Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has called on Kogites and Nigerians living in the United Kingdom to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms, project a positive image of Nigeria abroad, and channel their investments and expertise into the development of Kogi State.
The Governor made the call on Thursday at a Town Hall Meeting with Kogites and Nigerians in London, describing the event as a platform to deepen collaboration between the diaspora and the state government.
“You may have crossed oceans in search of opportunity, but you have not crossed beyond your identity. Wherever you excel, our homeland is honoured,” Ododo told the gathering, urging attendees to bring home not just money but ideas, innovation and global networks.
According to a statement issued by Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, participants said it was the first time in a long while that a sitting Kogi governor had travelled to the UK to engage directly with the diaspora and account for developments back home.
Ododo credited the state’s recent transformation to a deliberate push over the past decade to move beyond ethnic and religious divisions. He argued that Kogi’s progress shows what is possible when communities set aside sectional interests in favour of shared development goals, noting that poverty, hunger and underdevelopment do not respect tribe or religion.
The Governor devoted much of his address to defending the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market. He said these measures, while difficult, have expanded states’ financial capacity to invest in infrastructure, education, healthcare and agriculture.
He pointed to several federal interventions he said are reshaping Kogi State’s economy. These included the approved Kogi International Airport, the Kogi Free Trade Zone, an Agricultural Processing Zone, renewed efforts to revive the Ajaokuta Steel Company and reconstruction of federal roads across the state
“Leadership is not measured by the ease of today’s decisions but by the prosperity they create for tomorrow,” Ododo said, adding that Nigerians should continue backing the administration rather than transfer frustration with past governments onto one he described as correcting earlier mistakes.
Beyond federal projects, Ododo listed state government initiatives he said have translated national reforms into local results: road infrastructure upgrades, free education from primary through secondary school, government payment of public examination fees, expanded health insurance coverage, agricultural mechanisation, and empowerment programmes targeted at youth and women.
He also credited improved security — achieved through collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other federal security agencies — with creating a safer environment for farming, commerce and investment in the state.
The Governor used the town hall to promote what his office calls the Kogi Rebrand Initiative, appealing to Kogites abroad to serve as ambassadors for the state.
“No nation rises above the story it tells about itself,” he said. “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.”
Hon. Salman Idris, the federal lawmaker representing Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu, told the meeting that Ododo is working closely with the Federal Government to resuscitate the Ajaokuta Steel Company, calling it a project that could redefine the economic future of both Kogi State and Nigeria. He praised the Governor’s development record and urged diaspora Kogites to bring their investments, expertise and networks home in support of the state.
Attendees at the meeting commended Ododo’s administration for progress in infrastructure, security, education, healthcare and economic development, and pledged to deploy their professional and technical expertise toward the state’s development, as well as to mobilise investors interested in Kogi’s economic potential.
The meeting closed with a renewed commitment from Kogites in the diaspora to deepen their collaboration with the state government going forward.
