In my part one of this article, l discussed the spate of decamping from APC to PDP, from PDP to APC and the tackling of the big masquerades. I said the game have started and that the MAFIAS are already on their way to Edo State, the heartbeat of the nation. Their interest is the national bread and State capture, not service to the people of Edo State or Nigeria.

The Senate president have said that all roads will lead to Benin City for the Governorship election in September 2024.

Whoever gets Edo State has an advantage at the national level. Therefore, the Edo election is not going to be an ordinary election.The egg heads and tactical commanders are moving in but this time, they would not allow someone like Abba Kyari to come and do what he did that brought in Godwin Obaseki which was the wish of Edo people then.

This time, the sheriff is in town. He will handle matters by himself. We shall see if there is really a difference between intelligence and coping ability in Godwin Obaseki. We will see the real level of his resilience and reliability under intense pressure. We will know if Obaseki is actually the "wake and see" Governor. We wait to see how much he can be a good host to Jagaban and his men from Abuja. Wether Jajaban can put salt into a pot of soup on fire from the top of a palm tree. The way Wike does it from Abuja in River state. How tactically matured Obaseki is politically.

But, the last time l checked my record, Ahmed Tinubu is a wasp, not a bee. His stings are poisonous and deadly. But he has a mountain of thorns to climb in Edo State.

As a political mafia, don't underestimate his capability. But Mafias have hard ugly experiences in Benin City. Go and ask British Captain Phillips as far back as 1897 what they got from local generals Asoro, Eboikhimwin and Ologbosere. He is the British soldier you see his statute near Sokponmba road at Ring Road with arrows to his heart by the Benin war Lords.

With us here, the tree of freedom cannot grow untill it is watered with the blood of tyrants. That is what we do. Navy Captain Onyeregbulam, the former Bendel State Governor and Gen Agbazika who was also a Military Governor here will testify to that.

More interestingly, don't forget that this State have produced the likes of Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Tony Anenih (Mr Fix it) Chief Tom Ikimi, Vice Admiral Augustus Aikhomu that survived as Deputy to Gen IBB (the Maradona) Most of them from Esan land where Barr Asue Ighodalo with intimidating credentials and not too intelligent Monday Okpeholo comes from . Asue Ighodalo is a God son of the sleeky Godwin Obaseki. It is going to be battle of the Titans.

Chief Bello Omo Osagie (B2), Dr Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion (the Esama of Benin Kingdom) Senator Adams Oshiomhole are also from this same Edo State and they have their foot soldiers on ground.

From this background, with the records of Revered Oba Akenzua II, Oba Erediawa, Oba Ewuare Ogidigan II, (all three though not politicians) but they Royally make Edo Politics and Governance thick. It is their domain. Edo is not Lagos.

Therefore, only a MAFIA can upturn the apple cart in a situation like this. However, Edo State appears tired of political gangsters. The South African president on 5th June, 2024 while addressing the press said that he doesn't want to be a president produced by thugs so that he won't become a thug.

The big question is "Can we dare the MAFIA"?
Before you say yes or no, let me tell you who a MAFIA is and what he seek to protect.

A MAFIA is a click of powerful individuals, pursuing their narrow, selfish interest. Like an octopus with 8 legs, They are in every sector and are as diverse as the society in which they operate all over the world. Have you heard of ITALIAN MAFIA? THE ISREALI MAFIA? THE MEXICAN DRUG MAFIA? AND THE KADUNA MAFIA IN NIGERIA ?

They rule every society and the bigger the sector it plays, the bigger the mafia.The more powerful it becomes, the more vicious, the more selfish and more individualistic the character reveals.

No mafia rules in the interest of the generality, though that is what they pretend to do most times.

The truth is that it would not be what it is if the welfare of the masses was its primary preoccupation. Take a look at Nigerian Senators and Politicians and the National bread and ask yourself if the welfare of the masses is their preoccupation. The answer is no.

The rule of the mafia is antithetical to the general good of the people which genuine democracy is all about and seeks to promote. But we are opposite people and l say it loud.

Profit is the major motive and motivating factor that drives the mafia. The more money they have, the more they are influential in the society.

The mafia is a kindred, a brotherhood, the brotherhood of power and greed.

There's nothing like ethnic or territorial boundary for the mafia, even religion is not an exception.

The network is efficient and the link is iron-tight. You need a double skin to dare the mafia. Do not say that l didn't tell you. They will throw anything at you including a freshly bathed hook. They throw it at any direction their instinct tells them the enemy is hiding.

Do you remember the Ejigbo plane crash that consumed close to 30 young military Captains and majors? With the mafia, self and group survival is the ultimate. Another man head na garawa (Bucket)

The mafias are united in the pulsating enterprise of wealth pursuit usually at the expense of the larger society.

Recently, someone posted a picture and an article by Ayo Ojeniyi showing Aliko Dangote on cruise in his Yatcht in Lagos waters enjoying Sallah meat. The people with him were:

Femi Otedola, Segun Awolowo, Donald Duke, Charles Ahize, Sam Nwajokwu, Tude Ayeni and Dangote himself. Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and Efik man who are muslims and christians. All billionaires united by business interest. No religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation.

Meanwhile, the poor masses, mainly youths are killing themselves for religion and politics even in small communities over crumbs from the master's table.

After elections, they go back to the slums of Ajegunle, Mushin, lsale Eko, Upper Sokponba and under bridge in Lagos and Onitsha.

The mafia is a family of ruthless businessmen and politicians far knitted than the rest of the society can imagine.

That is why they can dance, sing and dramatize like Dino Melaye, Nyesom Wike, Adams Oshiomhole , Adeleke and even the shaky shaky Baba Tinubu, (Our Lagos boy that dobale at Democracy day to respect his ancestors)
Yes, presidents do slip. Joe Biden of America slipped and fell during Air force passing out parade in America. But here, the Eagle Square is now the ancestral shrine of Tinubu to dobale for his ancestors as a Yoruba boy but president of Nigeria.

Don't kill a man that says nothing because there might be something ominous behind his silence.

Again, whether Jonah swallowed fish or fish swallowed Jonah, the important thing was there was a swallow. Our president slipped and fell and was helped back to his feet slowly by equally old men.

They are all old men. Even those who are 85 years are appointed to chancellorship of governing councils of universties in 2024. These people are sick in mind and body. lt is a hold to office by the Mafia.

What played out at Eagle Square is man's inability to cheat nature no matter how much we try.

Why so much noise? When did Nigerians become so caring about their old and elderly? I see the way old people are treated by conductors at bus stops in Lagos, by health workers at LUTH, UBTH, UNTH, pension offices and ministries during screening exercises.

I know that most of us can drive past a woman in labour by the road side. We abuse elders in our communities.

William Gladstone, a former British prime minister once said " Show me the respect a country has for its dead, and l will tell you with mathematical exactness the respect it has for the laws of the land" How much care do we have for the living here? That do not matter to the mafia.

What joins the Mafia is far more important than what divides them.That is why they can change camp easily and can sacrifice any body for their personal and business interest.

There are political mafia and economic mafia. It is more dangerous when they are combined in few people like we have in Nigeria at the moment. They are like lions. Lions don't have table manners when what is at stake concerns their interest. It is woe unto you if you dare them. They may have some amorous tendencies but don't take them for granted. It could be between a political father and his political son. The mafia is not a friend of the society.

They made use of innocent looking thing like envelope untill death leapt out of it on the laps of Mr Dele Giwa of Newswatch in form of parcel letter bomb in 1986 under Gen Babangida and Col Tunde Akogun's watch. IBB turned 80 a few days back. But we have not forgotten.

Dele Giwa told Dr Ore Falomo at first foundation Medical Centre, that he doesn't want to die. But the man died and his investigative journalism instincts interred with his bones in his village at Ugbekpe Ekperi in Edo State. That Edo man had a date with the Mafia. The mafia work can look simple, it could be simple tea for a man like Chief MKO Abiola after Kofi Anna, the Secretary general of United Nations visited him in Custody. It could be innocent looking apple for the dark goggle General Sani Abacha or parceled letter bomb for Dele Giwa. These were MAFIA jobs executed with clinical detachment.

The mafia is a ruthless collaboration of locusts swiftly and jointly attacking the HONEY POT or NATIONAL BREAD at the expense of the larger Society.

The Mafias create some happy slaves amongst us and you may be one of such happy slaves. We know them from the ways they are talking and dancing around now. To convert a slave to a free born is not a day affair. Now that they have sent you messages to go and deliver to Edo people as slaves in the name of campaigns, go and deliver the message as a freeborn in the interest of unborn generations of Edo people.

Do you know any person or group of persons in your Community, Local Government or State that is a mafia by deeds, utterances and association? Keep it to yourself as you walk the bumpy road towards the election. But watch and pray as the bible says. Don't close your eyes.

I have not forgotten the pain inflicted on me and the Edomwonyi Idahosa family of Egbokor when Engr Festus ldahosa, 33 and my cousin was shot dead a day after we ate together, by political thugs at the last presidential election at a polling boot in Ogheghe. They were arrested and in custody awaiting trial. Meanwhile, their Godfather is walking free in the street of Benin and Abuja.

In political crises, the mafia and his business interest is not immuned to loss, pain and death. I have witnessed many.

God bless Nigeria.