NiDCOM Announces 17th Diaspora Day and Merit Awards [Photos]

By Shola Akingboye, 19th July 2023

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Wednesday announces the 17th edition of its annual National Diaspora Day (NDD) celebrations, says the 2023 edition will wear a new look, such as diaspora merit awards among other thrilling experiences that will set this year’s edition apart.

NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at a press briefing in Abuja, with RegentAfrica Times in attendant announced that the NDD event which holds July 25, the fifth in its series since the establishment of the Commission, will be a two-day ceremony.

Chairman, CEO, Hon Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, addressing the media at the press briefing.

Themed: “Consolidating Diaspora Engagement for National Development”, Dabiri affirmed that the 2023 edition focuses on galvanizing the skills, network, and experiences of the Diaspora as indispensable assets to bolster Nigeria’s growth.

Enthused, Hon Dabiri assured that this year’s event was made to accommodate the Diaspora Merit Awards, including presentations by Diaspora groups and associations.

According to the NiDCOM boss, the Diaspora Merit Awards has been a long time coming; she noted that many Nigerians in the Diaspora have positively contributed both to Nigeria and their host countries and deserving NiDCOM honors, hence canvassing for more Diasporas to be on the National Honours List will be a priority.

While admitting there are bad eggs everywhere globally, the Chairman, of NiDCOM pointed out that several Nigerians in the Diaspora are flying the Nigerian flag high and making the country proud in all fields of endeavor against all odds, says celebrating such diasporans has become sacrosanct.

Erewa added that it was necessary to honor a select few to inspire them to continue to be good Ambassadors of the country wherever they go, more importantly, those contributing to the country’s glory abroad and national development back home.

“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”.

“We however 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 stressed.

As part of activities marking the 2023 diaspora conference, Dabiri-Erewa revealed further that, the NDD ceremony will have various thematic panel discussions, a celebrity interview segment with Dr Mohammed Pate, presentations by the State Diaspora Focal Point Officers (SDFPOs), as well as, the second and third generation Nigerians in Diaspora, on the 25th, while the Diaspora Merit Awards will take place the next day.

The Head of the Commission commended the Diaspora groups for their contribution towards development in Nigeria while encouraging them to foster peaceful cooperation wit sister Diaspora groups to achieve remarkable projects.

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa used the medium to appeal to the Nigerians in Diaspora to visit the diaspora portal which serves as a mechanism to ascertain the number of Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Also at the briefing, Mr. Omusa Baba Onyoma, the Vice Chairman, of NIDO. representing the Chairman, Mr. Bashir Obasekola, thanked the Chairman, NiDCOM for all her support through the years. He expressed his happiness at the novelty of the 2023 NDD ceremony.

He stated that his group will be on a week-long engagement as they propose courtesy visits to some agency, s, and medical outreaches and participate in the Diaspora Day celebrations.

In the same vein, Mrs Susan Waya, the Chairperson, of NIDO UK-South, lauded Hon. Dabiri-Erewa for her unwavering efforts for the Diaspora, through the Commission’s platforms for Diaspora engagement.

An equally excited Day Waya called on all Nigerians in the Diaspora to join hands to build the Nation.

National Diaspora Day 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, virtually and physically.

As part of the highlights of the Wednesday briefing, are gift presentations by members of Nigerian in Diasporan Organisation (NIDO). Items such as medical devices, among others were presented to the pioneer CEO of the NiDCOM, Hon Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

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