- Senior journalist Sebastine Ebhuomhan, with HE, Monday Okpebholo, the Governor of Edo State
…Next is Nigeria’s Governor of the Year Award
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
EDO STATE is “shining” today. In recognition of this, the Governor, HE Senator Monday Okpebholo, was crowned Governor of the Year (Education) for his explosive reforms in the classroom.
The Governor was handed the prestigious New Telegraph 2025 Award for Education, following a whirlwind first year in office that has seen crumbling schools rebuilt and thousands of new teachers hired.
In a glowing tribute, veteran journalist Sebastine Ebhuomhan hailed the Governor for “tackling the rot” left behind by the previous administration. Since taking the reins in November 2024, Okpebholo hasn’t just talked the talk—he’s cleared the decks.
The Governor’s “EduRescue” programme has already started hauling out-of-school children back into classrooms, while a massive N4.6 billion debt in unpaid pensions to retired teachers has been wiped clean.
Okpebholo isn’t playing small. Key highlights of his “SHINE” agenda include:
CASH BOOST: Monthly funding for Ambrose Alli University rocketed from a measly N41m to a staggering N500m.
TEACHER BLITZ: 6,000 new teaching staff have been deployed to schools across the state.
BURSARY REVIVAL: Reintroducing student payments for the first time in over 20 years.
TECH TAKEOVER: Partnering with Google and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to digitize academic records.
The Governor’s success isn’t limited to the blackboard. Just days ago, he was spotted alongside FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, distributing 54 pieces of heavy-duty earth-moving equipment to local councils to fix roads and drainage.
”It did not take any grammar or drama,” Ebhuomhan remarked, praising the Governor’s “practical demonstration of good governance.”
With 100 schools already renovated and medical students finally inducted after a four-year delay, supporters say this is just the beginning.
Ebhuomhan added: “The journey ahead may be challenging, but the Governor has displayed the capacity to take Edo to greater heights. I am already waiting to celebrate his next award: Nigeria’s Governor of the Year.”
See details below:
Senator Monday Okpebholo,
The Governor of Edo State,
Government House,
Benin City.
Your Excellency,
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW TELEGRAPH AWARD
I am extremely delighted to congratulate you on your meritorious and deserving award, the New Telegraph Newspapers’ Governor of the Year 2025 in Education.
As a serial media award winner, I know the award is not just a crown that makes you the best in the education sector among your 36 peers in a little over a year. It particularly attests to your vision for education and unwavering commitment to the transformation of education at all levels in Edo State, which has renewed the drive for education attainment, quality improvement, structural modernisation, provision of learning tools, employment of teaching personnel and empowerment of the future of our children.
Published since 2014 by Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited in Lagos, New Telegraph is Nigeria’s leading, award-winning publication with unrivalled coverage, unmatched circulation, unequalled appeal and unarguable objectivity. The sanctity of truth, its award is numero uno.
For those who may not understand, Edo is shining because of the indelible results your reforms are achieving in the education sector. I shall outline below some key achievements that unanimously and overwhelmingly gave you the award.
Hardly had the dusts of your inauguration on November 12, 2024 settled at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium than you began tackling the rot in education sector your predecessor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki bequeathed to you, some of which were long-standing structural problems of basic, secondary and tertiary education.
Your Excellency, it did not take you any grammar or drama to direct the quick release of funds and exploration of gainful partnerships, agreements and opportunities to back education policies, plans and programmes. For example, three of many such partnerships were with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Google International, and the EdoCert 2.0 digitisation platform launched in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the enhancement of transparency and credibility in academic certificates.
The war against cultism and related vices particularly demanded a reformation of the state’s education system for any partnership, policy, and programme to yield results. You have not shirked the responsibilities of tackling cultism headlong.
From a meagre N41 million, you raised the monthly subvention of Ambrose Alli University to N500 million and that of the Edo State University in Iyamho, from N25 million to N250 million.
You followed up on the long list of problems stalling academic progress by ensuring the induction 128 medical students that was delayed for four years, the clearance of 810 nursing graduates that suffered for three years, and the resolution of JAMB regularisation for about 1,000 graduates prevented from proceeding to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation since 2019.
Today, there are over 100 constructed and reconstructed schools, with happy students that enjoy the beneficial employment of about 6,000 school teachers.
Moreover, your reintroduction of bursary payments is a luxury successive administration avoided for over 20 years.
Your administration also launched the EduRescue Programme, aimed at returning out-of-school children to schools. It also cleared over N4.6 billion inherited debts in outstanding liabilities to retired teachers and other education workers, a contentious issue which preventable protests kept school children at home in the past.
Days ago, in collaboration with the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission, you launched some completed newly constructed internal roads within Edo State Polytechnic in Usen, a project that gathered dusts and floods for over 23 years.
Of course, there are more visible education achievements than I can list here. It is the same in the other sectors. From over 120 brand-new vehicles for affordable public transportation, to Edo State’s historic flyovers, to acquired lands for farming in each district etc.
As I was writing, you were distributing 54 heavy-duty, earth-moving equipment to the 18 local governments in the presence of the Honourable Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, CON. In your practical demonstration of good governance, the equipment would accelerate road construction, drainage rehabilitation, waste management and other rural, community-based development processes.
Your Excellency, you are a promise keeper. Watching your dedication to our sitting room pre-election ‘5-Point Action’ now broadened and documented as the government’s SHINE Agenda, for the transformation of President Tinubu and All Progressive Congress’s Renewed Hope Agenda in Edo State, is heartwarming.
I commend your frontal supportive movement for the re-election of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. It is the right thing to do to sustain his reforms aimed at correcting Nigeria’s plethora of injustices.
To obtain more than 2.5 million promised presidential votes in Edo State, I urge you to moderate the current prohibitive costs of house rent and apartment leasing for the masses by proposing an Executive Bill titled: Edo State Real Estate and Tenancy Law. Additionally, I am proposing the creation of the Edo State Real Estate and Tenancy Regulatory Agency, to which cases can be referred for Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) before litigation.
Furthermore, I urge you to remember your children without godfathers, who staked their lives, jobs, resources and time to brave abuses, curses and attacks for the commitment that produced your primary election and main election victories.
Your Excellency, I am very proud of your achievements. The people of Edo State are proud of your achievements. The entire Nigerian people are proud of your achievements. Although the journey ahead may be challenging, you have already displayed the ability, the capacity and the capability to take Edo State to greater heights.
Your award is a testimony. As your enemies continue to pray for the failure of your government, as your detractors tiptoe in search of your mistakes, you will continue to succeed beyond all expectations under the watchful eyes of observers recording your positive exploits.
I am waiting to celebrate your next award, Nigeria’s Governor of the Year. Do not waver in your good governance.
Again, congratulations!
Sebastine Ebhuomhan,
Tuesday, 3rd March, 2026.
