Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine: Vision, Passion, and Mission of a Patriot
By Charles Afe Ikhaghe
It has been said that vision without passion and mission is like a “ tinkling cymbal”. Now a tinkling cymbal falls short of its musical capacity. In other words if you harbour a vision without the potential to transform society beyond its wildest dreams, lack of an accompanying passion and mission to push the objective through in the face of all odds will ruin the project.
So a vision is as good as the passion that drives it. That is the sum of the stories of great men and women of all ages, regardless of the realm in which they operated. That principle of the formative blocks of greatness hasn’t changed in our time.
In the past many years of Sylvester, as a human right and pro – democracy activist, we are brought face to face with the moving narrative of how vision combine with passion to touch the lives of overwhelming society.
He demonstrates that it isn’t enough to possess or formulates a goal or policies.
A vision has a shadow – like twin called passion that enable it free a goal of policies from the surreal domain to the stage of actuality.
Comrade Sylvester as a pro – democracy activist identifies the centrality of sacrificial leadership for good governance. Simply put, he says leadership is about sacrifice, abounding self in the service of people and community.
“Let us embrace this vision with a man who is coming with corrective leadership, a man that will come to stop corruption”. According to Obazee a member of the APC chieftain in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State said as an individual and an indigene of Edo State resident in the state have observed Comrade Sylvester who is closely seen as a patriot committed to the course of our fatherland.
During the reign of General Abacha’s draconic regime, those who opposed his government including Comrade Sylvester, risked being killed. He is a bold man, a man of integrity, a reformer and a destiny builder. If elected as governor I saw him offaering unusual governance and uncommon results, the same results when you match a noble vision, passion and mission of a young democrat.
Charles Afe Ikhaghe, a public commentator contributed this article from Benin
