Days after Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole was severely castigated on various social media platforms for using abusive words on a widow resident in Benin, the Edo State capital, the conscience-struck governor on Monday personally apologised to the widow.
In addition, he also gave the widow N2 million and promised to sponsor the education of her second son.
Oshiomhole had told Mrs. Joy Ifije to “go and die” at a time when he was visibly angry that the woman had engaged in street-trading. He also ordered and monitored the confiscation of her goods by security men in his team.
While this was going on, the young woman was pleading in tears, urging the governor to have mercy on her, as shown in the video posted on various internet sites over the weekend, and she told the governor she was a widow. But the infuriated governor said: “You are a widow? Go and die”.
Almost immediately the news and video spread, many Nigerians, both within and outside the country, pledged to assist the woman as they rained criticisms on the governor for such utterance at a woman already challenged.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state which slammed the governor, asked Mrs. Ifije to visit its office for a first instalment of N250, 000.
But the governor, who first apologised on Saturday, invited the woman on Monday to the Government House where he tendered an unreserved apology and gave her the sum after offering her a job.
“Let me apologise to you for the way I spoke to you; I am very sorry about the statement”, Oshiomhole said.
“I have also realised that even in anger, one could still achieve the same result that he set out to without provocative outburst. I apologise from the bottom of my heart, but sometimes you get angry when people compromise your efforts”.
He agreed that he made the comment out of anger and frustration, and that while trying to make the state great, his efforts were being thwarted by the same people for whom he was working.
He also said street-trading is being discouraged in the state for the safety of the residents and easy access of roads by motorists. He appealed to the woman to join the campaign against street trading in the state.
The widow, who also apologised to the governor, said she knew she was wrong and that was why she knelt down and was weeping before the governor on the day of the incident. She promised to make good use of the money and join the campaign against street trading in the state.
