Nigerians residing in the United States have received praise from President Muhammadu Buhari for the admirable roles they are playing in their various fields of endeavour, and he has urged them to keep up the good work so they can win the gratitude of their hosts.
Speaking Saturday at the Townhall Meeting With Nigerians In The Diaspora, in New York, President Buhari said: “It is gratifying for me to note that many Nigerians in the USA have
continued to excel in their careers, leading to some being appointed into the cabinet of His Excellency President Joe Biden.”
“Similarly, many have been elected/appointed into various responsible and competitive positions in the United States of America. I congratulate those who have brought honours and pride to our country. I thank and commend them for their respective successes as I equally urge them to demonstrate the highest sense of responsibilities in order that
they continue to remain reference points of excellence as they serve human kind in this country.”
“As always, I wish to emphasise the absolute necessity for each and every one of you to continue to remain law-abiding as you live in the United States of America and comport yourselves in such exemplary manners that should earn you the privilege of reference as good Ambassadors of Nigeria.”
“In order to earn yourselves collective self-respect within the communities you live in, you must live with one another peacefully and continue to do so without sub-divisions amongst yourselves. As you may know, as a people, we shall always be stronger together.”
According to the President, the administration established the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission to act as a link between them and the nation in order to further its development goals in the hope that they will return the favour:
“As our Diaspora Ambassadors, we expect your willingness to “give back” to Nigeria some of your resources, talents, skills and global exposure in the development of our great country, Nigeria.”
He referenced similar evacuations in Libya, South Africa, and most recently in Ukraine in order to reassure the public that the government will continue to act in their best interests whenever necessary. He continued by saying that he had also given his approval for the same in India and the United Arab Emirates.
The President commended them for their investments in several sectors of the Nigerian economy, including healthcare, agriculture, education, information and communication technology (ICT), housing and real estate, transportation, oil and gas, and their diaspora remittances, which reached $20 billion in 2021, a sum that was four times the amount of foreign direct investment during the same period.
The President praised Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chair of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, who oversaw the event, for her creative initiatives to reunite the ambassadors with their families, including the Diaspora Registration Portal, the Diaspora Mortgage Scheme, and the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Trust (NDIT).
The representatives of Nigerians in the US who visited the President include current President of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, New York, Bobby Digi Olisa; Behavior
Modification Assistant with Minnesota Department of Human Services, Philip H. Moses; Professor of Global Affairs and Politics, Dr. Yetunde Odugbesan-Omede; Chairman, Council for Global Alliance (C-Glo), Wale Adelagunja; amongst others.
