Our ‘Barkin Zuwo’ is here

Today, I received a call from a highly respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who expressed grave concerns about the future of Edo State. He lamented that electing Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, as governor in the upcoming election would plunge the state into an era reminiscent of Bakin Zuwo’s notorious leadership in Kano State.

The SAN asserted that the demanding role of governor would inevitably expose Okpebholo’s numerous inadequacies, no matter how much he attempts to delegate responsibilities. His complacency, lack of intellectual depth, and absence of substantive knowledge would be glaringly obvious.

The SAN questioned Okpebholo’s ability to handle essential documents, make coherent presentations in meetings with other governors, or undertake overseas travels on official duties. He doubted Okpebholo’s capacity to make informed decisions in the best interest of the state. Edo State, he argued, deserves a governor who reflects the intelligence and capabilities of its people, not someone in the mold of Bakin Zuwo.

Bakin Zuwo, a once-distinguished senator from Kano State, succeeded Dawakin Tofa as governor when Mallam Aminu Kano’s Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) was torn apart by internal strife. Despite his political career, Bakin Zuwo had limited Western education and a poor grasp of English, which led to numerous comical moments during his campaign – but here in Edo, the APC candidate is avoiding the TV and making public statements so as not to be exposed.

In one television interview, when asked about his running mate, Bakin Zuwo misunderstood the term and replied, “W’Allahi t’Allahi, it is Abubakar Rimi that is running after me. He won’t leave me alone.” Abubakar Rimi was actually his opponent from the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), which Bakin Zuwo had joined after leaving the PRP.

His campaign was filled with similarly absurd moments just like Monday Okpebholo. When questioned about his plan to fulfill campaign promises given Kano State’s lack of mineral resources, he retorted, “Who told you so? There’s Brahma Gurana (a popular drink in Kano at the time), there’s Danta Cola, there is Coke, there is Fanta.” He equated “mineral” with soft drinks, a colloquial term in Kano.

Similarly, Monday Okpebholo’s candidacy mirrors the tragi-comic persona of Bakin Zuwo. Bakin Zuwo, who jokingly declared himself a “student” at the “Mallam Aminu Kano Political School, Sudawa, Kano,” often made people laugh with his outlandish statements.

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Following the collapse of the Second Republic, Bakin Zuwo was accused of storing N3.4 million in Government House Kano. His response was, “Government money in government house – so what the heck!” This led to the media dubbing him “Banking Zuwo,” a pun on his name.

Monday Okpebholo can be seen in the same characteristics that made Bakin Zuwo a figure of ridicule. Kassim Afegbua once described Okpebholo as a ‘comedian playing a script that would take him nowhere’. His numerous gaffes have made his candidacy a laughingstock and could portray us as a state lacking people with intellectual depth that would be incapable of making crucial decisions for its progress.

This discussion with the SAN not only buttressed my stand on Okpebholo’s severe lack of preparedness but also underscores the potential embarrassment his leadership could bring to Edo State.

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His candidacy, riddled with missteps and an apparent lack of understanding of governance, paints a worrying picture. The state, rich in intellectual resources and capable individuals, deserves a leader who can truly represent its potential on the national and international stage, not someone whose candidacy mirrors the comedic and tragic incompetence of Bakin Zuwo.