The Man Who Would Be Governor by Reuben Abati

The Poet Mr. Odia Ofeimun

One of the finest persons I have been privileged to know is Odia Ofeimun: the man has a clean heart, he is completely incapable of malice, and in the face of all odds, he has a sunny view of life, add to that his incandescent mind, his absolute brilliance from which has poured forth a prodigious volume of poetry collections, books, essays, years of journalism practice and a reputation as a public intellectual of the very first rank. Odia as I call him, although he is more popularly known asBaba among the younger generation of writers, is also an incurable idealist, very stubborn to a fault with his idealism and this is where we oftentimes differ.

      He has been insisting to my hearing for more than a decade that one of his ambitions is to become the Governor of Edo State and knowing Odia's frame of mind and constitution, I always laughed this off as a big joke, urging him to face reality and not behave like the Hornbill which incidentally is the name of the publishing house that he runs. When Odia is hooked on an idea, it is difficult to separate him from that idea, more so as he has the mental capacity to develop any subject at all into a grand, compelling narrative. And that is what he seems to have done with his obsession with being the Governor of his home state.

PHOTOS: PDP PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RALLY IN BENIN, EDO STATE

Ritualist arrested with human parts, N4m

A suspected ritual killer who specialises in selling human parts has been arrested by security operatives in Benin City, the Edo State capital, southern Nigeria. The man, whose identity is yet to be revealed, was allegedly arrested at the Upper Sokponba road area of Benin with cut to size gun, different human parts and N4 million cash.It was reliably gathered that the man had lived in a make-shift apartment for close to two years, pretending to be a madman. According to one of the landlords in the area simply identified as Pa. Onaiwu, who spoke to journalists, the suspected ritual killer was in the habit of behaving funny especially when it is getting dark. “This man sometimes behaves funny. In the afternoon, you will see him bathing naked, behaving like a real madman.

Oshiomhole escapes death in Edo crash

Adams Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole survived a motor accident at Ewu Village along the ever busy Benin-Auchi road in Edo State at about 9.45am Saturday, 28th December, 2013 on his way back to Benin City from his Iyamho Village. The incident occurred at about 9.45am at Ewu, in Edo Central Senatorial District, when a Peugeot J5 Bus filled with tomatoes and plantains apparently lost control and rammed into the Governor's Flag Car from the opposite direction before swerving into a road side ditch.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CONGRATULATES OGBEMUDIA ON HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has written to congratulate Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia on the occasion of his 80^th birthday anniversary, today September 17, 2012.

In the letter conveying birthday greetings to the former Governor and Federal Minister, President Jonathan praised his “enduring patriotism, courage, productive leadership and uncommon administrative acumen”.