Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has assured that the 17th National Diaspora Day (NDD) will wear a new look.
She gave the assurance at a press briefing in Abuja, in line with preparations ahead of the 17th NDD celebrations.
She stated that the celebration, which holds annually on 25 July, is the fifth in its series since the establishment of the Commission.
The NiDCOM boss, in a release by Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, added that this year’s celebration will be a two-day ceremony, unlike the previous ones.
According to her, this was made to accommodate the Diaspora Merit Awards as well presentations by Diaspora groups and associations
Dabiri-Erewa said the Diaspora Merit Awards have been long in coming, noting that many Nigerians in the Diaspora have positively contributed both to Nigeria and their host countries.
To her, the awards were instituted to recognise and celebrate them, as well as encourage them to continue to contribute to the country’s national development
“We must accept that the Diaspora characterises a powerful force for change, not because of the financial remittances, but because they pose a lot more than the figures remitted.
“They are the link to our past and present, and possibly our hope for a better future for Nigeria,” she said.
In addition, the NiDCOM chairman pointed out that several Nigerians in the Diaspora were flying the Nigerian flag high and making the country proud in all fields of endeavour.
“Yes, there are few of us portraying the country poorly abroad, but we have many success stories coming from the Diaspora worth celebrating as well. So, there are more positive than negative narrations about Nigerians,” she said.
She further added that it was necessary to honour a select few to inspire them to continue to be good Ambassadors of the country wherever they go.
Dabiri-Erewa stated that, going forward, canvassing for more Diasporas to be on the National Honours List will be a priority
The theme for this year, “Consolidating Diaspora Engagement for National Development”, focused on galvanising skills, network and experiences of the Diaspora as indispensable assets to bolster Nigeria’s growth.
Dabiri-Erewa said the NDD celebration will have various thematic panel discussions, celebrity interview segment with Dr Mohammed Pate and presentations by the State Diaspora Focal Point Officers (SDFPOs).
She added that there will also be presentations by the second and third generation Nigerians in Diaspora on 25 July, while the Diaspora Merit Awards will take place the next day.
She commended the Diaspora groups for their contribution towards development in Nigeria. She also encouraged them to foster peaceful cooperation with sister Diaspora groups to achieve remarkable projects.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa appealed to Nigerians in Diaspora to visit the Diaspora portal which serves as a mechanism to ascertain the number of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
Speaking at the briefing, Mr. Omusa Baba Onyoma, vice chairman, NIDOE, representing the chairman, Mr. Bashir Obasekola, thanked the NiDCOM chairman for all her support through the years.
Onyoma expressed his happiness at the novelty of the 2023 NDD ceremony.
He said his group will be on a week-long engagement as it proposed courtesy visits to some agencies, medical outreaches and participate in the NDD celebrations.
In the same vein, Mrs Susan Waya, chairperson, NIDO UK-South, lauded Dabiri-Erewa for her unwavering efforts for the Diaspora through the Commission’s platforms for Diaspora engagement.
Mrs Waya called on all Nigerians in the Diaspora to join hands to build the country.
The NDD is an annual event to celebrate the success stories of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
This year’s event is a hybrid one with an expectation of thousands of participants, both virtually and physically.
