Senator Uzamere: Unflinching, Unwavering, Undaunted @ 68

Senator Ehigie Edobor Uzamere was understandably a little subdued on the morning of Thursday, June 1, 2023, his 68^th birthday.

Earlier in the week, a political associate, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Nigeria’s pioneer private broadcaster had died. Hours before Dokpesi’s death on Monday, May 29, 2023 became public knowledge, Senator Uzamere had himself suffered a personal loss when his cousin, Major General Idowu Uzamere Rtd passed away.

So for the senator, the deaths of the two prominent Edo sons hours apart were like a double blow given his relationship to the two men.

While the pain of the death of Major General Uzamere was understandably personal, Senator Uzamere’s relationship with Dokpesi was also known to some, but not in whole. Besides being a political collaborator in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the two were among the closest to the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku is among the prominent Nigerian citizens to have visited the Dokpesi family over the death. Last year when Uzamere was 67, Atiku was among a few close personal and political associates who were present to cheer the former senator in his Ebitu Ukiwe Street, residence in Abuja.

Even more, Dokpesi was a pioneer in private broadcasting, a vocation that Senator Uzamere delved into following his two-term stint in the Senate.

However, the gloom of death is not one that will easily erase the prominence and pride that Ehigie Edobor Uzamere has brought to his generation.

His record of being the first and only senator from Edo South to win and serve out two complete terms in the Senate will in the next few days be matched by the incumbent. However, his peculiar record of winning the Edo South Senate seat from two opposing political parties is one that, however, may be more difficult to equal.

That unique feat of winning the Senate seat on the platform of the PDP in 2007 and then in 2011 through the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the precursor of the APC in Edo State, underlines the charm and cheers that make the Uzamere persona. An enemy to none, a friend to all, both young and old.

Uzamere’s philosophical defence of Benin tradition sometimes expressed in flowing poetic ventilations has made him a cultural visioner of sorts in the political arena to the extent that his scripts whether on social media or elsewhere is much of a fascination to his followers.

His erudite defence of Benin customs and the Oba’s court has in no way hindered his network of political and personal relationships across tongue and tribe in Nigeria.

Indeed, those who know say that the human facilitators of his political career, business enterprises  and other attainments have come from outside Benin. However, Uzamere has remained unflinching in his attachment to his people.

He is also one not quick to forget friends whether dead or detained.

An example is his relationship with the late Benin multi-billionaire, Captain Hosa Okunbo with whom he shared a mutual friendship despite oscillating political inclinations.

When the late Captain Okunbo’s mother died and was buried last month, Senator Uzamere became a rallying point for friends of the late captain in giving his mother a befitting burial, an action that showed his commitment to a friend even in death.

Similarly, for whatever reason, Uzamere was generally believed to be a key of sorts to cracking the late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha while he faced the scrutiny of Federal Government agencies reportedly on the instruction of President Oluseugn Obasanjo.

Uzamere was reported to have refused despite entreaties and detentions to betray the late Alamieyeseigha. His faithfulness was said to have won him the begrudging approval of President Obasanjo who saw him as a friend indeed to the former governor even in his troubles.

it is thus understandable that at a time when he ordinarily should be celebrating that the dark clouds arising from the deaths of Dokpesi and his cousin, and also, the travails of Atiku Abubakar would subdue him.

However, for all those who have known and associated with Senator Ehigie Edobor Uzamere we can only wish him a deserved Happy Birthday.

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