While some see political office as an exalted pedestal for self-aggrandizement and pecuniary pursuits, there are few who make judicious use of such a position to add value to the larger society. This rare group are usually men and women of intellectual substance who have, among other philosophical orientations, imbibed the Platonic concept of the Philosopher King as their guiding principle.
The lawmaker representing the Oredo Federal Constituency at the House of representatives fits into this rare group. A young and vibrant politician whose passion for good governance is phenomenal, Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama has shone like the milky since he assumed office in 2015. He has made remarkable contributions on the floors of the Green Chamber where he has continued to move progressive motions aimed at bettering the lot of his people back home and in the diaspora.
Doubling as the House Committee Chairman on Culture and Tourism, Hon. Ogbeide-Ihama’s input towards the reorientation of Oredo youths has been very significant, bearing in mind the human trafficking and illegal migration challenges that had ravaged youths of Edo state. Apart from being a worthy role model to many who think that the only way to make it in life is to pursue quick fixes, the lawmaker has demonstrated that with patience and hard work, there is nothing a young man cannot achieve.
More so, his cultural reorientation efforts in his constituency have helped to shape the psyche of an average Oredo youth, making them to see the innumerable potentials embedded in their culture by setting up cultural clubs in schools within his constituency. The larger-picture-effect of these efforts lies in the illustrious embrace of loftier heights by the Edo youth rather than run on the fastlane in pursuit of shadows.
Apart from the numerous constituency projects he has continued to commission, Hon. Ogbeide-Ihama’s impact at the National Assembly has been outstanding. His leadership qualities and selfless mien have earned him international recognition as he was recently awarded an honourary doctorate in Public Administration by the Commonwealth University. “I want to express from the most sincere depths of heart my gratitude, and to dedicate this award to all Oredo constituents for their unwavering Love and support extended to me since I joined politics and all through my service so far. I am sure I haven’t disappointed you so far, even though there is still so much to be done. God will strengthen me with continued zeal to deliver on your expectations in any capacity you place me,” he said through a Facebook post shortly after receiving the award in Dubai, UAE.
During a recent plenary at the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbeide-Ihama raised a very salient issue while moving a motion aimed at stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission from implementing an obnoxious policy which would lead to the disenfranchisement of his constituents, nay many Nigerians. As a staunch supporter of the democratic process, his motion was aimed at checkmating any negative clog that would pose a problem to the wheels of people-oriented politics and the principle of inclusiveness at all levels.
In a message to his constituents titled URGENT NEED TO HALT THE DISPLACEMENT AND DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF REGISTERED VOTERS AS A RESULT OF THE PROPOSED SPLIT OF POLLING UNITS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, the lawmaker observed that, “All efforts should be made by all stakeholders to make the electoral process easier and more encouraging for citizens to participate. Anything that will make it more difficult than it already is for a citizen to cast his vote must be discouraged.”
Continuing, he added, “INEC, as part of the preparations for the 2019 general elections has decided to split existing polling units which have more than 750 registered voters into new units to be CITED IN COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. What this means is that a voter who is registered to vote in George Idah Pry School, Ihama Rd, GRA for instance, may have her present unit split if it has over 750 registered voters and her new unit moved to probably Oko Central!”
“When my constituents have done their part by going through the ‘stress’ of registering close to their homes to enable them vote on election day, INEC should not make their efforts in vain with this its proposed plan. Nobody needs to be told that this move if allowed to go ahead will end up disenfranchising thousands of voters,” he concluded. That motion was greeted with an immediate action by the honourable Speaker of the House of Representative who set up a committee to look into the matter and submit its recommendations in due course.
Presenting a trophy recently for the flag off of the Stephen Keshi Memorial U-17 Football Tournament recently, the lawmaker urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of giving honour to those who have served the nation meritoriously while pledging to continue to support every good cause that aims at engendering development. “I want to affirm my commitment to all efforts by every group-corporate, government and community to ensure that his name and legacy lives on,” he said, adding that, “A younger generation is watching how we treat those who have sacrificed and brought honour to our country.”
No doubt, Nigeria needs vibrant and cultured minds like Hon. Ogbeide-Ihama to steer the nation towards the right direction. The rot that has continued to eat deep into our polity will continue unabated until we as a people start to look out for quality in the kind of people we vote into political offices. We must stop the practice of allowing our votes to be bought by money bags. The Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama factor in representation politics speaks for itself. Quality thinking, a philosophy of selflessness, good education and an innovative spirit – these are the makeup of the Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama factor