Is Barr. Osarodion Ogie an Urhobo man? EDO 2016 politics,

The Guardian: ADVERTORIAL
October 28, 2015
OSHIOMHOLE’S ILL-ADVISED STEPS IN IMPOSING A SUCCESSOR!
It has become an open secret to all and sundry in our beloved Edo State in particular and the country as a whole of Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole's fixation on solely selecting his successor at the expiry of his tenure in 2016. He has only succeeded in upsetting the polity with his proposed candidates.
It is visible to the blind, and loud to the deaf that his favored candidate is Osarodion Ogie his former Chief of Staff and current Commissioner for Works, whose loyalty over the years made him a trusted political protégé of his.
Going by unspoken political calculations, the governorship seat has rotated back to the Binis (Edo South) since Oshiomhole is an Afemai (Edo North). Ordinarily, this would not be a problem, but with the recent disclosure that OGIE IS NOT BINI AT ALL, nor is he an Edo indigene but rather he is of Delta Urhobo extraction. Where does this leave Oshiomhole and his preferred choice?
The name Ogie is a corrupted version of the Urhobo name ‘OJIE’. Osarodion was born in Sapele to a Delta Urhobo father and mother and only moved to Benin as a teenager in time to enroll in Eghosa Grammar School. His father was believed to have migrated to Benin City with his three wives, including Osarodion’s mother, all of Urhobo extraction. Ogie, his twin brother ‘Teddy’ and siblings were raised in a home where Urhobo is the only spoken dialect. This further leads credence to the fact that his current wife, Ejiro Gegere is also of Delta Urhobo extraction and presently resides in one of Ogie’s flats in 1004 Estate, Victoria island, Lagos.
In comparison, Adams himself grew up and spent a greater part of his life in Kaduna, but moved back to Edo State when he had his gubernatorial ambition. Ogie being a Delta Urhobo, should also move back home to Delta state to pursue his governorship aspiration.
As Ogie is of Delta extraction, we ask the Comrade Governor these questions;
- Whose ethnic turn will Ogie be serving?
- Will he be an extension of Oshiomhole's 8 years?
- Then again, have we run out of legitimate men and women of Edo stock?
- Does the Comrade Governor have skeletons in his closet which he needs his boy to conceal for him by installing him as governor?
- Will Ogie stand the Code of Conduct test?
- What happened to ‘One man, one vote’ and no imposition?
Oshiomhole's second choice of Godwin Obaseki is laughable at best. Obaseki is the professed ‘Chairman' of Edo state economic team. It is the same man who could not successfully run his company, AFRINVEST and had issues with the Nigerian Stock Exchange only to be rescued by one Ike Chioke, who promptly took over as the company’s managing director. Chioke succeeded in turning around AFRINVEST’s fortunes only for Obaseki to exit the company. He relocated to Benin City straight into the warm embrace of his old friend Governor Oshiomhole who anointed him head of his economic team. Godwin cannot be said to have discharged his duties as Chairman in the noblest manner, as there are allegations of questionable deals that occasioned suffering on the innocent Edo people through some of the policies and actions embarked on by his office.
Can Obaseki tell us how he helped the man on the street in his 7-year tenure as the frivolous economic chairman? While Edo people struggle to afford two daily meals, Obaseki smiles home with billions in commission accruing from many of the alleged questionable deals.
When judicial workers embarked on an unpaid strike for the better part of 7 months, Obaseki was said to have been unfazed, but rather he continued with his questionable deals which are alleged to have raked in billions of naira for himself and his boss. Edo people have not only been left in a despondent state, but are groaning under the heavy taxation imposed on them by Obaseki’s office, yet the state is believed to remain in dire financial straits with unpaid workers’ salaries and contractors who have abandoned projects state-wide.
Obaseki was quoted to have boasted at different fora that he has wealthy powerful friends across the country, particularly a noted billionaire businessman of northern extraction, who would bankroll his political campaign. What does the so-called friends stand to gain for backing him financially? Is this not an attempt at mortgaging Edo State to the highest bidder? At what cost is Obaseki’s governorship ambition?
More so, what qualifies Obaseki to be governor and what is he bringing to the table for the people of Edo? Perhaps only to do his master’s bidding and cover his tracks!
These are Oshiomhole’s men! Will the Comrade arrogantly flout reason and impose a Delta man over his Royal Majesty the Oba of Benin’s domain? His Highness the Otaru of Auchi’s kingdom? The land of His Royal Highness the Onojie of Uromi and the monarchy of the Ogieneni of Uzairue, among our other royal fathers.
Will the Edo electorate willingly vote a Delta man or a man of questionable character as their number one citizen in this era of ‘One man, one vote?’
Or will the inordinate ambition of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu become reality?
Is Pastor Ize-Iyamu destined to rule Edo state after all?
God save our beloved Edo State!
Signed for Coalition of Edo Transparency,
Monday Egharevba, President
Abdul Zakariyau, Publicity Secretary

RESPONSE

REBUTTAL.........................................BARR. OSARODION OGIE : 
JIBES ENDED AS CHIEF MICHAEL EDORODION OGIE SPEAKS.............
I, Chief Micheal Edorodion Ogie who no doubt is very well known in Edo State by my bylines in various newspapers and social activities initially was hesistant to dignify this brazen, undeserved, mindless, callous and opportunistic assault on my beloved easy-going ,calm ,responsible, focused and God-fearing junior brother (God be with him every moment of his life). However, I quickly realised i have a bounden duty to by any hack writer, social malcontent or venal politician on the Ogbebor/Ogie family, an illustrious family with ancient roots and a proud history of which i am today the Oka-egbe.
Our grandfather was Chief Ogbebor Osifo,one of the grandchildren of a great Benin Chief called EHONWA who was himself the son of Ezomo of Benin Kingdom at that period in history. Ehonwa was a man of stupendous wealth whom the Binis complimented with the remark"Ogbe ma gue ere onado zuroladianvbo ore nokhua". That part of the kingdom that ehonwa's estate occupied is today known as Unu-Abehe, a shouting distance from the Oba's palace.
During his life time, Chief Ogbebor (a.k.a Ogbebor N'ukewhe) was a prominent official emissary of the Oba of Benin whose presence in any village or town that fell within the jurisdiction of the Oba of Benin set shivers down the spines of every man in such community, village or town. Outside the palace of the Obaand especially in rural settlements, his word was law. Indeed he was the Oba's taxman.
Ogbebor who died in the year 1934 sired the following male children in order of seniority.
(1) Osiomwanuri
(2) Aghariaha
(3) Ogie Igbinigie (the father of barrister Osariodion Ogie and this writer)
(4) Igbineweka
(5) Ikuaghogho
(6) Enagbonma
Ogie Igbinigie left home early in his life and settled down in urhobo land in Delta State where he married the undermentioned three women who bore all his children for him
(1) Ofigo (from Ughiemwen)
(2) Ibamu (from Oteri Ughelli-my mother)
(3) Inaba (from Ekiugbo,Ughelli- Osariodion's mother)
Osariodion and his twin brothern Osaguona (Teddy) were born at the Anglican Maternity, Awo street, Benin City on september 24, 1960 and NOT at Sapele or anywhere in Delta as mendaciously asserted in the said advertorial by the failed and disgruntled politicians.Osariodion Ogie is therefore on the basis of ethnic origin, education, profession, character and antecedent, eminently qualified for election as Governor of Edo State come 2016.
Pa Aghariaha and Pa Igbineweka although are now of blessed memory still have their houses at Ogbe Quarters Benin City as at today and these houses are occupied by their children and grand children.
Osariodion's fathers built his first house at Ogbesasa Street, Benin City and later built two more houses at Ugbekun (Upper Sakponba Road) where some of his children, grandchildren and his third wife Inaba (the mother of Osariodion) are effectively in occupation as at today. Pa Ogie Ogbebor our dearest father passed on to eternal glory on 11th March 1990 and was buried in one of his houses at Ugbekun Quarters, Upper Sakponba Road,Benin City.
Finally, I must state unequivocally that i am not a politician and i am not on an errand for any political party. I have only dutifully decided to expose the liars and bury their falsehood in the pit of lies in my position as the Oka-Egbe of both Ogbebor and Ogie families (Double Oka-Egbe).
In this season of lies and desperation,the general public should expect more of these embarrassments and gratuitous insults as part of the dirty game in the murky water of politics.
Thank one and all.
Signed:
CHIEF MICHEAL EDO OGIE
Founder,New Life Chapel of The Trinity, Ugbor
and Oka-Egbe of Ogbebor/Ogie Families

RESPONSE

My attention has been drawn to an advertorial in the Guardian of 28th October, 2015 disparaging and smearing our APC Political Leader in Ikpoba-Okha, Barr Osarodion Ogie, the present Commissioner of Works in Edo State. I want to put it on record that I have been knowing him since our childhood. That he is a true Benin man. We grew up at the Upper Sokponba axis of Benin City. We attended the same Primary School, the popular St Saviours Anglican School, now known as ivbiyenevba primary School. I was there from 1966 to 1971. I was two years ahead of him, while I was in primary six in 1971 he was in primary 4. He then proceeded to another Anglican School Eghosa Anglican Crammar School for his secondary Education. He is very very fit to be the Governor of Edo State and even the President of Nigeria.
It is wrong to smear anyone that is aspiring to contest. It is the responsibility of the electorate to make that decision. The other day someone wrote that Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyanu was not from Iguododo village. How can you say a man who took a bold step to identify with his people by building a mansion in his village was motivated by politics? When in Edo South we are crying for our people to stop abandoning our villages.
In any contest the more the contestant the better for the electorate, as it gives them the latitude to make an informed decision. My point is that people should stop the smear campaign.