Okpebholo Calls For Obaseki’s Repatriation

Governor Monday Okpeholo made a significant investment in boosting agriculture in the state on Monday, unveiling 30 new tractors, five bulldozers, 150 implements, and a lowbed truck to enhance agriculture and food security in the state.

This is also in line with Okpeholo’s call for the repatriation of former Governor Godwin Obaseki to Nigeria to answer questions over the controversy surrounding the Museum of West African Arts, MOWAA.

The Governor spoke at the commissioning ceremony, held at Government House, Benin City. He was presided over by Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, who was on a working visit to the state alongside several federal lawmakers.

He said the acquisition forms a central pillar of his administration’s agricultural transformation agenda, designed to open thousands of hectares of new farmlands, attract agribusiness investments, reduce post-harvest losses, and create sustainable employment opportunities for youths and women.

“This is a strategic investment that will change the trajectory of Edo’s economy,” he said. “We are laying the foundation for food sufficiency, commercial-scale farming, and long-term prosperity for our people.”

He added that the machinery symbolises a shift from subsistence agriculture to complete mechanisation, ensuring Edo State becomes a reliable contributor to national food reserves while reducing the state’s vulnerability to economic shocks.

Attending the ceremony were Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku; Senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole; federal legislators; and other top government officials.

However, the policy-focused event also intersected with the State’s renewed drive for transparency and accountability.

Governor Okpebholo reiterated his administration’s resolve to ensure clarity and responsibility in the management of public funds, referencing concerns surrounding the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) project and calling for the repatriation of former governor Godwin Obaseki to “answer critical questions.”

Senate President Akpabio responded that the Federal Government would review the State’s submissions and that due process would guide all further actions.

Goodwill messages from senior political leaders, including Speaker Blessing Agbebaku, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and Senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, described the investment as a turning point in Edo’s economic revival, commending Governor Okpebholo for placing agriculture at the centre of his administration’s development blueprint.

They noted that the strategic mechanisation drive establishes Edo as one of the most forward-looking agricultural states in Nigeria, reflecting a governance philosophy that prioritises productivity, transparency, and long-term value creation.