Edo knows Osagie, And Osagie knows Edo. "The Senate demands voices that understand both Abuja and the village. It demands men who can translate the hammer of Igun, the nets of Gele-Gele, and the ledgers of Ekiosa into policy that protects and promotes".

 2027 IN PROSPECT —  Edo Knows Osagie:

By Jeffery Amada

In Edo South, names carry weight. They carry memory. And when you mention Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, heads nod with recognition. Not the distant recognition of billboards or jingles, but the kind that comes from years of walking the same roads, breathing the same red dust, and sharing the same hopes. Edo knows Osagie.

Ask the blacksmiths at Igun Street in Benin City, where generations have turned bronze and iron into heritage. They know him as the man who never passes without greeting, who speaks of preserving craft and culture as a path to wealth for the next generation. To them, he is not a stranger to tradition. He is a son of the soil who understands that Igun’s hammer and fire are not just art, they are identity.

Go to the quarries in Ovia North East, where stone is broken by hand and by will. The workers there know Osagie as the leader who listens first. He has sat with them, heard their concerns about safety, access, and fair value for their labor. For men and women who build the very foundations of our cities, that kind of presence matters. They know him as one who sees dignity in hard work.

Travel down to the waters of Gele-Gele in Ovia South West. The fishermen who rise before dawn know Osagie by his long standing advocacy for riverine communities. They recall his voice on issues of pollution, access to markets, and youth empowerment along the waterways. In Gele-Gele, a man’s word is tested by the tides. His has endured.

Then walk through the markets that feed Edo South. At Ekiosa, where tomatoes, peppers, and daily bargains set the rhythm of the city, the traders know him. At Oregbeni and Oliha, where fabric and provisions change hands from morning till night, his name is familiar. At New Benin, the great heartbeat of commerce in the metropolis, stall owners speak of a man who understands that the market is more than trade. It is family, survival, and the education of the next child. He is not campaigning to discover these places. He grew with them.

This is Edo South. Benin City, the ancient capital, known for its bronze, its moats, and its proud monarchy. Ugbowo, home to the University of Benin and the restless energy of students and scholars. Uselu, with its history and its bustling commerce. Ekenhuan and Oluku, each a hub of enterprise, farming, and community life. Ovia South West with its oil, rivers, and fishing settlements. Ovia North East with its quarries, timber, and farmlands. From the highlands to the waterways, the people are diverse but their verdict on leadership is simple: we know who is ours.

That is why the call for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to represent Edo South in the Senate come 2027 rings loud. He is not an experiment. He is not a stranger seeking introduction. He is a son of the soil whose story is woven into the streets, the markets, the workshops, and the rivers of this land. 

The Senate demands voices that understand both Abuja and the village. It demands men who can translate the hammer of Igun, the nets of Gele-Gele, and the ledgers of Ekiosa into policy that protects and promotes. Edo has seen many seasons. In this season, the people are saying clearly: we know Osagie, and we know he is worthy Senate material.

Edo knows Osagie. And Osagie knows Edo.

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