On Tuesday, June 9, newly  elected members of the National Assembly will take oath of office to herald the 8th Assembly. This event calls for sober reflection.

 I dedicate this great victory to the House of Representatives, to the great people of Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency whose hard work, moral support and dedication in this huge success we have achieved.

House of Representatives
Like any other happy event, to God I give he glory. I dedicate my victory to Awori people (a sub-tribe in Yoruba land) in whose land I have been a sojourner for about 30 years during which period my political career blossomed.
The Aworis are the owners of the land I always represented and I have been integrated with them. They have been wonderful people, well accommodating and hospitable to non-indigenes. They are my people and I consider myself one of them.



I had the privilege of being elected the Publicity Secretary of National Republican Convention (NRC) for Lagos State under my late political father, Sir. Michael Agbolade Otedola, and under whose government I served as a director of LASACO Assurance Plc.
I cannot but thank you, my host. It is true that non-Aworis such as the general Yoruba, Igbo, Arewa, people of the South-South now form the majority in my federal constituency but my appreciation still goes to the Aborigines of the land; the Aworis for their wonderful support.

I want to call on other tribes all over Nigeria to allow non-indigenes to contest elections in their areas. I do not see any reason why a Yoruba or Igbo or South-South person cannot win election in Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, etc. In the same vein, a Yoruba or Hausa person should be able to win election in Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Warri, etc.
I would like to thank PDP – the People Democratic Party for giving me the opportunity to contest the election on their platform.

It is only the PDP that gave non-indigenes such opportunity to contest in the primaries and in the elections. I promise the people of Amuwo Odofin that I will not disappoint them. You have elected me to make laws for the betterment of Nigeria and I will do it to your satisfaction.

Let me say that my victory is for the good people of Amuwo Odofin. With this victory, the road is open for non-indigenes to contest for election wherever they may live in Nigeria. If Oghene Emma Egoh can make it, you can also win. Another lesson we learn from my victory is resilience. Never you give up in your pursuit of life.

This is the third time I am contesting election to represent Amuwo Odofin at the federal level in the last 18 years. If I can make it after 18 years of trying, you can also achieve your ambition and dreams if only you remain focus and pursue your vision with perseverance and determination.

Egoh is House of Representatives member-elect, Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, Lagos State.