By Osemeke S Iyobosa
Public discourse around leadership and legacy often suffers when commentary descends into personal attacks rather than evidence-based evaluation. John Mayaki’s recent article, “Either Retire Home or Roam Aimlessly Abroad,” attempts to contrast former Governor Godwin Obaseki with Governor Monday Okpebholo. Unfortunately, the piece replaces fact with conjecture and judgment with mockery. It is therefore necessary to set the record straight and remind readers that leadership legacies are built on substance, not speculation.
First, the suggestion that Godwin Obaseki “roams aimlessly around European cities” is both false and petty. Obaseki is a private citizen who, after serving Edo State for eight years, has every right to travel, rest, and engage in international engagements without being vilified. Statesmen around the world from Barack Obama to Tony Blair have chosen quieter post-office lives that include travel, consulting, and lectures. That does not make them wanderers; it makes them global citizens.
Second, Obaseki’s work in Edo remains visible. The transformation of the civil service, the digitalization of governance, the revitalization of the state’s education sector through the EdoBEST initiative, and infrastructural projects across the three senatorial districts stand as tangible testaments. To claim that a man who built roads, schools, and institutions “has no place to retire to” is an insult to the truth and to Edo people who benefitted from those reforms.
Third, leadership style differs from person to person. Okpebholo’s wish to retire in his village is commendable, but that does not invalidate Obaseki’s choice to maintain a lower profile or engage globally. The measure of a leader is not where he retires, but what he leaves behind. Edo people can see what Obaseki left from improved governance systems to fiscal discipline that positioned the state as one of Nigeria’s most transparently run.
It is equally ironic that those who once opposed Obaseki’s reforms now cite his quietness as guilt. Silence is not an admission of failure; it is often the dignity of a man who chooses peace over endless political bickering. Obaseki’s calm departure is a mark of maturity, not restlessness. He governed, handed over, and moved on, a rare example in Nigeria’s political space.
Rather than pit leaders against each other, commentators like Mayaki should encourage continuity and cooperation. Okpebholo’s success depends partly on the foundations laid by his predecessor, just as every future administration will build on what he leaves behind. Edo State deserves unity, not divisive comparisons rooted in personal vendettas.
Governor Obaseki’s legacy will not be defined by his travel itinerary but by his courage to challenge old political orders, reform governance, and prioritize people over politics. He may be quiet, but his impact speaks loudly from Benin to the remotest villages of Edo.
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