Resetting Edo South Sociopolitical Wellbeing With People Oriented Public Servants

Editorial

The ongoing mellow protest amongst the Benins of Edo South is seen by many as shadow-boxing—akin to sparring with an imaginary opponent. Their actions so far shows signs of tackling a problem or opponent, while at the same time, avoiding any direct engagement.

Rather than concentrating on reactionary approach, and pointing fingers at nonexistent opponents, Edo South people should redirect their energy and resources to put a process in place that will produce effective legislators, public servants and political actors with strong relationships with their different constituents, which can foster loyalty and support—that is crucial for Local Economic Development (LED) across their highly underdeveloped communities.

The Benins must eschew their politics of cultural consideration and embrace the time tested positive trajectories, to promote people with character-capacity to match their expectations.

After God, the next most powerful institution is Governments—which is attained through politics.

If other regions in Edo State, since 1999, have structurally designed a progressive path to secure measurable development for their people, Edo South should ask themselves the question of ‘how’ and ‘why’.

A glossary review of the how and why, brings to the fore the rudderless politics Benins have encouraged and still encouraging. Matched against their counterparts in Edo Central and Edo North, the results speaks louder.

The concentration of power in the hands of those who sees political office as an industry to promote their self-interest was and remains the singular drawback of a district so blessed with natural and human resources.

Going forward, the Benins must play more interest in the political process that will produce those to be saddled with the responsibility of overseeing their interest.

The Benins must take closer look at anyone that had the opportunity in the past but wasted same on the alter of selfism, nepotism and outright plundering of resources.

This nepotic practice of favouring family members, and cronyism by Benins—which makes them to favour friends or long-term associates, even when such persons are not qualified, has hindered good governance, promote corruption, and led to inefficient public service in Edo South.

Truth be told, Edo South people must look inward and stop raising dust where there is none. Placing unqualified individuals in key positions will continue to hinder their progress.

Moving ahead, and starting from the next rounds of elections, Benins must purge themselves of settling for less. The people must consider their self interest, less, and consider the character, competence, management of public funds, brilliance, and training amongst other indices to support and produces candidates for elective positions. Benins should reject those with nepotic attitude and dispositions.

This is the only way forward for the Benins. This is the ‘how’ they can stop the present lamentations and ‘shadow-boxing’ or looking for enemy where there is none.