Kogi gov rallies Nigerians in diaspora behind Tinubu’s reform

Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo has called on Nigerians living in the United Kingdom to actively support President Bola Tinubu's economic reforms and to channel their investments and expertise towards the development of Kogi State and Nigeria. Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting with Kogites and other Nigerians in London, Ododo stressed that the nation's future hinges on the collective efforts of its citizens, both within the country and in the diaspora.

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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.

Governor Ododo encouraged the diaspora community to become active partners in nation-building, urging them to bring home not only investments but also their ideas, expertise, innovation, and global networks. He stated that nations are transformed by the knowledge, values, and vision citizens bring back, not just by financial remittances. The governor also highlighted the unity deliberately fostered in Kogi State over the past decade as the bedrock of its rapid transformation, noting how the populace has moved beyond ethnic and religious divisions for a shared vision of development.

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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.

He lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his courageous decisions, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange market, which he believes have bolstered the financial capacity of states. This increased capacity, Ododo explained, enables governments to invest more in critical sectors like infrastructure, education, and healthcare. The governor also pointed to federal interventions, including the approval of the Kogi International Airport and the Kogi Free Trade Zone, as key drivers of the state's progress.

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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.