A former Media Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Crusoe Osagie, has countered claims made by Sulaiman Aledeh, the Managing Director of the Edo State Broadcasting Service, regarding the state of the organisation.
According to Osagie, Aledeh’s position as Managing Director is unknown to the law that makes EBS a corporate entity, rendering his actions “illegal, null, and void.” Osagie advised Aledeh to work with the Ministry of Justice and the Edo State House of Assembly to change the law or change his designation to General Manager.
Osagie also disputed Aledeh’s claims that the Edo Broadcasting Service was in a state of disrepair when he assumed office. “The organization was undergoing a holistic transformation and upgrade under the immediate past government of His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, which was in phases,” Osagie said.
Additionally, Osagie denied Aledeh’s claim that the station lacked operational vehicles, stating that there were operational vehicles for EBS, including a white Hilux with ‘EBS’ clearly inscribed on its body.
Osagie further questioned Aledeh’s claim that he had to buy diesel to run the operations of the media station, saying “EBS was regularly paying revenue into the state treasury and as at the time we were signing off from EBS, the station had millions of naira in various accounts.”
Regarding Aledeh’s claim that there were no computers in the newsroom or the organization, Osagie described it as a “blatant lie.” He stated that the Edo State Government had issued computers to its staff, including EBS employees.
Osagie also shed light on the recruitment of 60 individuals, stating that they were recruited in July 2024, following a meticulous recruitment process. He criticized the Okpebholo-led administration for removing the names of the new staff from the payroll, describing it as “primitive management methods.”
While welcoming Aledeh’s call for a collaborative effort in advancing Edo’s progress, Osagie advised him to verify his claims about the current state of EBS, saying “it appears that he is either being misled or duped or intentionally falsifying facts to drive the devious agenda of his paymaster.”
