Situating the Discussions around Ize-Iyamu
As the issues of this year’s governorship election in Edo State heat up, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, who just returned from the state, delves into the ongoing consultations and discussions around one of the leading Peoples Democratic Party aspirants, Mr. Osagie Iz
Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu’s swelling popularity, his loyalty to the people and the different goodwill he is currently receiving from people, within and outside the state, is already giving some people including the APC, sleepless nights. They will throw more stones at him in the days ahead
The heat steaming from the process leading to this year’s gubernatorial election in Edo State is getting more scorching and sizzling by the day. And the aspirants from the major political parties: the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are not taking anything for granted in several attempts to get their party’s ticket.
Expectedly, in an election period, many political contractors – some with short digger in their pockets – are already moving around in the state, looking for whom to stab at the back to please their bosses; and others doing it for a fee. As one of the aspirants in the APC told THISDAY, “proposals from all kinds of people” suggesting one thing or the other, are swelling on a daily basis in his office. And for some, they are already smiling to the banks.
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former Secretary to the State Government, Edo State and leading governorship aspirant in the PDP, said he was already a victim of some political jobbers, who are out to deliberately pick hole in his reputation. And the rice purportedly to have been brought to Edo State by former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 presidential campaign is being used as political weapon against Pastor Ize-Iyamu.
“Recently some political hirelings attempted albeit unsuccessful to cast aspersion on my integrity by falsely accusing me of diverting rice meant for the presidential campaign of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and distributing it as my own Christmas gift to Edo People,” he said in a statement he personally signed recently.
“This baseless allegation, which is absurd, was quickly refuted by the leadership of the PDP in Edo State as untrue, fabricated and a malicious attempt to smear my image. That emphatic statement ought to have cleared the matter, but clueless detractors desperate to earn their pay stuck to their mischief and insisted that their silly allegation must be investigated.”
The PDP chieftain said he was the coordinator of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign in Edo State, an assignment he discharged faithfully and successfully, despite the final outcome, insisting that the rice allegation is being sponsored by “political dwarfs” who couldn’t comprehend his political height, and consistently look for platforms to climb and throw stones.
He added that former President Jonathan or the PDP never brought rice to distribute for the presidential election in Edo State, so it was impossible to contemplate non-existent rice being diverted. But he admitted that it was the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a support group for the then President that sent some bags of rice branded in their name and the rice, which were in 5kg bags were given to the party leadership to distribute and were never given to him as the State coordinator.
“The rice I shared in Christmas was in 50kg, 25kg, 10kg and 2kg bags respectively. The 2kg bags, which had the inscription of the PDP and Operation Feed Nigeria was produced by a friend and his phone number is boldly written on the sachet.
“He gave me these sachets free of charge to be able to give as many people as possible rice as gift during Christmas. I stuck my stickers on the sachets after bagging them to enable the recipients know where the rice came from and I thank God for all those, who supported me to achieve this gesture of love in a state that has been plundered by those who promised to abolish poverty.”
The Pastor challenged those who persist in “lies and character assassination” to call the phone number on the back of the 2kg sachets and confirm the producer of these sachets, saying common sense, which is lacking in the life of “political thieves” could have revealed that rice stored for over a year would be prey to weevils and clearly not suitable for human consumption.
“I am however not surprised at the lies targeted at me considering the fear and trepidation that my aspiration conjures in the minds of ingrates and upstarts, who have murdered sleep and are afraid of tomorrow,” he further stated.
Those who know very well the unfolding political events in the state and his bright chance to Osadebe House as the governorship election draws near said Ize-Iyamu would in the days ahead receive more of the attack.
“Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s swelling popularity, his loyalty to the people and the different goodwill he is currently receiving from people, within and outside the state, is already giving some people including the APC, sleepless nights. They will throw more stones at him in the days ahead,” a former member of Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Osakpomwan Ogieriakhi told THISDAY. Ize-Iyamu’s Fidelity Story For those who know Ize-Iyamu’s family, faithfulness is said to run in their home. A story was narrated recently by one Vincent Ize-Iyamu to tell the genesis.
Hear him: “Oba Osemwende ascended the throne as the Oba of Benin in 1816. It was during an era in, which the kingdom was not free from betrayals from close allies and associates.”
According to Vincent, Oba Osemwende had gone for divination to find out how he could have a successful reign. He was told that he would need the support of a strong man, who was also loyal. For Oba Osemwende, that was not easy then because strong men were hardly ever completely loyal.
They then checked every tribe, and every family through divination till the lot fell on a man called Odia. Odia was later invited to Benin Kingdom by Oba Osemwende, who made him the Iyase of the Kingdom (next in command to the Oba). Odia became the most loyal Iyase in the empire’s history. He had a very close relationship with the Oba of Benin. Chief Odia Iyase Nohenmwen n’Oba was reputed to have settled disputes among clans. Consequently, people in and outside the kingdom sought after his wise counsel. There was peace and tranquillity in the land.
Odia’s great mind was said to have brought stability in the Kingdom. He always placed the Oba’s interests above everything else. In areas where his views differed from that of the Oba, he constructively offered his opinions, which was well received by the Oba. Oba Osemwende gave Iyase Nohenmwen n’Oba Erie Quarters, where his great grandson Iyamu built the first storey building in Benin (Egedege n’okao) in 1906.
Oba Osemwende later decreed that anyone, who got a Chieftaincy title will pay homage to Iyase Nohenmwen n’Oba, and till this day, it is done in memory of the gentle giant. Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the PDP’s chieftain eying the Edo State Government House, is one of the descendants of Chief Odia Iyase Nohenmwen n’Oba.
According to Vincent, “Pastor Osagie has loyalty in his DNA. His friends in the PDP, APC, and other political parties can attest to that. We can all be very sure that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu will be loyal to the People of Edo State, and the people’s priorities will be his number one priority.
“Let us nominate and elect Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the gentle giant of our time as the next governor of the heartbeat of Nigeria. It is time for an all-inclusive democratic government in which the people’s best interest will be fully served.” The Osagie Ize-Iyamu Journey Many of his friends and political followers have described Pastor Ize-Iyamu as “smart” and “judicious politician.” He was born in June 1962 into the upper middle-class family of late Chief Robert Osayande Ize-Iyamu, the highly respected Benin Chief with the reverend title of Esogban of Benin Kingdom.
He completed his primary education in 1973 at Ebenezer Nursery and Primary School, Benin City. He had made a landmark obtaining the best result in the common entrance in the then Midwestern region and in Edo College in 1979, where he once again obtained the best result in the art class in West Africa Certificate Examination (WAEC).
Lifted by his high profile academic performances, young Osagie’s desire was to follow the footsteps of his elder brother, who travelled abroad for further studies. However, due to Osagie’s proximity to the flurry of communal politicking, done by his father, he developed keen interest in it.
Pastor Osagie chose to study Political Science, and was admitted into the prestigious University of Benin, Benin City in 1980. But that was not to be. Apparently, obeying the dictate of fate, he changed his course of study to Law the following academic session, and soon became one of the pioneering students in the faculty.
The former SSG graduated with top honours in 1985/1986; he immediately proceeded to the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar afterwards in 1987. He was said to have “met God in 1995” through a harrowing experience, when he had a fatal accident that changed the course of his life forever. Unconscious for nine hours, Pastor Ize-Iyamu suffered dislocated hips and fractured toes.
He was later healed at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi. “Surprised by his miraculous deliverance on his dislocated hips, which returned to their original positions and overwhelmed by the divine favour and words of his wife to use this privilege to give his life to the service of God, his creator, Pastor Osagie joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where he grew in knowledge and wisdom about God and church administration,” those who know him stated.
In 1998, he was made Pastor of the Upper Room Parish of the Church, located on Adesuwa Road, G.R.A., Benin City. Apart from his political activities, Pastor Ize-Iyamu is the District Pastor, overseeing zonal, area and parishes of the RCCG in Edo State. Besides, he is in charge of the provincial regional headquarters parish in Benin City.
Those who know him very well said Pastor Ize-Iyamu sowed a seed of his political activism long ago during his university days as a vibrant member of the Student Union Congress and being highly instrumental to the election of several presidents and executive members of the Student Union. Perhaps, that experience proved vital as he became one of the operational planks that saw to the election of Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion, as the then Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, Benin City, in 1983, under the zero party system.
After his sojourn into private legal practice and business, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Edo State, under the administration of Igbinedion. As the Chief of Staff, between 1999 and 2003, his colleagues who were with him in the Government House, said he elevated the office to the “enviable status of a melting pot of consultation, strategy and confidence building.” He was later elevated to the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).