By Solomon Okoduwa
Leadership is about presence. It is about going to where your people are, where the resources are, and where the opportunities lie.
That is exactly what Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo has done with his current working visit to the United Kingdom to engage Edo people in the diaspora.
This is not a jamboree. It is not tourism. It is governance in action. It is a deliberate and strategic decision to bring Edo to the table where decisions about Edo are made.
For too long, the story of Edo was told by others. For too long, policies affecting our sons and daughters abroad were made without input from Edo. That era must end, and it is ending under Governor Okpebholo.
First, no one can tell our story better than us. Governor Okpebholo understands that. He has taken the bold step to meet directly with Edo professionals, investors, academics, and community leaders in the UK. The goal is simple: to partner, to listen, and to invite them to come home and build.
Second, the Edo diaspora is not an afterthought. It is a pillar of development. The networks, capital, expertise, and goodwill that our people in the UK command are exactly what Edo needs right now for jobs, healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Engaging them is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
Third, leadership is about direction, not perfection. Governor Okpebholo may not fit the expectations of every critic, but he is doing the right thing. He is meeting the right people and taking the right steps to reposition Edo for investment, for the reintegration of our migrants, and for sustainable growth.
The criticisms and opposition to this trip were predictable. Progress will always attract resistance. But Edo people can now tell the difference between politics of distraction and politics of results.
To His Excellency, Governor Monday Okpebholo: You have shown courage. We urge you to return with concrete outcomes — signed MOUs, investment pipelines, and permanent structures for diaspora engagement that will outlive politics.
To Hon. Sylvester Aigbobo, APC Deputy State Chairman, Edo State: This is the moment for the party to rally behind this initiative. Mobilize the base, counter false narratives, and let the APC own this success. A government that engages its people abroad strengthens the party at home.
To Barr. Musa Umar Ikhilor, Secretary to the State Government: Your office must institutionalize the outcomes. We call for the immediate creation of a Diaspora Desk with clear timelines and accountability, so that agreements reached in London translate to projects in Benin, Auchi, Uromi, and across Edo.
At IYAMIDR Nigeria, we stand firmly with this initiative. We believe Edo is getting it right. We believe Governor Monday Okpebholo will succeed because he has chosen engagement over excuses, and partnership over propaganda.
We pray that this UK meeting yields investment commitments, skills transfer, and health and education partnerships that will directly benefit the good people of Edo State.
The time to build Edo is now. And building requires all of us, at home and abroad.
–Solomon Okoduwa is Executive Director, Initiative For Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration (IYAMIDR Nigeria).
