*Edo 2024:Imasuagbon Deserving Real 'Emilokan status

By Sim Omo from edo central 

For those who know Barrister Ken Imasuangbon alias rice man, he is an epitome of simplicity, clarity. A man keen for details, astute in management of men and resources. Rice man is one Edo son who derives pleasure in finding solution to challenges of others. As a personage, he is a kind hearted, a philanthropist and a politician with a mixed grill of compassion, selflessness, humility and integrity with passion for service to humanity. 

Aggregating these virtues, it is without sounding immodest to locate Mr Ken Imasuangbon on the pedestal of a trusted Nigerian and Edo indigene for service wether political , humanitarian, etc. 

Expectedly, as the 2024 Edo Governorship electioneering  season provides for undercover manoeuvring, intra -state consultations, the period bestows  another opportunity for Edo people, the PDP to support his aspiration  and  succeed Godwin Obaseki, who has also done extremely well in the 8 years he  is serving . 

For Obaseki who took the reigns from Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the duo  gave accounts of themselves in the development of what is today  the new face of Edo state. This is without political sentiments, sychophancy , notwithstanding. 

However, making a case for the Esan people, whose turn it is in this next political dispensation to produce  the next governor, is germane and not out of point. A  critical assessment of the Esan scenario of aspirants, those in the old order and the greenhorns, one personality who has  the chest to govern Edo state: one, as a liberal, strong politically- willed personage. Two, as an experienced manager of men and resources, then three , as a popular Esan son, in Edo State, within the country Nigeria, and as one Internationally connected and well  respected in overseas countries and  by the American Government and people, you can't give these attributes to anyone else if not Ken Imasuangbon,the Ewohimi born Abuja based business man with genuine investments in Education and Property. 

 No doubt providence smiles on Esan extraction this time  if the  Edo 2024 governorship scenario will be well managed, devoid of  manipulation and compromise,  patience indeed  will be golden for the Riceman on the long run because he ought to be the first choice   from the esan ancestry,  weighed side-by side the ‘emilokon’ trajectory, which has become the current lexicon in our political language. 

 Though, the 'emilokon' phrase, interpreted in English means, 'it is my turn' ‘Emilokon’has transformed into a lexicon in the political language-dictionary of Nigeria.

This new axiom does not depart from the reality that it is truly the turn of  Esan and in extension, Ken Imasuangbon who among other contestants from that Edo axis is eminently qualified as the Numero Uno that should be governor.

 But deserving of ‘emilokon ,the new lexis truly finds a fitting location in the Edo 2024 guber -race, which without doubt Esan people must be circumspect in rallying round Ken  Imasuangbon because in fact , Imasuagbon -Riceman -‘lokon’. 

Interestingly, dwelling on the new vocabulary, one finds it more captivating because day- in- day –out, the Nigerian political lexicon, though enriched often with familiar local coinage or vernacular words and Phrases, but conveys and  invokes deep thoughts because of their meanings and often times what they portray or define.

 For instance , in Enugu,there was the ‘Ebeano’, a political movement of the then Enugu state governor, His excellency Senator Chimaroke  Nnamani. Up North, the ‘Kwankwasyia’ political crusade in Kano loyal to Dr Rabiu Kwakwanso also finds place in history. In the old western region, there were words and political  identifications, or nomenclatures like the popular ‘Penkelemesi’ a localization of the phrase, ‘Peculiar Mess’, which Adegoke Adelabu the opposition leader in the  western regional assembly had used on an occasion to describe the opposition  in the old western region house of assembly. The list appears endless with more probably like the current ‘Emilokon’  from the intuitiveness of the president elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu now in the marble 

In muting ‘emilokon’, Tinubu may have had cause for such a deep conscious reasoning before expressing the word which simply means  in English translation , ‘it is my turn’, or ,I am next

Albeit the popularity the coinage has gained, there ought not  be too much arguments or  subtle criticisms of  the expression, if it is to draw attention by a long -aged marginalized group that indeed they deserve a position in a political contest ,or to ask that a wrong  be corrected or made right, as in the frank request of Esan People and the Imasuangbon aspiration for the Dennis Osadebey Government House.

While in Tinubu’s claim, many discerning, unbiased political supporters saw reason and logic, recall too, that in the build –up to his presidency, the president elect had said, “ I have been a king maker, now I want to be king’

Though there appears to be a sharp difference in character and location of the person's of Tinubu and Imansuangbon, in the Edo case,the Riceman's governorship is built on  humility and persuasion on Edo people to support or his aspiration

Evidently the 2024 Edo governorship contest scenario clearly defines Barrister Ken Imasuangbon, aka, Riceman as the real and unblemished candidate, deserving of the’emilokon’ coinage.

A very dogged, resilient and patient politician who has sacrificed a lot for the political development of Edo state since he joined the gubernatorial race in 2007, Mr Imasuangbon has consistently paid the price on the altar of letting peace reign, letting it go; hopefully that providence will one day  beckon on him . This is why  in this next political season , Edo people are  to stake in his Governorship aspiration for greater democracy dividends 

Whereas the prayers are that there would be no foreseeable hiccup ahead, this is buttressed by the fact that since 1999 when democracy returned to the country till date, the esan man only had a stint in the person of Professor Osariemhe  Osunbor who ruled for only 18 months from May 29, 2007. 

 According to our democracy records , between 1999-2007, Chief Lucky  Igbinedion , a benin man from Edo South and his Deputy, Chief Mike Oghiadome, an Afemai man from Edo North governed the state . Their administration ruled for eight years.But from    2007, when  the Riceman joined the gubernatorial contest, having worked assiduously for the PDP and later the Grace- Group, the PDP faction  that thereafter metamorphosed into Action Congress,AC and ACN,  and later APC, Imasuagbon has contested consistently and in all the situations prevailed upon  to step down for  considerations which in patriotism he did for party , equity sake . First, he stepped down for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to contest against Prof Osunbor in 2007. In that election,   the Riceman collapsed his strategic 18-LGs structures and deployed all his electioneering assets to campaign for Oshiomhole of the AC, against Professor Osariemhe Osunbor of the PDP. Though Prof Osunbor was declared winner and governor- elect in that election, his victory was reversed and upturned by the Appeal court which was the Apex and final court for governorship cases at that time.  Prof Osunbor’s inglorious tenure was short-lived as the AC and later ACN administration of Adams Oshiomhole an edo North man and his Binin Edo south deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu, reigned for another eight years, having won the governorship election  in 2008 after the appeal court declared them authentic winner of the 2007polls, and again in 2012 and served as executive governor from 2008 to 2016. 

From 2016 through to 2020, the Riceman featured and in the last Edo Governorship, in which Governor Obaseki switched from the ruling APC   to PDP, then it was Imasuangbon and one  Engineer Ikhaine, two critical PDP Governorship aspirants  from Esanland that were appealed to , to Step down and allow Obaseki run for his second tenure .Again the Riceman listened to the voices of reasoning and availed Obaseki that chance with his teeming supporters and assets which enabled the incumbent to win in a landslide. That Imasuangbon's consistent goodwill is what ought to be reciprocated now  by Obaseki and the PDP by drumming  support for  his candidature in the build up and the  2024  edo governorship election proper, now that the doors swing to esan people of edo central senatorial district ,where the cap fits Ken Imasuangbon, alias rice man. 

Instructively,  the Imansuangbon aspiration does not require divining via  a  crystal ball or contracting  Marabouts to seek their oracles as to who should lead esan people in this next political journey and dispensation. As it were, the crusade for the Riceman's governorship is persuasive, built on trust and God, that  as a successful  entrepreneur and  private sector player, Ken Imasuagbon will manage men and resources of Edo to the full potentials of the development of the state. 

Imasuagbon will  build on the sound economic and socio- political foundations laid and built by past governors of the state, from 1999 till date. This is essentially as one who has been prepared with fantastic blue print since 2007, having contested the governorship severally with the capacity to serve and hit the ground running. 

A  philanthropist who has continuously provided for the down trodden as well as schools, from primary to tertiary, providing computers, laptops, food to the indigent , in his yearly distribution of rice and other food items, from where he  earned the ' Riceman appellation,  who really compares to Imasuagbon among the aspirants from our candid estimation of experience, political maturity? 

None, not even among  the  oldies and  greenhorns 

Committed to serve Edo people ,Ken Imasuangbon, is a lawyer with Investments in real estate and education,  as chairman of the prestigious pacesetters group of schools in Abuja

What else,  there's indeed nothing to add,  except to  give him a chance to serve as governor this time around and   see Edo become an Eldorado.