Welcome

Dear Friends and Edo Patriots,

Wa bokhian Ivbie Edo N'Uzomo!

Welcome and thank you for visiting the Edo Leadership Assembly's information portal. We want you to explore our website and experience what one of the leading organizational voices of the Edo diaspora has to offer. The Edo Leadership Assembly (ELA) was founded in 2008 to foster cross-ethnic collaboration, focused and goals orientated engagement and contributions to the development of Edo State. While also addressing specific issues that impact Benin people.

Since our inception, we have recorded some successes and phenomena growth in membership. ELA has become a credible voice in the political and economic advocacy for our people; we have an established presence in the Nigerian media at the National and State level- where we consistently lend our voice to topical issues of the day. Our inaugural leadership summit in 2009 in Chicago, USA was a success with a record $125,000 realized in fundraising. We have also set afloat our subsidiary, The Benin Foundation Inc (TBF), the project implementation unit of ELA. Through TBF, we hope to facilitate the repatriation of resources from the diaspora back home. We have various projects at different stages of development in our pipeline, the projects cover: education, health, agriculture and rural development.

ELA aims to provide a platform for effective and action-oriented diaspora intervention in the development of our people. Our activities are anchored in the Edo Leadership Assembly's three core principles:

• Oyayasimwin Evbuomwan - PATRIOTISM ELA sees the need for a movement that is dedicated to addressing issues that affect Edo people, by allocating time, resources and skills to advance the Edo development goal. It recognizes the cardinal notion that, with few exceptions, the Edos can look to no one, but themselves to improve their station in life.
• Edoyemwen - DIGNITY Pride in and knowledge of Edo tradition, culture, history, and people hood. Edoyemwen is the need to have pride in our people. Edoyemwen connotes pride, self-respect and the dignity in being an Edo.
• Akugbe - UNITY Creates within the Edo man or woman the knowledge that it is Edo unity, hard work and self-discipline that will lead to the success of the Edo people.

I encourage you to fully explore our website and become familiar with our work. We are always available to provide more insight into our activities should you have any questions.

Oba Gha T'Okpere - Ise!

Long Live the King!

Sincerely,

Dr. Oboma Asemota
President