By Simeon OSAJIE
The Oredo Federal House of Representatives Candidate on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Osamwonyi William Irowa has described his candidacy as the best man fit to represents Oredo at the Green Chamber of the National Assembly based on his competence, the expertise, the experience, tested and trusted by way of his past performances over the years.
Dr. Irowa stated this in Benin while speaking to The9JaTREND on his plan to represents the good people of Oredo Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
He the good people of Oredo Constituency said that for the past three decades, he have thriving private practice that has touched lives and have delivered over 5,000 children, even in his own small private practice, not to talk of the ones he did while he was in government.
“For the past three decades, I’ve persistently remained in this town. I was born in Oredo. I grew up in Oredo. I attended my primary school, secondary school, and university in Oredo. That shows passion for a place.
“And beyond that is the fact that having gone through everything, I came and established my life here. Having gone through the civil service where I went to the highest level as Permanent Secretary, I have a thriving private practice that has touched lives. I’ve delivered over 5,000 children, even in my own small private practice, not to talk of the ones I did while I was in government.
“So on that note, I have a passion that I cannot let just die. It is about my future and the future of all Oredo persons that we must live good life.”
The specialist obstetrician, gynaecologist, and the Chief Medical Director of Irowa Medical Centre in Benin noted that over the years, it has been so painful that we watch while thinking that other people would do it, and things have just gradually gone down noting that “this was not how I grew up in this town. I grew up in a very beautiful town that was a dream for everybody.”
“I remember anybody you hear or you tell that you are from Oredo or you are from Benin City, they start celebrating you. They just start celebrating because you are from the best place. So why would I wait and keep expecting other people to do it who have not done it to get things corrected? So I decided to come out by myself to come and show that it can be done well.
“The idea of being a politician and being converted into somebody that must be celebrated just without bringing results is gone. So we want to play politics with the difference and that’s why I came in to the field to say yes, let’s do it together. Together if all of you support and give us the mandate, Oredo would be a better place for all.
“You can imagine what we would do if I could do it as an individual for myself and for the people that are around me who said I can’t do greater things. I can promise you I am not the type that can bend based on circumstances.
“We want to also continue in their legacy. He has started and many other Edo people have been performing and we don’t want to be seen as spectators in the scene and then complaining. No, the era of complaining is over. It’s the era of reversing the destroyed or broken system to returning back to the glory that we all grew up in Oredo. That’s why I’m coming out.
“I am as simple as you’re seeing me. I’m a well-read person, medical practitioner. Actually, I’m a medical doctor, a specialist gynaecologist and also a public health physician.
“I’m a retired civil servant and retired as a Permanent Secretary. I’m a successful private entrepreneur. Somebody who has done good business, who grew a practice from nothing to the great thing that you are seeing as Irowa Medical Centre today.
“I’m also the person that if you google the name of Irowa Medical Centre, it is already obvious to everybody. It’s online and you can check it. It’s one of the best hospitals in those states. I grew that thing from nothing to something. That is what I’m bringing on board so that we can all see that with the best hands on board, you can get the best. So, we cannot send the shafts to the system and expect the best to come out of it.”
The Chief Medical Director of Irowa Medical Centre who stated that he was born in Akpakpava, attended Aruosa Primary School, Eghosa Grammar School and University of Benin disclosed that he has multiple trainings beyond his qualifications.
“First, one of the things I will try to do and I will do by God’s grace is to change the narrative from the typical thing you’re used to see of politicians. In Oredo, we have issues of empowerment for young people, women and even men. Those things are lacking today. Many persons are just roaming the streets trying to look for jobs and why is the job not there? Because there are no activities that are friendly to the people who are residing in Oredo.
“For instance, if you were doing infrastructural developments that are significant, there will be engagement of persons both young and old, including traders. If we attract things that would make Oredo viable in terms of well-being of people and in terms of tourism that we all know.
“In Oredo, things that would put young people together are not really so much present. Right now in Oredo, you don’t have a youth centre that you can really go to that’s all-encompassing. For instance, you can sit down there, your children are playing, you as the fathers and mothers, you are relaxing and eventually everybody’s happy to have a time outside your home. It’s not there,” he said.
On his plans for the good people of Oredo if emerged as member of the Green Chamber of the National Assesmbly, Dr. Irowa said, “We’ll try and bring things like that based on our role as constituency projects if possible that is available at that level of where I am going to. But beyond that, we’ll do legislation as much as possible as a routine, which is my role as a legislator. But beyond that, I will make sure that the health system of Oredo will be upgraded enough by way of ensuring that every nook and cranny has at least a primary health care centre, which is readily affordable and accessible for people to use to remain healthy and be able to become more productive than we see.
“A healthy man is a productive person, that’s the humble truth. And beyond all that, the culture of this Oredo must be preserved. We will do everything to preserve the culture by way of interfacing with those who are the constituents of the culture, from production of artwork, carvings, bronze work, and also ensuring that they are all made attractive for the whole world to keep celebrating.
“We have been celebrating all these years each time we hear of artefacts. What is artefact? They are the handiwork of our own people, our normal, the regular Oredo people. Let me use the word Oredo, they’re actually Oredo people. They did all this in the years past. Now we must sustain those things. So those who are into those artworks, we look at everything possible to bring them on board.
“Then when it comes to education, which is the strength, I was able to get that education, that’s why I’m able to be who I am today; I will ensure that people are given these opportunities to go to school even when they are not as privileged as some others. It doesn’t have to be public schools.
“There are things that we can do by way of providing scholarships, ensuring that the public schools are functional, support the public schools to run. We also drag people in from everywhere because government sometimes cannot do it alone. So we use our well-known capacity we built over decades to say yes, please come and support us in Oredo, come and partner with us so that we can do great things for our people.
“And these are many other things that we intend to do. By God’s grace, the mandate is already mine. And if we start, you will not be told the story, you will feel the story.
“You will just be part of it and everybody will be involved in getting things done. We will not let our capital fly to another territory. Our capital will remain here and we draw in more from outside because actually in every economy, if you have people who know what they are doing, you are producing and buying, you are doing this and doing that.
“We will just find ourselves having enough resources. We don’t have to go too far to be happy. We are happy people, we all know that, and peace-loving people, and very welcoming people.
“So we will sustain those qualities that will make people come to Oredo. And that’s one of those things I want to show that when I get in there, I will sustain and revitalize all those areas we had challenges in. So these are many other things I intend to do when I get there.
“Your message of hope for Oredo people? The future is very bright, the future is very bright. See, the future is so bright that if people like us are on the seats, just like he said in the Bible, when the righteous rule, the poor will rejoice. So for me, if I get in there, you will see the impact.
“If I could do it as an individual, I would do greater things even when I’m given the empowerment of the federal might alongside with the partnership of all of you that will vote for me.”