Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has called on Cross Riverians in the Diaspora in the United States of America (CRID-USA) to partner with his administration's dynamic educentric approach. The governor made the appeal during the CRID-USA Convention and Gala 2026, held at the Ontario Convention Center in California, USA, under the theme: “The role of Cross Riverians in the Diaspora in advancing Education in Cross River State.”
Partnership for Education Revival
Governor Otu, represented by former governor of Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri, who chaired the occasion, explained that this partnership would help realize his administration's goal to rehabilitate school infrastructure, deploy competent teachers, clear teacher salary backlogs, and invest in STEM and digital literacy. “We cannot do it alone. We need you,” he stated.
The Five-Finger Partnership Plan
The governor outlined a five-point partnership plan, using the metaphor of fingers on a hand:
- Finger 1: Adopt a School Programme – Sponsor a public primary or secondary school in your local government area, funding libraries, labs, water, and teacher training. The state will provide accountability and recognition.
- Finger 2: Scholarship Endowments – Create endowment funds for students in STEM, Medicine, Artificial Intelligence, Tourism, and Teaching. These should be sustainable funds, not one-off scholarships.
- Finger 3: Skills and Mentorship Exchange – Volunteer virtually to mentor students, train teachers, and bring global best practices. A one-hour Zoom class from Chicago or Houston can change a student’s life in Calabar or Ogoja.
- Finger 4: Digital Infrastructure – Help equip smart classrooms and digital learning hubs to ensure Cross River children are not left behind in the digital world.
- Finger 5: Diaspora Education Trust Fund – Establish a CRID-USA Education Trust Fund, managed transparently, to support infrastructure, teacher welfare, and innovation in schools.
Commitment to Transparency
Governor Otu reiterated the state government's commitment to transparency and accountability in all partnership projects. He promised matching support for diaspora-led initiatives where feasible, protection and recognition for contributors through the “Cross River Education Champions Programme,” making Cross River safe and welcoming for CRID-USA investments, and regular interface with diaspora leaders both at home and abroad.
“Always remember that you are not ‘abroad.’ You are an extension of Cross River. Your success is our success. Your children, even if born in Texas or Maryland, carry the blood of the Efik, Ejagham, Bekwarra, Boki, and all our peoples,” Otu said.
A Vision for the Future
The governor urged: “Let us write a new story. A story where Cross River becomes Nigeria’s education hub, not because of federal allocation, but because of the love and investment of her sons and daughters at home and abroad. Let our story be one of a diaspora that refused to forget, and a home that refused to fail. Let the world see that when Cross Riverians at home and abroad join hands, we don’t just build schools, we build destiny.”
He emphasized that collaborative partnership has been the Cross River way of life and that the convention theme was timely. “If we want Cross River to lead Nigeria with global impact in the next 20 years, it will not be by oil or politics alone. It will be by the minds we build today and the hopes we weave into the light of strategic knowledge that propels civilized development,” he stressed.
The ceremony, attended by CRID-USA members and former Rivers State Governor Chief Rufus Ada George, featured cultural dance displays.
