………….. Supports Tinubu’s Reforms
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has called on Kogites and Nigerians living in the United Kingdom to rally behind the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, project a positive image of Nigeria and channel their investments, expertise and global networks towards the development of Kogi State and the nation.
Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting with Kogites and Nigerians in London on Thursday, the Governor said Nigeria’s future depends on the collective efforts of its citizens both at home and abroad, urging the diaspora to become active partners in nation-building by supporting ongoing reforms and taking advantage of emerging investment opportunities in Kogi State.
Governor Ododo said the engagement was not merely an opportunity to reconnect with Kogites living abroad but a platform to strengthen collaboration between the diaspora and the state government in pursuit of sustainable development.
“You may have crossed oceans in search of opportunity, but you have not crossed beyond your identity. Wherever you excel, our homeland is honoured. Wherever you break new ground, our flag flies a little higher.
“Will we merely inherit history, or will we have the courage to make history? I believe ours is a generation called to make history.
“Bring home not only your investments, but also your ideas, your expertise, your innovation and your global networks. Nations are transformed not only by the wealth their people send home, but by the knowledge, values and vision they bring home,” the Governor said.
Governor Ododo said the unity deliberately nurtured in Kogi State over the last decade has become the foundation for the state’s rapid transformation, noting that the people have risen above ethnic and religious divisions to pursue a shared vision of development.
According to him, the progress recorded in the state demonstrates what can be achieved when people place the common good above sectional interests.
“There was a time when our differences were exploited against us. Today, we understand that poverty has no tribe, hunger has no religion and underdevelopment respects no ethnicity. Our unity has become the engine of our progress,” he said.
The Governor paid tribute to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taking difficult but necessary decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy, describing the President as a courageous leader who chose reform over convenience.
He said the removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the foreign exchange market and ongoing fiscal reforms have significantly improved the financial capacity of states, enabling governments to invest more in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and other critical sectors.
Governor Ododo also highlighted key Federal Government interventions that are transforming Kogi State, including the approval of the Kogi International Airport, the Kogi Free Trade Zone, the Agricultural Processing Zone, renewed efforts to revive the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the reconstruction of strategic federal roads across the state.
He added that President Tinubu’s sustained investment in security, agriculture, solid minerals development, tax reforms and policies to improve the ease of doing business are restoring investor confidence and laying the foundation for long-term economic growth.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu chose reform over comfort. Leadership is not measured by the ease of today’s decisions but by the prosperity they create for tomorrow.
“If we were dissatisfied with past leadership, we have no reason to transfer that dissatisfaction to an administration that is already correcting the mistakes of the past. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been honest about his approach to leadership, and Nigeria can only get better if we continue to support him and his reforms,” Governor Ododo stated.
The Governor said Kogi State has translated the opportunities created by the Federal Government into visible progress through investments in road infrastructure, free education from primary to secondary school, payment of public examination fees, improved healthcare delivery, expanded health insurance coverage, agricultural mechanisation and targeted empowerment programmes for youths and women.
He noted that security remains the bedrock of development, explaining that the state’s collaboration with the Federal Government, the Office of the National Security Adviser and security agencies has created a safer environment for farming, commerce and investment.
Governor Ododo also used the occasion to promote the Kogi Rebrand Initiative, urging Kogites everywhere to become ambassadors of the state by projecting its strengths and opportunities.
“Peace is the first infrastructure of development, and we will continue to protect it.
“No nation rises above the story it tells about itself. Let us become ambassadors of hope, confidence and possibility because every positive story we tell about Kogi State and Nigeria opens another door to investment and opportunity.
“When we continually speak ill of our own country, we often end up hurting ourselves more than anyone else. Let us speak with honesty, criticise with patriotism and promote our nation with confidence,” he said.
Also speaking, the Member representing Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Salman Idris, said Governor Ododo is working closely with the Federal Government towards the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, describing the initiative as one that will redefine the economic future of Kogi State and Nigeria.
He said the Governor’s development agenda is already producing remarkable results across the state and expressed confidence that history would remember him for his bold leadership.
“Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is writing his name in gold with his development strides. I have no doubt that he will make history. I urge Kogites in the diaspora to work closely with the Governor by bringing home their investments, expertise and networks to support the development of our dear state,” Hon. Idris said.
Participants at the Town Hall Meeting commended Governor Ododo for what they described as the remarkable transformation taking place across Kogi State, applauding his administration’s achievements in infrastructure, security, education, healthcare and economic development.
They described the engagement as unprecedented, noting that it was the first time in a long while that a sitting Governor had travelled to the United Kingdom to engage directly with Kogites in the diaspora and provide a comprehensive account of developments back home.
The participants pledged to support the Governor’s administration by deploying their professional expertise, technical knowledge and global experience to the development of Kogi State while also mobilising investors to take advantage of the state’s enormous economic potential.
They also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for implementing bold reforms which, in their view, are resetting Nigeria’s economy, strengthening investor confidence and laying the foundation for sustainable growth and shared prosperity.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by Kogites in the diaspora to deepen collaboration with the Kogi State Government and contribute meaningfully to the state’s continuing transformation.