Ekpoma Has Spoken: Governance must return to the people

By Chris Osa Nehikhare

Today in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, the people spoke — clearly, peacefully, and out of deep frustration.

Their protest was not an act of mischief or political theatre; it was a cry for help. It was the collective voice of citizens who have endured insecurity, fear, and a troubling sense of abandonment for far too long.

For over a year now, Edo people across communities have complained of worsening insecurity and what they perceive as a lack of adequate government attention. Farmers fear going to their farms, traders close shops early, parents worry about their children, and entire communities live with anxiety as a daily companion. When citizens take to the streets, it is usually because all other channels of expression have failed them.

The protest in Ekpoma should therefore serve as a wake-up call. Government must resist the temptation to dismiss such actions as politically motivated or exaggerated. Protests are often the language of the unheard, and ignoring them only deepens public alienation. The real danger is not that people protest, but that they stop believing their voices matter.

It is also important to say this plainly: governance must not be subordinated to future electoral arithmetic. Edo State cannot afford a government that appears more fixated on delivering a hypothetical 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in 2027 than on delivering safety, livelihoods, and dignity to Edo people today. Elections are important, but they are episodic; governance is continuous.

The primary responsibility of any government is the welfare and security of its people. This is not a slogan — it is a constitutional obligation. Roads, security, healthcare, education, jobs, and responsive leadership are not optional extras to be addressed after political calculations have been settled. They are the very substance of governance.

Focusing excessively on 2027 while communities burn with fear in 2026 is a dangerous misalignment of priorities.
Political capital is best built not through promises of future votes, but through present-day performance. History shows that when people feel protected, heard, and valued, political support follows naturally.

The Ekpoma protest should therefore be treated as an opportunity, not an embarrassment. An opportunity for government to pause, listen, recalibrate, and act decisively. An opportunity to demonstrate empathy, restore confidence, and show that leadership is ultimately about service, not strategy.

Edo people are not asking for miracles. They are asking for attention. They are asking for safety. They are asking for leadership that places their welfare above all else.

If government listens — truly listens — Ekpoma may yet be remembered not as a symbol of unrest, but as the moment governance found its way back to the people.

Hon. Chris Nehikhare is a former Commissioner for Communication and Orientation in Edo State