By Okosun Dennis
The race to occupy Osadebe’s House, Edo State Government House in 2024 is gathering momentum as Governorship aspirant under the auspices of Labour Party (LP), Osagie Bassey Ogbemudia, has rolled out a robust agenda to outwit other candidates to capture the sole candidateship.
Speaking with a cross-section of newsmen on Thursday, which was held at the Upscale Quarters, Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, said that Edo state has been plagued with multifarious and multidimensional problems created by past leadership, who, instead of taking the state out of the wools, plunged it into more miseries and uncertainties.
Emphasizing that responsible and responsive leadership has eluded the state, he explained that he wants to bring his experience and professionalism to bear and rescue the state from the grips of self-seeking parasitic leaders that have managed the affairs of the state poorly thereby infesting it like a behemoth.
Ogbemudia, a Sergeant/Detective at the Toronto Police Service, studied Business Administration at the York University Toronto, Canada, and has set a clear-cut agenda to revitalize ailing infrastructural decay, revamp ecological problems ecosystem, create jobs for the youths through vocational craftsmanship.
Adding that he would use his robust security experience to restore security to towns and villages for farmers to have unhindered access to their farms and for other business enterprises to thrive, he called on the Edo people to count on him to deliver the state from the economic doldrums while creating a seamless social political environment for the economic prosperity of the state.
According to the quintessential, cerebral security expert with over 20 years of experience in community policing in different areas of the Toronto Police Service, Ogbemudia said, “My experience positioned me to uniquely drive positive change and bring unity, prosperity, and development.
“Every developed society has the best security. Therefore, I will form a local security network to work in consonance with vigilantes where people can go back to the farm.
“We want to take people back safely to the farm and build a good road network to transport their goods to the city. Roads will be connected from rural areas to the City. I will support the young who want to go to the farm with soft loans to go mechanized.
“Unfortunately, poverty is endemic, 40% of youths are unemployed and education has declined. For the elementary school, I will build human capacity vis-a-vis physical infrastructure. I will remap everything as no road will be tied without a drainage system.
“Unfortunately, as developed and civilized Edo state is, there is no single flyover. I will build flyovers at strategic places. Again, erosion is killing our people. I will bring Canada to Edo state and domesticate building infrastructure, ensure drainages are opened up and places that have been blocked are opened up.
“You pay for the security you want. I will collaborate with the vigilante security service to work. I am not desperate to become the Governor of Edo state but will not do desperate things to become the Governor,” he reiterated.
On cult and human trafficking, Osagie Bassey Ogbemudia explained that as things are presently composed in the state, there is the need to engage the cult groups in a sincere conversation that would galvanize a change and stop insipid clashes that have led to the deaths of innocent people.
“We know the cult groups. We shall engage them. We shall look at the immediate and long-term solutions to cult problems. When the youths are trained in vocational services, educated, and gainfully employed, it will be difficult to ask such a person to join a cult. Some join the cult for protection.”
On technology, he emphasized, “We are backward and primitive. I will bring Toronto- Canada to Edo state. I will not do what every other person is doing. Children will be taught how to use a computer. We are not building an industrial hub.
On whether he will grab the party slot and gain the acceptance of his people, Ogbemudia explained “I will go from local government to the other to sell my ideas. I am deeply rooted in local politics and have participated in everything at the local and state levels. I will not bribe my way to do but will do my best. After all, my people are not rejecting me.”
He called on the media to play a symbiotic role by investigating and exposing candidates that have questionable character.
However, he decried the police’s inability to investigate sexual crimes hence the judiciary needs reinvigoration for optimal performance. “We have a system that makes it difficult for the police to investigate some critical cases. Can the police investigate sexual offenses/rape?
“You can’t blame the judiciary because the police system is not well structured. If you don’t carry out a proper investigation, the judiciary will be handicapped because if the police are doing their work properly, some of the judges will be arrested. No developed country doesn’t have a good police system.
“We need to pay for the law enforcement we want. I will make sure Edo State will be the baking ground of progress. Therefore, we need collective support and visionary leaders.”
Ogbemudia Bassey Osagie is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Uhi Security Services Limited Worldwide. Uhi Security provides innovative security services to government agencies, corporations, and private individuals across Nigeria as one way of contributing positively to the development of Nigeria.
Ogbemudia Bassey Osagie is a Sergeant /Detective at the Toronto Police Service. He attended Akugbe Primary School, Uhi where he bagged his Primary School leaving certificate.
The security tactician studied Business Administration at York University Toronto, Canada, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1999.
The quintessential, highly decorated, cerebral, and well-trained security expert was born in Uhi Town to Mr. Aikoriegie Osagie of Uhi and Imasienaye Eriamiatoe Osagie of Obagie both in Uhunmwode local Government council of Edo State.
Mr. Osagie joined the Toronto Police Service in June 1998 as a Court officer assigned to the Ontario Superior Court as a member of the security team for judges, crown prosecutors, prisoners, and members of the public.
He was hired as a police officer in December 2000 and graduated from the Ontario Police College in April 2001. He was elevated to 4th class Police Constable in May 2001 and then first class Police Constable in 2004.
He was then assigned to 32 Division where he served in the Primary Response Unit, Alternative Response Unit, Community Response Unit, Divisional Warrant Officer, Detective Constable in the Major Crime Unit, and the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
He has also served in the Street Violence Task Force, Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (T.A.V.I.S), and Human Resources Management (Background Investigation of Candidate).
Following his amazing on-the-job exploits, Osagie was promoted to the rank of Sergeant/Detective in 2011 making him the highest-ranking Nigerian-born police officer with the Toronto Police Service. As a result of his promotion, Bassey was assigned to 12 Division where he served as a road Supervisor and a Detective in the Criminal Investigation Bureau responsible for Divisional investigation of Financial Crimes, Assault, Youth Violence, Gun Violence, frauds, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Robberies and other criminal offenses. He has also been a Supervisory Officer assigned to the Divisional Policing Support Unit (2014 – 2018 DPSU). DPSU is responsible for Toronto Police Community Outreach, Youth Programs, Countering Violence Extremism, Focus Situation Table, Auxiliary Programs, Threat Assessments, and School Lockdowns. He is the Toronto Police Service Representative at the Toronto Youth Cabinet at City Hall.
He is also a recipient of the 2015 Black History Month Community Award by then Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty.
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