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A Cross section of students graduated from the various vocational departments

The scourge of human trafficking and its attendance problems has been a major concern for Nigerians particularly indigenes of Edo State both at home and in the Diaspora. In recent past Edo State had become notorious for human trafficking especially as it relates to young girls and women for local and international prostitution. Facts revealed that Edo State in Nigeria ranked highest in this ugly trade. This situation was a concern to Mrs. Eki Igbinedion who saw it as a challenge to correct the anomaly and redeem the dignity of womanhood in Edo state and in Nigeria at large.

 The trend of trafficking gained prominence in Edo State, Nigeria in the early eighties and late nineties. Young girls and women were recruited and transported to Europe and the Middle East for international prostitution, in a manner reminiscent of the seventeenth century Atlantic slave trade.  The recruitment of these young girls and women for international sex work was made possible because several powerful syndicates emerged with complex mode of operation shrouded in such secrecy that no one dared speak up to denounce the inhuman trade.

 To successfully address the problem of human trafficking and fight the traffickers, it would require some level of authority and power. Providence made these tools available to Mrs. Eki Igbinedion when her husband was sworn in as Executive Governor of Edo State in May 1999. She began her campaign against human trafficking by denouncing it in strong terms. She established Idia Renaissance, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) to serve as a platform to carry out this campaign. The vision of Idia Renaissance is to restore hope and dignity to humanity and to promote the good cultural values of the Edo people. It offered an alternative to sex trafficking by initiating empowerment programmes for survivors and vulnerable women and young girls in the country.

 The Edo Underprivileged Children Scholarship Trust Fund, the "Shelter” Project, the  Skills Acquisition Center, Youth Resource Center, Idia clubs, Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative, the HIV Counseling and Testing Project, the Idia Renaissance Support Group project among others are sub-projects initiated by Mrs. Eki Igbinedion to empower women, youths and children who are survivors of human trafficking and vulnerable persons in the society to human trafficking 

The role of traditional and religious institutions as partners with Idia Renaissance also requires mention here. HRM, Omo no Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, The Oba of Benin has been most helpful. He at various times publicly denounced human trafficking. The support of the Oba has been very instrumental to the success recorded so far in the work of Idia Renaissance. The Oba condemned the activities of traffickers and the role of local priest who supported human trafficking by giving certain kind of spiritual services to traffickers.

Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, The Oba of Benin

Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, former deputy Governor Edo State, Mrs Eki Igbinedion, Lady Winifred Onyeonwu, representative of the Oba of Benin and other Guests at the first Graduation ceremony of the Idia Renaissance Youth Resource Centre.