By Otor Drama
“Who no go no know, no bi so? who no go no know? All the cultists in Edo State, we’re going to prosecute and lock them up in prison, how, na so them dey do am — Olumide Akpata?”
“Since January 2024, over 150 people have been brutally murdered by various cult groups in Edo State, Nigeria. Investigations have revealed that the now-disbanded ‘Okaigheles’ group, which was supposed to represent community land custodians in accordance to Benin native laws and customs, have been perpetuating and encouraging cultism in the state.
The Okaigheles’ illegal activities involve selling the same parcels of land to multiple buyers, using their affiliated cult groups to intimidate, chase, and kill each other, as well as innocent citizens and land buyers. To put an end to this criminal enterprise, Governor Obaseki banned cultism and Okaigheles in Edo State.
However, a political actor and the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Mr Olumide Akpata has been opposing the ban, citing that it is an election year, with the Governorship election scheduled for September 21st, 2024. His misguided or guided untrances, depending where he belongs has been emboldening murderous thugs and cult groups that have been involved in the brutal cult killings in the state:
“Who no go no know, no bi so? who no go no know? All the cultists in Edo State, we’re going to prosecute and lock them up in prison, how, na so them dey do am?”.
Despite Olumide Akpata’s opposition, the ban remains a crucial step towards restoring peace and order in Edo State and Edo people are since heaving a sigh of relief from the criminal activities cultists and Okaigheles who have become law unto themselves have visited on the state.
Since his entrance into Edo State political space, Olumide Akpata has been embroid in one political crises after another. Two months ago, a University of Benin student was allegedly shot in the leg by Olumide Akpata’s security guard on compus while he was addressing Senior Staff in the University Senior Staff Club.
His defense was that the students union leadership were trying to prevent him from addressing the Senior Staff of the institute. The crisis led to the banning of Students Union Government activities on campus, as well as the expulsion of the Students Union executives members from the university.
Sometimes in March, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure was arrested by the Nigeria Police and brutally dragged on the floor in broad daylight without official invitation to him before he was trampled upon. The allegation was that those who are not wanted by the party national leadership may have sponsored the brutal attack on the party National Chairman carried out by the Nigeria Police Force.
A few weeks later, the State former Youth Leader of the Labour Party, Comrade Ken Omusi who took over the reign of leadership of the party since the Chairman, Mr Kelly Ogbaloi was accused of multiple corruption and mismanagement of the party was attacked by thugs and cult groups in his house. His wife and children were not spared. They were hunted down to their children schools and her place of work.
In the history of Edo State political engagements, the state politics has never been brought this low to a tipping point where a Governorship candidate has to openly sided with cult groups in the killings of his own people in order to win election.
Otor Drama, writes from Benin City, Edo State.
