On November 20, 2024, the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo set up a committee of 12 members to recover government vehicles looted by the outgone administration of Obaseki.

Behold, within twenty-four hours three of the stolen vehicles were recovered. One of them was loaded with palliative rice and garri meant for the citizens of the state impoverished by the neo-capitalist regime of Obaseki and his henchmen. As at press time, the search of over 500 missing vehicles is on.

Meanwhile, on November 26, 2024 the state government inaugurated a 14-member Edo Assets Verification Committee with the serious mandate of identifying, as well as locating and compiling a holistic database of the assets and liabilities of the Obaseki administration.

The distinguished Edo Governor explained: "The Obaseki-led government came up with very scanty information on the assets and liabilities of the state in its handover notes.

"In line with my campaign promise to ensure probity, accountability and transparency in government and to deepen the governance process, a committee made of respected sons and daughters had to be constituted."

Good talk and action.

Well, a first thing,◽My dear governor see, while you are trying to locate our assets, there is one asset that is being wasted by Edo Geographic Information Service (EDO-GIS). It is our land now sold to any estate agent equit the cash at hand most especially in Edo South Senatorial District.

Given the speed, velocity and acceleration at which our land assets are being sold, we will end up with insufficient public lands for independent farming and commercial mechanized agriculture.

The rush for land today by estate agents is comparable to the scramble for the partition of Africa by territorially-minded Europeans in 1884.

Sadly enough, I am yet to see as much land sold to investors in agriculture, needed to feed Edo people. So, is EDO-GIS telling us that 'land' will provide food for us in future?

In essence, what is happening in Edo State is the reckless mushrooming of estates by the highest bidder encouraged by EDO-GIS which primary Obaseki mandated is to raise revenue to grow a bogus, padded service-driven Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that Obaseki always boasted of.

Now, as a practical governor, you should jettison Obaseki's vile ways. Stop the land sale of EDO-GIS. No more rush to sell our land assets. Probe the sale and recover some of the already sold land before deciding on an appropriate way of selling our land assets to avoid irreversibly liquidating them.

■ Secondly, dear Governor, visit the V-shaped land at Aduwawa in Benin Cily opposite the Water Tower after EBS Benin. I mean that piece of land where Omega Fire Ministry, WAEC, Radio Bronze and other buildings are located.

Be informed, governor. The land belongs to Edo State. It was late beloved Prof Ambrose Folorunsho Alli as a sitting Bendel State governor (1979-1983) who gave out the land to the federal government to build a housing estate.

But, the federal government reneged on the memoranda of the agreement and began to sell the land to private individuals. Only WAEC and Radio Nigeria Bronze FM are the legal and legitimate occupants of the land because they are public institutions duely approved by the state government to be there. The rest private occupiers of the land 'purchased' their land papers from a federal controller in Benin acting as a front for his boss in Abuja some years ago.

During the first tenure of Obaseki's administration (2016-2020) all the buildings of private occupants of the land were marked X and earmarked for demolìtion. Later, nothing happened to the buildings and trespassers of the land.

Governor, this is the time to put the records about the land straight once and for all.

■ Thirdly and finally, my governor, pay an inspection visit to the abandoned premises of Edo Pharmaceutical Company along Sapele Road in Benin under the watch of the commerce and trade ministry. The only legal occupants on this land is the Technology Incubation Centre a federal government parastatals. Yet there are several firms including a car dealer, a mechanic workshop and a canteen- occupying the land. What is happening? I can't say!! Also, the governor should beam his attention to this obscure land asset of Edo State.

In conclusion, my dear governor, all I am asking for is not the head of biblical John the Baptist. No!!. What I am demanding is a probe of: EDO-GIS as well as the land assets of Edo State at Ikpoba Hill, Aduwawa and at Edo Pharmaceutical Company along Sapele Road all in Benin City capital of Edo State.

Add this, Governor, check the equity structure of the Benin Enterprise Park at Iyanomo. You wll discover that in a bid to deceive investors to buy into the park idea, Obaseki transfered some of the state's equity shares to the Benin Enterprise Park from Azura Power Plant. Governor, return the shares to Azura Power Plant.

The park is a utopian project born and died in 2015!! No equity can revive it.