Okpebholo Urges Edo Diaspora To Return Home, Invest as Partners in Development

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has called on Edo indigenes living abroad to return home as investors, professionals and partners in the state’s development, saying his administration is laying the foundation for a safer, more prosperous and investment-friendly Edo.

Speaking on Friday night at a diaspora meet-and-greet in London titled *Shine Beyond Borders*, the governor urged members of the Edo diaspora to see themselves not as distant observers but as active participants in shaping the state’s future. He pointed to improvements in infrastructure, security, and governance as evidence that Edo is changing and ready to welcome investment, innovation, and skilled professionals.

Rather than delivering a formal government speech, Governor Okpebholo described the gathering as a family conversation, acknowledging the emotional bond many Edo people abroad still have with their ancestral home despite years of living overseas

“Some of you left Edo as children. Some of you have never even seen Edo, but you grew up hearing the names of your communities from your parents,” he said. “That is true love that has survived oceans.”

Addressing those who have never visited Edo, he extended what he described as a personal invitation. “To those of you here who have never seen your ancestral home, I invite you to come back, not as visitors, but as owners.”

The governor said the state is looking beyond remittances and wants to tap into the expertise, professional networks, and investment capacity of Edo people living overseas. He noted that the state has established a Diaspora Agency and appointed a Special Adviser on Diaspora Affairs, with additional appointments expected as part of efforts to strengthen engagement with Edo communities across Europe, North America and other parts of the world.

According to him, the administration is keen to build lasting partnerships that will encourage diaspora professionals to contribute to healthcare, education, technology, manufacturing, agriculture and entrepreneurship while also creating opportunities for younger generations of Edo people.

Central to his presentation was the message that “A New Edo has Risen,” which is the hub of his administration’s SHINE Agenda. This is a five-pillar development framework focused on security, health, infrastructure, natural resources and agriculture, and education.

He highlighted the Ramat Park Flyover in Benin City, the state’s first flyover, as a landmark project that reflects the administration’s commitment to modern infrastructure. According to him, the public response to the project, including videos shared on social media showing residents visiting the structure, demonstrates growing confidence in the government’s development efforts.

Beyond Benin City, the governor pointed to major transport projects expected to improve connectivity within Edo and across neighboring states. He said the Ekpoma-Auchi section of the Benin-Okene Highway is being reconstructed with concrete pavement after years of neglect, while the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has been extended by 100 kilometres through Edo State after the state was initially excluded from the alignment. He argued that these projects would strengthen economic activity, reduce travel time, improve movement of goods, and attract private investment into the state.

The governor said the progress being recorded in infrastructure should serve as one of the key measures by which his administration is assessed, adding that visible projects are replacing promises with measurable results. He also credited President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies, with improving the financial capacity of state governments to execute projects.

“The era of Governors queuing up for bailouts in Abuja before they could pay workers’ salaries is over. Today, states have more money not only for salaries but enough to undertake infrastructural development as can be witnessed in Edo state in recent times,” he said.

On security, the governor said his administration has prioritised stopping the perennial killings by rival cult groups with measures aimed at tackling kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes that affected parts of the state before his assumption of office. He listed the approval of an Army Forward Operation Base, the establishment of the MOPOL 82 Squadron, the recruitment of 500 Forest Guards and the recent federal approval for a new Army Division to be located in Edo State among the major steps taken to strengthen security.

According to him, these initiatives demonstrate growing collaboration between the state and the federal government while providing additional support for conventional security agencies operating across Edo. He said improved security remains essential to attracting both local and foreign investment, noting that businesses thrive only where lives and property are adequately protected.

Turning to the role of Edo people abroad, Governor Okpebholo encouraged members of the diaspora to become ambassadors for the state by promoting its strengths and opportunities while remaining constructive in their critic “Avoid always speaking negative about the land of your forefathers because there is no place like home,” he said.

He urged them to assess the administration based on what is happening on the ground rather than narratives circulating on social media. “Judge our administration by our performance and not from online mischiefs and propaganda.”

At the same time, the governor acknowledged that the government does not have all the answers and that development is a continuous process requiring collaboration between public institutions, the private sector, and citizens at home and abroad. “We do not claim to have all the answers, and we know that no administration is perfect. But we remain committed to doing our best with the resources available to us.”

He invited Edo professionals and investors overseas to contribute their expertise, capital, technology, and international connections to support economic growth, assuring them that government institutions are being strengthened to provide structured channels for engagement and investment.

The London meeting also provided an opportunity for members of the diaspora to interact directly with the governor, raise concerns, and explore areas where they could support development initiatives in the state. Governor Okpebholo sees such engagements as part of a broader strategy to deepen trust between government and Edo communities living abroad while encouraging greater participation in public and economic life.

For the governor, the diaspora represents more than a source of remittances. It is a community of professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors whose knowledge, global exposure, and financial resources can contribute significantly to Edo’s long-term development if effectively harnessed.

Concluding his remarks, the governor appealed to a shared sense of responsibility among Edo people wherever they live. “Edo State belongs to all of us, and there is no better place than home. We were not raised to destroy our home; we were raised to build it.”

The London engagement forms part of the Edo State Government’s broader effort to strengthen ties with the diaspora and encourage greater participation in the state’s economic and social development. Whether through direct investment, knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship, or professional collaboration, the administration is seeking to position Edo people abroad as partners in delivering sustainable growth and expanding opportunities across the state.

As the governor acknowledged the success of that vision will depend not only on his government’s policies but also on the willingness of Edo people around the world to reconnect with their roots and contribute to building what he described as a new era of development for the state.