By Simon Akwu
Abuja -. The Association of Nigerians in Diaspora on Sunday bestowed its “Icon on Security” award on Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
He added that Bello’s stand on coronavirus in the state is extremely commendable and “we have asked him to continue to do the good work for the benefit of the state.”
According to Ochigbo, “in April 2020, we were supposed to invite the governor to the United States to present him this award, but for COVID-19, the association could not do that.”
He said instead, “we have delegated a group to present the award to the governor to spur him to continue the good work for the people of Kogi state.”
Ochigbo said that the association is planning a town hall meeting in New Yolk at which the governor will come and address Nigerians living in the United States.
According to him, every success, achievement and development in a state must centre on security, and that his government will not deviate from doing the right thing on security for the people.
“We inherited a state that is divided on religious, tribal, and class lines, thereby causing a lot of insecurity in the state. We inherited a state where division, oppression, deprivation, injustice and imbalance were the order of the day.
“Today, Kogi is largely united, not only secured, we look at ourselves like brothers and sisters, in the whole north, I am the only sitting governor that has built a chapel in government house for christians.
He called on Nigerians in Diaspora to look backwards and come home to develop the country for the benefit of all, and support the governments of President Muhammadu Buhari and other governors.
He said that Nigeria is the only country Nigerians could claim as their fatherland, stressing that everybody must ensure that the country develops to a higher level.
He said “diasporeans must be interested in what is happening at home, especially on those who govern them either at the national, state or local levels.”
The governor also noted that people from Kogi State are respectable members of the society, who should not let their people down.
The governor prayed that no indigene of the state should catch COVID-19 because “we are preserved and respected in the society”.
