GOV OKPEBHOLO’S UNSHAKEN DRIVE TO RECOVER EDO STATE’S STOLEN ASSETS

By Fred Itua

On Wednesday, February 5th, 2025, could best be described as a day of gloom in Edo State, and indeed, our country, Nigeria! A black Wednesday as mind blogging, heart renting, and unbelievable revelations were brought to light

Gloomy enough to declare for a state wide mourning, with all residents dressed in sackcloths, covered in ashes as they mourned the depth of plundering, mind blogging looting, heartless shady deals, lack of transparency and institutionalization of corruption by Godwin Obaseki’s led administration.

While many have often taunted the immediate past administration of Godwin Obaseki as an MoU government, known only for rhetorics and no action, not many (if any) would have envisaged or imagined the level of fraud and corruption that took place under his watch as governor of Edo State.

Submitting its finding contained in 3,900 pages to the incumbent Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Edo State Assets Verification Committee, a body set up on the 26th November, 2024 to assess government assets and liabilities, unveiled a can of worms and shady dealings perpetrated by former Gov. Godwin Obaseki and his cronies that would make any conscientious citizens cringe in holy indignation.

From the reports, one thing became glaring and obvious – Obaseki ran Edo State like a mafia, and his mission resonates with the first part of John 10:10; “to steal, to kill and to destroy”, and that, he did. Like a ravaging demon, he embarked on a plundering spree, and today, the state bleeds from his satanic kind of looting.

With over 900% increase in the official debt profile of the state (from N84b in November, 2016 to N682b in November, 2024), Obaeki, a self proclaimed financial expert and economist, made rubbish of his profession with his clear lack of financial discipline, outrageous financial dealings.

What is even more outrageous and annoying, is the fact that, these monies were borrowed only to be redirected into the pockets of his friends and allies in the name of consultancy, shady deals and inflated projects whose procurement processes were shrouded in secrecy.

His personal company, Afriinvest, and that of his godson, Asue Ighodalo, played prominent roles in this demonic order.

In an unprecedented and very worrisome manner, State funds were used to build structures and infrastructure and handed over to private individuals/companies with no record of financial commitments.

For example, after committing N19 billion of Edo State taxpayers money in constructing Radisson Hotel, Obaseki’s administration ceded away 80% of the ownership to Tribury House Ltd, a private company registered in 2024 with no single financial commitment to the project.

Within December 2022 and July 2025, Obaseki’s government paid N967 million as consultancy fees to Tanit Engineering to SUPERVISE work at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital. Yes, you heard right! N967 million not for the project itself or to purchase equipment but just to supervise work at the hospital. Even more chilling is the revelation that the procurement process in this bid was restricted to only one company – Tanit Engineering…. Who owes Tanit Engineering?

EdoBEST program, which many have now nicknamed, “EdoSCAM” was not spared in this looting spree, as the heartless, looting “general” disguised as an investment banker and technocrat serially raped the state educational sector blind, while gloating in self deceit as he continually reeled out superfluous claims to the general public.

Like one drunk in his own deception and foolishness, Obaseki embezzled the funds meant for EdoBEST, while our children and teachers suffered in harsh learning conditions.

The chilling discovery that Obaseki only remitted $5m out of the $75m released by the World Bank for basic education reforms and renovation of schools to SUBEB is not only nauseating but outright wickedness.

Withholding a whopping 93% of funds meant for Edo pupils and students, Obaseki demonstrated an unusual high level of lack of empathy for the Edo child. It is disheartening that the same man that sworn on oath to protect the vulnerable Edo child stole and took that which belonged to the same child.

Time and space would fail me to talk about the many atrocities of Obaseki-led administration as revealed in the 3,900 page committee’s report.

Is it the dirty racketeering at the demolished iconic Central Hospital valued at N5 billion, which now houses a private museum whose ownership is shrouded in secrecy despite Edo State Government providing all the funding? Or the road contracts in which kilometers of roads were inflated and contractors paid huge sum of money, negating the procurement laws of the state?

Three months after leaving office, the Edo State Civil servants still develop goosebumps at the mention of the name, “Obaseki”! Using a consultancy firm, Greenfield to run their duties, the civil service was made redundant as “consultants” with no proven track record or work experience, had a field day, running the service as they deem fit.

The result of which saw the grounding of the Nigerian Observer, Edo Broadcasting Service, Edo line, and many others.

The circle of corruption continues unabated in Nigeria because there are no consequences for people’s actions and inactions. Many times, those who have taken advantage of their leadership position to steal and abuse offices are given a pat on the back and asked to steal no more.

Those who dare to call them out are asked to focus on their own and let bygones be bygones.

In this regard, Edo people sincerely are glad that Governor Monday Okpebholo had the courage and guts to order a probe into the dealings of his predecessor. It is the way to go if sanity must be restored in our public offices.

These findings (the report of the asset committee) should be made public so the average Edo citizen sees the extent to which Obaseki raped and defrauded them.

Also, the relevant authorities must step in and carry out a thorough investigation and prosecution. Gone are the days when committee reports are seen merely as academic exercise. This one must and will be different.

Godwin Obaseki must unveil the identity of these shady companies he used as cronies, and the balance of $70 million World Bank funds meant for Edo schools must be released.

With the volume of revelations contained in the committee’s report, we might just have in our hands a level of looting that would make the notorious Abacha’s looting appear a child’s play

Obaseki has bitten too much! He has eaten sour grapes, and his teeth must be set on edge. Never again should our children and generations yet unborn suffer because of the uncanny greed and heartlessness of any man.

Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki has murdered sleep, and therefore, he too must not sleep! Yes! He has brought untold hardship and plague on our land, and he must now dance naked in the public square!