It was a harvest of encomiums for the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State as former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan; former Governor of Sokoto State and Senator for Sokoto South, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal; and former governors of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and Odigie Oyegun, among other prominent leaders, took turns on Wednesday to shower praise on him for his sterling and impactful leadership in Edo State over the last eight years.
The past leaders celebrated the governor for his commitment to the welfare of the Edo people, prioritizing nuanced reforms and projects across various sectors of the state’s economy.
Governor Obaseki was particularly hailed for his unmatched performance in the areas of health, education, economy, and infrastructure, which, they noted, had significantly impacted and improved the lives of Edo citizens.
They spoke when the governor led them to the commissioning of the newly rebuilt and expanded 250-bed Stella Obasanjo Hospital, the Crèche, and the Food Court at the State Secretariat Complex, among other projects, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Others at the event included the Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Professor Darlington Obaseki; the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki; Chief of Staff to the Edo State Governor, Osaigbovo Iyoha; former First Lady of Cross River State, Obioma Imoke; wife of the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2024 governorship election, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo; Provost of the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences (ESCNS), Prof. Patricia Ukaigwe; members of the State’s Executive Council; and traditional rulers, among others.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, while commending Governor Obaseki for his multisectoral reforms over the last eight years, described the governor as a builder who had impacted the lives of his people.
“I want to thank you for remembering my late wife, Stella Obasanjo. I was here before, and coming here now, what I see is wonderful. You are not only a builder but also a reformer who has positively impacted the lives of your people,” Obasanjo said.
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Reminiscing about the construction and naming of the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, and commending the governor for prioritizing its rebuilding and expansion, the former president noted, “When this hospital was established 17 years ago, it was to keep the memory of my late wife. By honoring her, you are also honoring me.”
Describing the governor as a pacesetter, Obasanjo further advised political leaders to focus on quality and efficient service in whatever responsibility they are given at the national, state, or local government level, with an emphasis on human capital development.
On her part, the former First Lady of Nigeria, while commending the governor for the project, said Obaseki had restored hope to the people of the state while repositioning Edo as a hub for quality and affordable healthcare services in the country.
“The newly rebuilt Stella Obasanjo Hospital is a testament to the power of a visionary leader and a commitment to building a strong, healthy state and nation,” she said.
“This hospital has become a shining example of what can be accomplished for the well-being of our people. We commend you for this great effort, and we can see the realization of your dream to deliver quality and accessible healthcare.
“This is a testament to establishing Edo State as a regional hub for quality and affordable healthcare services, bringing hope to the people of Edo.”
According to Mrs. Jonathan, “This hospital will serve as a reference center, bridging the gap between primary healthcare and specialized healthcare, and ensuring that everyone, irrespective of their background, will receive the care they need.
“I thank the governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and the people of the state for preserving the legacy of our late First Lady through this hospital. The efforts of this hospital will not only improve healthcare but raise the bar for effective service delivery in our nation, Nigeria.”
In his response, Governor Obaseki, while outlining the impact of his government’s reforms and projects across various sectors of the state, said his government had delivered all the promises made to the people of Edo State and had placed the state on the path of sustainable growth and development.
“This is not just about infrastructure; it is about sharing human values of compassion, care, and hope; that is what this facility is all about,” he said.
“I didn’t realize how bad our healthcare system was until COVID-19 hit the world. It was the turning point for us, as nobody could move, even the wealthiest among us. I said to my God that if He helped us through COVID-19, I would do something remarkable for our healthcare system and our people in Edo State.
“We developed a health improvement plan for Edo during COVID-19 with the goal of becoming a healthcare hub. COVID-19 helped us mobilize over 5,000 doctors to help us respond to the pandemic, but what was missing was a plan to tie our health facilities together.”
Obaseki continued, “Healthcare is not just about hospitals or facilities; it’s also about human capital to help people. It’s expensive, but we must find a way to finance it. We redesigned our healthcare program through our health improvement scheme.
“The primary healthcare system is the first contact with our citizens, and we set up the Primary Healthcare Agency. Today, we have the most viable primary healthcare system in Nigeria. We have refurbished 60 primary healthcare centers, and our goal is to ensure that each ward in the state has one.”
“We focused on human capacity—doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. Most of our health institutions had lost accreditation, so we focused on rebuilding them. We rebuilt our school of nursing, and it is now the best in Nigeria today.”
“We also rebuilt the School of Health Technology that produces the bulk of staff for our primary healthcare centers. Last week, we matriculated the first set of students. In a few years, we will produce the necessary manpower for the health sector in Edo State and Nigeria.”
The governor further stated, “We focused on health financing and started the Edo Health Insurance Scheme. Today, we have the most viable health insurance scheme in Nigeria, with over 300,000 citizens under our program.
“Chief Igbinedion acquired this property and set up this hospital, which was rundown when he left office. We used it for COVID-19 treatment and isolation and decided to upgrade and rebuild it to provide specialist care, as it sits on 20 hectares of land.”
He noted that the upgrade and expansion of the world-class facility were part of efforts by his government to make the state a hub for medical tourism, adding, “We brought down the Central Hospital and moved the core of medical facilities here.”
Expressing displeasure over the detention of the state’s Accountant General and other signatories to the state’s account, Obaseki said, “This hospital will be viable, but I wonder if those who come after us will build on what we have started. Today, I am not a happy man because my contractors have slowed down work because Edo has not been able to function properly. The Accountant General and all those signatories to Edo State’s account have been abducted by the EFCC, and I can’t act, even though I am still the governor.”
He charged, “My advice to political leaders is that we will not know the day we will fall ill and need facilities like this. For those of our brothers who go to Abuja trying to spoil what we are doing in Edo State, I pray you don’t need the services provided here. As political leaders, we should step back and look at our people, not our narrow political interests.”
