By Ada Nkong
In her characteristic way, she stood out, well clad with a smile to match.
As she took her place on the podium with other Diaspora Focal Officers present at the Nigeria Diaspora Merit Award a lady on the table next to mine said Ovwiedo, we no dey carry last! An affirmation of her confidence in the choice of Gov. Okpebholo to run diaspora matters in Edo State,Dr Loretta Ogboro-Okor.
Speaking on the side lines of the event,the DG shared how the agency under her watch in the four months since they started has started implementing strategies for more robust diaspora engagement in Edo State.
“It is not a walk in the park. The Governor has a vision and that vision is that we bridge the gap between those in Edo State, those in governance and those of us that are outside, that is the big vision and in bridging the gap we have 3 core mandates”.
According to her the mandate are firstly to know how Expensive diaspora are faring which has begun with her harmonization tour in Italy, secondly the remittances through partnership, engagements, PPI models and the third one is Edo State positive narrative which she says is inclusive but not limited to Edo rich cultural heritage.
Dr Ogboro-Okor pointed out that the likes of Rhema and Osimhen are positive exports of Edo state
Dr Ogboro-Okor shared her journey to leadership in the Edo diaspora.
“When I went to the UK I was with Edo State community. I did not even stop there I would travel with my own money around the diaspora, I was the first female speaker of the Edo National Association World wide in America and their thirty years of experience you won’t believe that day I sold my books and I think it came to about 10, 000 dollars and I donated it all to them”.
“During Gov. Obaseki’s time I worked assiduously in the diaspora and in fact he actually set up with the house of assembly at the time, the Edo State Diaspora Agency. The law was in 2022 that established this agency but he didn’t give it a DG and it never started , and a long comes Senator Monday Okpebholo who understands the meaning of continuity, who understands that whatever is positive in governance needs to be continued and who believes that all Edo state people’s lives matter every where on the world . He thought that this was a good thing to continue and who better to continue it than someone who worked at it before”?
Currently according to the DG. Edo State has diaspora liaison personnel in about 150 countries, in the three senatorial districts in the states and in all local governments to facilitate employment with her diaspora.
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