OSARODION OGIE: The Gentle Giant Of Edo Politics

By Sir Ralph Okhiria

Osarodion Ogie Esq, is a man of many good parts. He is an epitome of humility, simple and easy going. A cursory look at his personality speaks volumes of a harmless, political tactician, very calm but highly calculative fellow.

Besides, he is kindhearted and superbly generous. His house and office are Mecca of some sorts, as the oppressed and needy, on daily basis rush there for solutions to their problems.

Like a golden fish which has no hiding place, Barr. Ogie, in 2005 was drafted to the Grace Group, a political pressure group under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the secretary-general. He was saddled with the day to day operations of the group.

His sagacious operational activities informed the transformation of grace group from a political pressure group into a political party, Action Democratic Congress (ACD), where he later emerged as the Edo State Secretary of the party.

Like a gentle flame, his fame soon spread like a wild harmattan fire, when the ACD transformed into a new Political party known as the Action Congress (AC), where the energetic Osarodion Ogie, continued to hold sway as the state secretary of the party.

The party, AC, miraculously in November 2008, formed the government in Edo state, after a grueling tribunal cases, and the then governor, Adams Oshiomhole, wasted no time begging Barr. Ogie to be his Chief of Staff, which he (Ogie) graciously obligated.

By dint of hard work, loyalty and selfless service to the state and the party, the AC, now renamed Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Osarodion Ogie Esq, was made the Honourable Commissioner in charge of the state Ministry of Works.

As a man loved by Edo people, in 2015, he was prevailed upon to contest the 2016 Governorship Election in the state. Convinced of the genuineness of the call to run for the number one political position in the state, he hit the roads running with the message of an emerging good governance for the people of the state.

But no sooner had he made inroads into all the nooks and crannies of all the 18 local government areas of the state, when the King Herod of that time, abruptly stopped him. The then chairman of the state economic team and strategy, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, was anointed by the then Governor Adams Oshiomhole, to fly the party (APC) flag.

He was upset and was ready to bare his fang and challenge the oppressive power that was tasking his will and might. But Osarodion Ogie was reminded in good time that as a prominent member of the then Oshiomhole’s Political Family, he must not rock the boat.

As a matured political leader, he allowed the interest of the state and that of his party to prevail and without much ado collapsed his Governorship political structure.

Again, he was drafted to Obaseki’s campaign group as the director general. Here, Osarodion Ogie worked with his totality together with like minds to ensure the victory of Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as governor of the state in 2016.

But realising the stuff he is made up of, as a loyal, tested, trusted, very calm, calculative, hard working, but talking less, Governor Godwin Obaseki, shortly after been sworn in as governor of the state, immediately appointed Barr. Osarodion Ogie, as secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG).

Once again, his thoroughness in discharging his official functions, coupled with his loyalty, being a team player without blemish, he was again appointed the director general of the PDP 2020 Governorship Campaign Organization.

For Osarodion Ogie Esq, as powerful and topmost political tactician in the state, the difficult political terrains were easy for him to navigate successfully without much difficulty. Thus, working with serious minded politicians and Edo people, Governor Godwin Obaseki was reelected for the second time, as announced on September 20, 2020.

But surprisingly, this great son of Edo State, from Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the state, though a goal getter and soft-spoken, does not easily grant press interviews, relying on his work to always speak for him at the appropriate time.

Even when both the social and conventional media were flooded with stories that his local government area was going to fall into the hands of the opposition party, APC, during the just concluded governorship election in the state, he still refused all entreaties by newshounds to make comment.

Osarodion Ogie Esq, who last week marked his 60th birthday anniversary, had insisted that the election results will tell the story itself.

And of a truth, Ikpoba-Okha local government area, polled the second highest votes for the PDP during the governorship election, with over 41,000 votes, next to Governor Obaseki’s Oredo local government area with over 43,000 votes.

Indeed, silence is golden and Osarodion Ogie Esq, is the Gentle Giant of Edo Politics. More grease to his elbow as he continues to navigate the length and breadth of the political landscape of the state in great strides.

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