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Photo caption : A cross section of the recipients of 2025 Association of Esan Professionals (AEP) Awards, at the 2025 AEP end of the year Party, in Lagos
…Says Collective Strength, Collaboration Essential For Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Lasting Solutions
The Association of Esan Professionals (AEP),an umbrella body for professionals in Esanland has honoured the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator, Monday Okpebholo and 14 distinguished sons and daughters of the land who have made outstanding contributions and sacrifices towards the growth and development of Esanland and its people.
The President of AEP, Dr. Henry Egbiki, disclosed this in his welcome address at the “2025 AEP End of the Year Family Get- Together and Award Ceremony” held in Lagos recently.
The President stated that the convergence of AEP is a celebration of shared purpose, collective effort, and the tangible impact the association has made towards the development of Esanland, adding that that
is why AEP decided to honour 15 deserving Esan sons and daughters, who have made outstanding contributions and sacrifices towards the growth and development of Esanland and its people
He said that the theme of this year’s gathering, “Akugbe-Ahu” was carefully chosen to emphasise that unity is power and that AEP is stronger together in its quest for the growth and development of Esanland and that it underscores the fact that all well-meaning Esan sons and daughters must come together, realising that collective strength and collaboration are essential for overcoming challenges and achieving lasting progress.
He informed that the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator, Monday Okpebholo and 14 others are among the awardees.
The move to reward the ,15 men and women of Esanland, Egbiki, said is in keeping with AEP’s tradition of honouring excellence
‘We have chosen to recognise fifteen outstanding sons and daughters of Esanland who have distinguished themselves through service, leadership, and commitment to our homeland. They are worthy sons, daughters, ambassadors and role models for present and future generations,” Egbiki said.
This year’s end-of-year celebration, Egbiki noted is unique because for the the first time, AEP is not only combining the family get-together with an award ceremony, but it also for the first time, has the privileged of having the sitting Executive Governor of Edo State grace this occasion.
He pointed out that itwas this spirit of Akugbe-Ahu that led to the formation of the Esan-Okpa Initiative (EOI) in 2019 by the AEP, Esan Club 30 Port Harcourt, and Ikolo-Esan Benin City.
Esan-Okpa, he informed is a Pan-Esan umbrella body for all socio-cultural organisations of Esan extraction—akin to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere, and the Arewa Consultative Forum, adding that the objective was to create a unified Esan voice and front to address our socio-economic challenges, while respecting the identity and vision of individual organizations.
” We encourage other Esan socio-cultural bodies to join this umbrella to make it stronger and more impactful.
The emergence of an Esan son, His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo, as Governor of Edo State is a classic testament to the power of Akugbe-Ahu. The advocacy for Edo Governor of Esan extraction championed by Esan-Okpa in the build-up to the 2024 governorship election galvanized Esan unity and led to the emergence of Esan candidates in the major political parties in Edo State. As a non-partisan body, AEP actively participated under the Esan-Okpa platform, culminating in the victory of the Governor seated with us today—a true Esan man.
“Today, we gather at a critical moment in our history as a people, where the power of unity has never been more crucial. As we stand here today, we represent diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, but we are united by our shared and common heritage and our desire for a brighter future for our people and Esan Land.
Unity is the foundation upon which progress is built. When we come together, we become an unstoppable force, capable of overcoming even the most daunting challenges. Our ancestors understood this truth, and it is time for us to rediscover and fully leverage it. In Esan Land, we have a rich cultural heritage that has been passed down through generations. Our stories, our music, and our traditions are all testaments to our resilience and creativity. But we must recognize that our true strength lies not in our individual accomplishments, but in our collective potential as a people.
“The power of unity is not just a slogan; it is a call to action. It requires us to put aside our differences, to listen to each other’s perspectives, and to work towards a common goal. It demands that we embrace our shared humanity and recognize that our individual success is tied to the success of our overall community. Let us make a commitment today to harness our collective strength. Let us build bridges, not walls. Let us seek common ground, not division. We must build partnerships and seek collaboration from other groups.
“We need everyone to come together and contribute his or her quota to building a better Esan Land. We can only be as strong as our weakest link. Let us celebrate our unity and let us use it to propel our beloved Esan land forward. Together, we can achieve greatness. Together, we will build a prosperous Esan Land for all. I can tell you that when we are all united, focused and pulling in the same direction, no power can stop us from achieving our desired goal,” he said.
The awards presented celebrate individuals who have gone above and beyond in service to Esanland. We thank our Award recipients for being worthy Esan sons and daughters, adding that some of our awardees are very senior sons and daughters of Esanland, who are still very active in AEP’s quest of seeking solutions to the problems that currently confront Esanland.
He prayed that God keep the awardees in good health for the continued benefit of Esanland in particular and humanity in general.
The AEP President said that while the association celebrate its award recipients, it should also remember that every contribution, no matter how small it may seem, can plays a vital role towards the development of Esanland.
According to him, “If these awardees could make such a positive difference in the lives of our people back home in their individual capacities, imagine the transformation possible when we come together in unity.
To our esteemed members, you are the heartbeat of this Association. You are driven not by recognition but by belief. Belief that change is possible. Belief that every Esan person matters. Tonight, we recognise and celebrate you. We say a big thank you.
To all friends of the Association who support us from time to time, your trust and generosity fuel our mission. You did more than give resources. You invested in people, in futures, and in lasting impact. We could not do this work without you.
And to our founding fathers and trustees, thank you for your guidance, integrity, and commitment to keeping our mission strong and our values clear.
To our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora—thank you for your continued engagement.
As we look ahead to the coming year, we know that the work is far from finished, it is just beginnig. But if this year has taught us anything, it is that together, we are resilient. Together, we are powerful. And together, we can continue to create meaningful, lasting change in Esanland
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