The dilemma of the Okhakulo
By
Since April 10,2000, when he returned from self exile in the United States, which he was hounded into by the regime of General Sani Abacha, elder statesman and Okhakulo (Warrior) of Edo land, Chief Anthony Eronsele Oseghale Enahoro, has remained evasive and as slippery as a fish in water on the political course he would tread under our newly found democracy. His response, which has become a well choreographed phrase is that "I am still consulting and I will let the press know after my nationwide consultations".
To be fair to the one single Nigerian who every Nigerian "whether Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Itsekiri, is looking up to for direction. He has been on a nationwide tour for the past few months. He has visited virtually all the geo-political zones holding discussions on the future of the country. Sources close to the elder statesman who many see as a political strategist told Sunday Vanguard that Enahoro does not want to make a mistake hence the need for him to take his time to know whether to go into partisan politics or stay by the side line and watch others experiment with the destiny of the country.
Knowing what was done to Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory despite what was regarded as his brilliant but utopian of how to turn around the country, coupled with the experience of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Enahoro is said to be in a dilemma on whether the battle is worth fighting or not. Last month in Benin when he paid a private visit to the Esophan of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, a chieftain of APP to rejoice with him on his recent elevation to the exalted traditional stool by the Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, some politicians laid ambush for him.
Amongst them was the Deputy National Legal Adviser of APP, Mr. Gentleman Amegor, and two former Commissioners in Edo State, Chief Joseph Arogundade and Mr. Samuel Aibueku and defunct NCPN chairman in the State, Mr. Dominic Esangbedo. Their message was that Enahoro should come out of his ‘cocoon’ and tell the people where to go. Amegor was visibly perturbed by the elder statesman’s silence on the political scene. Said he: "We seem to be like a sheep without shepherd. I have been wondering where the Okhakulo is going. The situation in Edo and so many parts of the country is that of lack of leadership. We want a leader and we want the Adolor to lead us. We are not satisfied with what is happening in the state and the country.
"This is the dilemma we are facing in Edo State. A lot of people are jealous of us, give us a direction and we will follow", Amegor said.
Mr. Robson Momoh, also a Commissioner in the defunct Bendel State said at the occasion that "for quite sometime, this state (Edo) has become like a fish pond for political adventurers. It is now time for us to come together to have a voice. Yorubas have Afenifere, Igbos have Ohaneze, Hausas have Arewa. Here in Edo, there is no authoritative voice. It is something that has to be addressed. Political groups have to be erected on firm cultural background. You (Enahoro) owe us a duty to give us good leadership, you have to tell us where we are gong. It is our right to expect certain things from you", he stated.
Arogundade and Aibueku did not depart from what Amegor and Momoh said and in fact, wanted Enahoro to make a declaration at the occasion to enable the people know what to do next. As usual, the elder statesman kept his cards close to his chest.
The call on Enahoro to lead the nation, did not start last month or in April when he returned. 48 hours after he stepped his foot on the soil in Benin, Edo State government rolled out a carpet of honour for him.
Addressing the gathering, the deputy Governor, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe told him: "your (Enahoro’s) decision to return from exile at this time is most auspicious. The nation is eagerly waiting for you to make a proclamation as to your political intent. In your usual manner, I am sure, you will bid your time. But there are two issues that are germane for reflection on this occasion. At every critical stage, eminent Edo sons and daughters have been thrust forward by history to play prominent roles in holding the Nigerian ship of state together".
"To this reverend class of icons, belongs Chief Michael Imoudu, your esteemed self, the late Justice Ephraim Akpata, among others", he stated.
"The second issue", Oghiadomhe pointed out, "relates to the state of the polity. Nigeria as at today is still a dream unrealized almost 40 years after independence. The most vital ingredient missing is visionary leadership compounded by mutual suspicion and mistrust among the various ethnic nationalities, which in turn is fostered by unhealthy competition and a self serving tribal elite. The nation, as in the days before independence, stands again at the threshold of history".
Admirable to Enahoro was the logical manner Oghiadomhe was able to capture the lesson of his last struggle to enthrone democracy and went ahead to ask him to "re-enact this progressive alliance once more in the face of ethnic militancy".
The Deputy Governor’s statement represented the position of Edo State government until September when Gov. Lucky Igbinedion spoke at Auchi, where the elder statesman was installed the Okhakulo of Edo land. At that reception, the "mobile" governor, one of the arrowheads of newbreed politics, respectfully urged the political leader to quit the stage and allow his children (the younger generation) to run the affairs of the country.
That advice, as was seen two months later, 12 November, at a meeting of political and economic leaders within 50 years age under the National Integration Group in Benin, was not directed at Enahoro but the old pack of Nigerian leaders. Enahoro’s kinsmen held a reception for him a month after the state government hosted him. The chairman of a faction of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the State, Mr. Chris Olumese, who headed the reception committee, note that "many people were anxious to hear Enahoro make a statement on his future plans". He added: "If he chooses so to do, we will understand but that is not why we are gathered here". The political strategist opted to keep the people guessing.
The Ndigbo chapter of the Movement for National Reformation (MNR), which Enahoro formed in 1992 was not comfortable with what they termed marginalisation of the Igbos since independence and the eroding of what the Adolor fought for at independence and promptly asked him, 9th of May, to "take your usual adroit steps to regalvanise and revamp the political, economic and social life of this country along the ideals of MNR.
According to A.C.C. Chukwu, the zonal co-ordinator, "we call on you (Enahoro) to galvanize the minorities and give us effective leadership. We request you to use your vantage location to originate and organize hand-shakes across the Niger and across Benue". The Archbishop of Benin Archdiocese, Dr. Patrick Akpu, added a divine voice when he called on Enahoro not to fold his hands and watch corruption and moral decadence eat deep into the nation’s body politic.
He however, asked him not to join politics now or in the future so that he could remain as a father of the nation.
The Middle Belt Forum led by Commodore Dan Suleiman, was not satisfied with the "stay away from politics" homily of Ekpu, and therefore sent a powerful delegation to Benin, June 26, urging Enahoro to lead the country once again.
Deputy Chairman of the Forum, Chief Isaac Shaahu led the team. With him were the Secretary, Engr. Obadiah Inuwa, former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Jonah Madugu and the National Publicity Secretary, Chief George Ohemu, Publisher of the Ideal Republic Magazine and the New Era newspapers. "Your wealth of experience and sacrifices for this country eminently qualifies you to contribute significantly to proffering solutions to these problems through sound political engineering", Shaahu told Enahoro after listing the categories of woes that had befallen the nation. The Union of
Niger Delta, led by Senator David Dafinone sent a delegation, led by his deputy, Chief Albert Horsfall, former OMPADEC chairman to Enahoro recently on the same issue and the Arewa Group from the North, sent a similar team to the elder statesman demanding the political manifesto of his political party to enable it take a decision on where to go.
Several other organizations within and outside the country have visited the Okhakulo, making the same demands. Besides the calls, Sunday Vanguard learnt that Enahoro is being urged to run for the presidency. The argument here is that the elder statesman is the only living Nigerian leader that is accepted by all and sundry in the country.
Sources close to him said Enahoro who is almost rounding off his nationwide consultations was considering the various options but the mere mention that he was floating a political association some weeks ago by one of the national newspapers set the Adolor in rage.
But Sunday Vanguard has it on good authority that Enahoro was packaging a Progressive Party that would have the South-South as its base. According to our investigations, he, is not the brain behind the Association of South-South Progressives (ASSPRO). One of the ASSPRO leaders, Senator Francis Okpozo, confirmed this in an interview with Sunday Vanguard last week.
The clamour for Enahoro to come out and lead the nation is winning more converts daily. Chief Great Ogboru who went on exile like Enahoro, Chief John Oyegun, foremost Ijaw leader, Chief E.K. Clark, Mr. Richard Tosanwumi (Itsekiri), Chief Ofose, Dr. Tony Prest, Chief E.B. Ajose, O.Odje and a host of others are amongst leaders of the ethnic nationalities in the South-South who are putting together a ground reception for Enahoro in the second week of December.
Our source said that "the Union of Niger Delta, Ijaw National Congress, MOSOP and others will be involved".
Sunday Vanugard gathered that the reception could be the launching pad for the formation of a political party which the elder statesman would not be able to resist. "Indeed, we want to bring him to lead us, that is why the entire South-South is doing this and he has to honour us", a reliable informant confided to Sunday Vanguard.
Enahoro’s media coordinator, Pastor Frank Ebare, when contacted refuted the claim that his boss had floated a political party, adding that Chief is still on his nationwide consultations."
"He has visited the zones and spoken to the Arewa representatives who had promised to invite him to a wider forum of Arewa", Ebare volunteered but refused to comment on Enahoro’s political game plans.
Enahoro, himself, has remained incommunicado to the press in Benin and no clear reason has been adduced. Several efforts to speak to him the latest being a formal application for an interview have not yielded fruit.
The writer is a journalist and wrote in from Benin City, Edo State of Nigeria