By Dr. Oto’ Drama, Ph.D.
The history of Edo State is etched in the stones of our landmarks, and nowhere is this more profoundly articulated than in the imposing silhouette of Edo House at 1225 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island.
For generations, this edifice has stood as a defiant sentinel of our collective pride, an architectural embodiment of the foresight of our founding fathers who dared to dream that Edo State would forever maintain a presence of prestige in the economic nerve center of Nigeria.
Yet, today, that very symbol of our history is being whispered about in the dark corners of power, not as a legacy to be cherished, but as an asset to be liquidated for the gluttonous satisfaction of a few.
The alarming, credible reports of a clandestine arrangement to dispose of this priceless monument represent more than just a real estate transaction; they represent a calculated assault on the dignity of every son and daughter of our great state.
We are witnessing an attempt to mortgage our future, to sell off the very heart of our common inheritance, and to leave our children with nothing but the dust of what used to be our glory.
It is a tragedy of epic proportions that this threat has once again surfaced, carrying the unmistakable scent of the same political actors who have sought to dismantle our heritage for years. The patterns are familiar, the players are predictable, and the arrogance is breathtaking.
We remember the fierce struggles of 2006, and we certainly recall the 2013-2014 period when the halls of justice were filled with the desperate cries of Edo citizens trying to stop the auctioning of their own property. To see Senator Adams Oshiomhole and his consortium of political spoilers like Jarrett Tenebe, Sylvester Aigbobho, Dan Orbih positioning themselves yet again to prey upon the collective wealth of Edo is an affront to our collective memory.
This is a man who, during his time as Governor, seemed obsessed with the idea of transforming public assets into private spoils, a man whose tenure was defined by a scorched-earth approach to governance where the public good was frequently sacrificed on the altar of personal expansion.
To watch him now, with his long, controversial shadow cast over our state’s affairs, attempting to treat Edo House as if it were a trinket in his personal collection, is a wake-up call that the battle for our state is far from over.
The audacity of this move is rooted in a culture of impunity that has too long dominated our political landscape. There is a deeply disturbing narrative being peddled by this consortium—a pathetic, flimsy excuse that the proceeds of this sale would be funneled into a “civic centre” in Benin City.
This is a classic, insulting deception designed to distract the populace while they carve up the carcass of our patrimony. No one is fooled. Edo House, with its prime location and staggering valuation nearing a billion dollars, is a strategic asset that cannot be replaced.
To surrender it for a nebulous promise of a civic centre is an act of economic treason. We are talking about the soul of our identity in Lagos, the symbol of our administrative excellence, and the physical manifestation of the vision of the great Samuel Ogbemudia. We must reject the notion that our heritage is a commodity to be traded for the convenience of an 80 old Oshiomhole who seem determined to leave a legacy of subtraction rather than addition.
We must also confront the unsettling reality of the coalitions forming around this proposed sale. More also, this is the grouping around APC party line, a collection of interests that are as entrenched as they are avaricious. When we see a former governor, a political spoiler, and a trio of newly empowered opportunists within government circles coalescing behind this diabolical proposal, we are not looking at a government serving the people; we are looking at a cartel.
They are united by a common desire to appropriate what belongs to us all, to consolidate their grip on our resources, and to ensure that the wealth of Edo State continues to flow into their own coffers. This is not about progress; this is about plunder. It is the height of vanity for any individual, regardless of their political standing or their self-proclaimed status as an “ethnic champion,” to believe that they can override the will of millions of Edo people to satisfy their insatiable property-craving.
The resistance against this, as pioneered by the likes of Patrick Eholor and countless other civil rights advocates, is not merely a legalistic endeavor—it is a moral imperative. We owe it to our ancestors, we owe it to ourselves, and we owe it to the generations yet unborn to ensure that this iconic building remains in our hands.
Every inch of that land in Victoria Island tells a story of our arrival, our ambition, and our resilience. To lose it would be to signal that Edo State is no longer a serious player in the Nigerian project, but a province to be strip-mined by its own leaders. We must stand firm, we must be vigilant, and we must make it clear that any attempt to finalize this sale will be met with a response that will shake the very foundations of those who believe they can act in the shadows.
The era of the political landlord who treats the state treasury as a personal checking account must end, and it must end with the preservation of Edo House.
Let the word go out to every corner of Edo State and to Governor Monday Okpebholo: the sale of Edo House is not a policy matter to be debated; it is a crime to be prevented.
We are watching the legislative assembly, we are scrutinizing the executive, and we are holding every politician accountable for their stance on this matter. Silence is complicity. If you are a leader in that state and you do not stand against this sale, you are standing against the people.
Our heritage is not for sale, and the power-drunk antics of a few will not be permitted to erode our collective future. We shall protect what is ours with every tool at our disposal—through the courts, through the media, and through the strength of our unified voice.
The attempt to strip us of our common patrimony will fail, not because we lack enemies, but because we are a people who value our history more than they value their greed. Edo House will stay, and those who seek to sell it to themselves will find that the people of Edo State have finally decided that their time of unchecked dominance has come to an end.
_Dr. Drama, PhD Counterterrorism contributed this piece via: Nigeriandrama@gmail.com_