstration School, Igueben in 1957 which first culminated in a historic First Class degree in law at the prestigious UNN in 1975.
Eager to prove skeptics that his First Class degree was never by sheer providence, he passed out of the Nigerian Law School the following year with a certificate for the overall best student. Young Osunbor proceeded on scholarship oversees and returned to Nigeria with a daring PhD from the
University of Warwick, Coventry, England in 1981 into the yearning arms of many Nigerian Universities wishing to have him in their academic fold.
Guess what, scholar Osunbor did not return to Nigeria with only a PhD certificate in law but with volumes of intimidating researches and publications fat enough to cause a stir among any college of professors. These publications and researches prepared and positioned him on a high pedestal to become a Professor which has been his dream. In his words; ‘I had my eyes set for Professorship and with these number of publications I knew I will become a Professor.’ It sometimes takes decades for similar ambitions to produce his kind of scholarly breakthroughs.
But despite this great profile, Osunbor has remained a ‘merchant of humility’ and this has endeared him to the hearts of many citizens, making him reap unequalled victories in all the three major elections he has entered.
His passion for developmental feats propelled him into the governorship race in Edo state in 2007 at a time many world class academic institutions were angling to have him if only he ventured out of politics.
The story has been told of how as Senator of the Federal Republic, his personal encounter with infrastructural shirk in the state triggered him into challenging the political order of the day. That singular decision of his has been variously interpreted to be the hand of God, or more succinctly put, that God was answering the prayers of the people of Edo state after many years of pains and agony. This again may be the truth in the name ‘Oserheimen’ meaning ‘God has given us this one,’ (which of course is good leadership), apparently on popular requests.
If God has given Governor Osambor to the people of Edo state as implied by his name, He has indeed given them the best as manifested in the improved internally generated revenue running into over N400 million every month from a paltry N200 million before his administration in May 2007. He has promised his people that his target is one billion naira mark monthly. How did he do this within one and half year in office?
Governor Osunbor first embarked on blocking all leakages in government treasury while turning around the Board of Internal Revenue with automated strategies and creative personnel. Few weeks ago, he gave them ten brand new vehicles for operational convenience. His challenging act to government officials remain ‘to whom much is given a lot is expected.’
His people are at home with his government sensing his dynamism and drive for quality results. The cooperation given to the Task Force on Environmental Sanitation after the introduction of the monthly Environmental Sanitation is revealing that their nostalgia for sound environmental health was over the years, unduly suppressed.
Some of the invaluable feats include the dignity and prudence brought into governance and the new glory and integrity bestowed on PDP in the state. Former administrations frittered the party’s great goodwill and sneaked into other political platforms to forge a new façade for survival.
So when in recent past the Action Congress through its gubernatorial candidate, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole reeled allegations of corruption against Governor Osunbor, it was the members of the public who took the defense passionately. They mocked the allegation as misleading.
Comrade Oshiomhole had called on the state government to account for allocation so far collected since inception which he claimed was well over N50 billion. In a latest interview he alleged intimidation too by the humane Osunbor administration.
Just about the same period, at the local wing of the Muritala Mohammed Airport in Lagos, an elderly community leader from Niger Delta after flipping through a copy of Osunbor’s performances in the past one year stated that the number of roads alone, so far constructed in the state were rich enough for a vote of confidence in the administration and silence allegations from whatever quarter. ‘Never in this country will you find so many roads constructed within a short time and with that kind of allocation that is not even jumbo.’
Governor Osunbor’s Senate past records still linger. After playing a leading role in the refund of over N1.5 billion unspent money to government coffers, no one will bother to take this Comrade Oshiomhole’s accusations seriously.
Edo State is one of the few states that have provided APC (Armour Tank) for the police to fight crime. The total number of patrol vehicles fitted with communication gadgets so far provided for the police, military, FRSC and other security agencies since May 29 2008 has risen to 35 and crime is statistically low in all parts of the state.
Edoline, a frontline transport company owned by the state and Bendel Brewery are breathing life again just as Edo City Transport Service, EDCTS has been revived with over 30 new buses. These agencies were previously plundered in the previous administrations and inherited by this administration as bankrupts, no salaries no activities. Staffs of Edoline have started collecting salaries for the first time in many years.
No fewer than 34 roads have been constructed by Governor Osunbor since May last year while another 33 roads are waiting this rainy season to subside before construction. His concern for roads rehabilitation has earned him the title ‘Roadmaster Governor.’ Yet some escapist elements within the opposition have refused to acknowledge these roads as dividends of good governance.
The free anti-malarial treatment for children and mothers introduced by the government of Edo State is emotional because a lot of souls have died in the past from malaria. Governor Osunbor has also rescued Bendel Insurance Football Club from the jaws of some fraudulent private owners who turned it into a conduit to milk public funds over the years.
Communal farms abandoned since 1981, have been resurrected for the first time. These communal farms located in the three senatorial districts have provided jobs for youths and also boost food security.
Shortly after the constitutional conference that gave birth to the 1999 Republic, Governor Osunbor as Professor of Law was drafted to serve in the committee that drafted the constitution of PDM by :some politicians who were smart enough to recognize his value-content. Yet he has never made noise over such political air.
Above all, Governor Osunbor’s regeneration of leadership capacity is one of his high point of achievements. Today, almost all the local government Chairmen are threading his familiar terrain of good governance resulting in competing infrastructural developments like roads markets, hospitals, schools and ICT across the state.
For Osunbor, times like these are worth celebrating. As politician, Governor, teacher, lecturer, Senator, Lawyer, orator, Professor, author and journalist, for he also wrote and edited columns in Business Times, his 57 cheerful years of humanhood is vast and success-driven. This Chancellor in the Anglican Church, Esan Diocese is married to delectable Ussieh, a former CBN banker and they have six children.
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