RESIDENTS CELEBRATE AS GOVERNOR OKPEBHOLO INSPECTS SIGNATURE PROJECTS ON ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, continued his one-year anniversary tour of key infrastructure projects across Edo State, particularly in the Southern Senatorial District, on Tuesday, drawing jubilant crowds and widespread celebration. In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Fred Itua, reported that the inspection attracted residents who thronged the streets to hail what many described as a new dawn of purposeful leadership and development. From the newly renovated Army Day Secondary School in Ikpoba Hill to the fast-rising Adesuwa Junction Flyover and the 8.23-kilometre Okpagha–Amufi Road, the Governor’s convoy was met with excitement, dancing, and cheers as communities celebrated his achievements within just one year in office.

At Army Day Secondary School, students in crisp uniforms waved flags and sang songs of praise as they welcomed the Governor, Itua said in a statement. Teachers, parents, and residents held placards with inscriptions such as “Okpebholo, the Hope Restorer!” and “Edo is Shining Again!”, reflecting renewed optimism. Governor Okpebholo expressed deep satisfaction with the quality of work done, stating in a statement that the transformation from a dilapidated school to one with air-conditioned laboratories, renovated classrooms, and a secured perimeter represented true change. He announced plans to install solar-powered streetlights across the school premises to enhance security and credited the success to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which inspires his administration’s focus on people-centered governance.

Commissioner for Education, Hon. Paddy Iyamu, described the project as “a total rewrite of the story” in a statement, noting that the once abandoned and unsafe school has become a model for public education in Edo. PDP chieftain, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, commended the Governor’s leadership style and vision in a statement, remarking that “every investment in education is an investment in human capital” and that the future of Edo under Okpebholo is bright. Dr. Oduwale Egwaigie, chairman of the School Management Development Committee and an old student, recounted the school’s years of neglect in a statement, describing the governor’s swift intervention as “nothing short of historic” and noting that parents are now transferring their children from private schools to Army Day.

From Ikpoba Hill, the Governor’s entourage proceeded to Adesuwa Junction, where construction work on the state’s second flyover bridge is advancing rapidly, Itua stated. Excited residents lined the streets, chanting and waving as the governor inspected progress. Special Adviser on Project Monitoring, Engr. Phoebe Williams-Bello, disclosed in a statement that the flyover is on track for early completion, six months ahead of schedule, and that affected property owners had been fully compensated. She commended the governor for his commitment to infrastructural renewal, emphasizing that the progress is tangible development taking shape before everyone’s eyes.

At the 8.23-kilometre Okpagha–Amufi Road, residents erupted in joy as the Governor’s convoy arrived, with dancing and singing celebrating the long-awaited project that links Ikpoba-Okha and Uhunmwonde Local Government Areas, opening access to markets, schools, and rural communities. A community leader declared in a statement that the road was once a nightmare but now allows free driving, restoring faith in government. The inspection tour ended in a carnival-like atmosphere as traders, artisans, and students flooded the streets, waving banners and chanting songs of appreciation, symbolizing a celebration of progress, hope, and the rebirth of Edo State under a governor who has matched words with action.