NIDCOM urges Nigerians abroad not to forget home

Abdullateef Fowewe

Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians migrating abroad to remain connected to their roots and contribute to the country’s development.

She emphasised the achievements of Nigerians in the diaspora, noting that they make up 70% of Black doctors abroad and are excelling in fields such as technology, business, sports, and entertainment.

Abike explained that migration is not wrong, but migrants should endeavour to develop themselves while in diaspora and not abandon their country of origin.

Her remarks were contained in a statement by Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, on Thursday.

It reads, “Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO  Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has called on Nigerians migrating abroad not to forget their roots, urging them to contribute positively to the development of their home country, Nigeria.

“She made this appeal while delivering a Ramadan Lecture organised by No Dull Moment in Islam (NDMI) on the theme, ‘The Intricacies of Japa Syndrome’. In her lecture, Dabiri-Erewa acknowledged that migration is a fundamental human right and a long-standing global phenomenon, but emphasised that the greater challenge lies in making migration a journey of impact, not abandonment.

“She said that migration is not wrong, as even Prophet Muhammad (SAW) migrated from Makkah  to Madinah  for a better life, but returned to rebuild his homeland. She stressed that the focus should not be on stopping migration but on ensuring that Nigerians abroad stay connected and give back to the development of their home country.

“She highlighted the remarkable achievements of Nigerians in the diaspora, noting that 70 per cent of Black doctors in the Diaspora are Nigerians, while countless others are excelling in technology, business, sports, and entertainment.”