Thank God for social media, that’s how I’ll start this post. Before social media, stories like this went untold, and even if they were told, it was by word of mouth, and by the time you heard, it was only a version of it you heard, and not necessarily the true version. But with media outlets like YouTube, well, seeing is believing.
The gist of this post is that Governor Oshiomhole of Edo State told a widow to go and die because she dared to block the road during a sanitation inspection in Benin City. Yes, where the woman set up her business was not convenient. I mean, from the video, she was literally on the road, which can cause a motorist to have an accident and hurt her and other people. But this is Nigeria, and all things are never equal.
I typed the above paragraphs since Friday, and I never got the chance to finish the post and put it up. Since then, the story has changed. The Governor has since apologized, given the widow N2 million, offered her a job, and even sipped tea with her.
Governor Oshiomhole and the widow sipping tea. The world is okay again.
I was going to type up this long serious post where I would condemn the actions of the Governor and demand that apologizes to the widow with immediate effect! But this apology and tea-sipping thing has discombobulated me, so I still have some thoughts on the issue, but they are a little different from what they would have been. That’s what I get for not finishing my post sooner.
1. Where will the Governor be for the next sanitation? I’m just asking for a friend.
2. What kind and flavor of tea were they sipping? This is important information.
3. Was it even tea? Maybe it was coffee? Or hot chocolate? Or a malt beverage like Horlicks?
4. What else can one do to piss the Governor off and make him say something out of anger?
5. Are there any other Governors in Nigeria that may have the kind of temper tantrum that Governor Oshiomhole has? Again, I’m just asking for my friend.
Seriously though, this woman literally went from a broke widow to a millionaire … and she did it all in about 24 hours.This is one of those feel-good stories that restore your faith in humanity. Yes, even the Nigerian society. One thing I have learned about Americans is that they love the under dog, and they love stories of people with happy endings.There have been so many stories like this one here in America, but hearing it from my own Nigeria, I am so very, very happy for this woman. If she’s a typical Nigerian like I imagine she is, I can only imagine the kind of prayers and thanksgiving she’ll be giving.
Stories like this make me appreciate the power of God. How can a person go from being a broke street hawker to a millionaire? Not to worry, this, too will be my testimony. I may not be a street hawker, but I will have a strange overnight success. 😉
If the incident wasn’t captured on film and distributed online, would he have apologized, is my question?
I do not believe he would have apologised if the story had not been publicised like it was. All said and done the widow is the happier for it…God does work in mysterious ways
What I said on FB about this on Monday…
MY GOD…. My Jehovah that is capable of turning situations around in 24hrs… ONLY HIM OOOOOOOOOO. No coincidence here… all ordained by the most high. From selling on the streets to state employment, 2 million naira CASH and Children school fees paid in advance. kai!!!
(I hope y’all appreciate my opinion even if u don’t share it)
Let’s call a spade a spade, the woman didn’t do the right thing by selling on the road during sanitation exercise. My opinion is that the Governor was right to have enforced the law on her. Poverty, being a widow or anything of such sorts is not a legal defence for breaking the law. And I beg, don’t give me the crap that everything goes in Nigeria, ‘cos even if that’s the case, the question is ‘is it ideal?’ , ‘do we ever want to change to the ideal?’ ‘can we ever get to ideal if we keep making excuses for people?’
Are there not other widows in Edo state who didn’t come out to sale on the road during sanitation exercise? What happens to the next widow who breaks that law and expects to be excused like this he colleague?
Yes the Governor may have over reacted a little by telling her to go and die; but then again, if she didn’t want to go and die, why did she place her goods on the road, risking her life and that of others#my own thoughts
Most people are not condoning what the woman did or condemning the governor for enforcing the law. What most people found unpalatable was the way the governor enforced the law. You don’t have to abuse someone because you want to enforce the law. You don’t tell someone ‘go and die’ because you want to enforce the law. In the US, the person will sue you for emotional trauma and claim you dehumanized them.
The way the governor talked to the woman is part of the general impunity pervasive in Nigeria. This is the reason why a police officer instead of simply arresting you, will start beating you even though you have not resisted arrest. I have seen a video where Oshiomole was on inspection and accused a state government official of doing what he wasn’t instructed to do. The governor ordered the man arrested and with the governor standing there, the security officers manhandled the man. The governor didn’t see anything wrong with that.
Simply put, you can be polite and firm while still enforcing the law.