Èkímògún Leicester launches in UK, seeks stronger diaspora role in Ondo’s economic growth

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A new diaspora platform seeking to harness the professional expertise, business networks and economic potential of Ondo indigenes in the United Kingdom has officially launched in Leicester.

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Èkímògún Leicester, founded by Dr Oluseyi Ogunfusika, was inaugurated on August 29, 2026, bringing together professionals, business leaders, political figures and members of the Ondo diaspora around a shared ambition: to strengthen the relationship between Ondo people abroad and the future development of their home state.

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The initiative will provide a network for Ondo indigenes living in the UK, but its founders say the vision extends well beyond cultural and social connection.

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A major ambition is to create a platform through which the diaspora can contribute professional expertise, business connections, mentorship, foreign investment and ideas capable of generating opportunities, employment and supporting sustainable economic growth in Ondo State.

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Working alongside Dr Ogunfusika on the inaugural launch were Aretha Akinluyi, CEO of Aree Events and Stieklan Group, and Ay Love, popularly known as Don of Microphone, a key organiser of Èkímògún Leicester.

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The event, themed “Our Roots. Our People. Our Future.”, brought together guests for an afternoon combining culture and celebration with conversations about leadership, enterprise, political engagement and the role of the diaspora in Ondo’s future.

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A central feature of the programme was the Èkímògún Roundtable Dialogue, where participants considered how the growing professional and economic influence of Ondo indigenes abroad could be translated into opportunities at home.

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The conversation explored investment, enterprise, professional networking, mentorship and the need for stronger links between the diaspora and political, business and community leadership in Ondo State.

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It also raised a broader question about the future of diaspora engagement: can the relationship between Ondo and its people abroad move beyond remittances towards investment, knowledge transfer, enterprise and long-term economic partnerships?

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For Èkímògún Leicester, the answer lies in creating a more organised network through which professionals and entrepreneurs abroad can connect their expertise, capital and international networks with opportunities in Ondo.

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The launch also brought members of the diaspora into conversation with political and community figures, reflecting the importance of constructive engagement between those shaping policy at home and Ondo indigenes building careers and businesses internationally.

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The inaugural Èkímògún Excellence Awards recognised individuals for achievement, leadership and contributions to the people of Ondo.

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Honourees included Dr Tola Awosika, businessman, philanthropist and former Ondo Central Senatorial aspirant; Dr Michael Akintomide Ajilo, APC candidate for the Ondo East/West Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives; and Hon. Moyinoluwa Ogunwumiju, member of the Ondo State House of Assembly representing Ondo West Constituency I.

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The presence of leaders from politics, business and the diaspora also reflected one of the initiative’s wider ambitions: creating a space where ideas about Ondo’s development can move across sectors rather than remain within them.

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According to the conveners, Ondo has a considerable pool of professionals, entrepreneurs and skilled people living overseas whose contribution to the state can extend beyond individual financial support to relatives and communities.

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Èkímògún Leicester hopes to explore practical opportunities for diaspora investment, entrepreneurship, professional knowledge exchange, mentorship and partnerships capable of creating lasting value.

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For the founders, economic development must ultimately translate into opportunities for people. As political and economic conversations about the future of the state continue, Èkímògún Leicester hopes the diaspora will increasingly have a place at that table.

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For the organisation, the question is no longer simply how Ondo people abroad remain connected to home, but how that connection can be transformed into investment, opportunity and measurable development for the people of Ondo State.

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Èkímògún Leicester: Our Roots. Our People. Our Future.

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