Nigeria’s Diaspora Dilemma -By Kene Obiezu

Nigeria is not the only country facing serious challenges. But as far as anyone within Nigeria can see, it is one of a few countries where many of its young people want to leave the country for pastures new, onto new climes where they can put down roots and assume new lives in the hope of guaranteeing better lives for themselves and their unborn.

Even at the best of times, the crowds which throng foreign embassies in Nigeria have always been sizable. With the country now on the brink of collapse, many of those who are yet to get appointments to attempt to flee the country are those who have stayed back because they are yet to perfect their plans. For this set of people, mounting desperation is a daily experience.

A long way from home.

Nigerians are found all over the world. If Nigerian grit glistens, it is for the fact that even in places considered harsh and inhospitable, Nigerians are found doing their best to squeeze water out of rocks. For these Nigerians, home is a long way from home, and for practical purposes, home is firmly where the heart is.

Nigerians are found in the business communities of other countries; in the academia of other countries, they stake their claim; in the media industry, they have a say. Away from Nigeria, the tremendous fortitude of the average Nigerian shines forth.

It is what it is and for everything said about the inordinate inclination of some Nigerians to take to crime where they find themselves, the courage many Nigerians show under difficult circumstances does more than enough to offset whatever negatives may arise.

It is the Nigerians who leave the country that make up the chunk of the Nigerian diaspora. Many of them having left the country and successfully burrowed their way into the systems in place in other countries are more than proud to be ambassadors of the country. For many of them, wherever they are, flying Nigerias flag is non-negotiable. They are the ones who make things happen for Nigeria abroad.

Thus, in spite of the occasional scandal involving Nigerians in other countries, and the horrible treatment, sometimes resulting in death, meted out to Nigerians in the diaspora from time to time, they remain a remarkable success story. In fact, from all over the world, they contribute to providing a steely spine for their home country, and in the process, they provide enormous support to their fellow citizens back home.

This support is jaw droppingly financial.

Given all Nigerians in diaspora are and give back to the country, it is no surprise that they are asking to be involved. With the 2023 general elections closing in, they want to participate. They want to vote. It is shameful that the the modalities for them to do this are not yet in place for them to. It naturally begs the question of when the appropriate structures will be in place for them to vote and participate fully in the electoral processes of the country.

In many ways, their views of what a properly functioning country should be like cannot be bettered by the views of those at home. This is because having had the benefit of living under different systems, experience has put them in a better stead to make sound choices.

The contributions of the Nigerian diaspora to properly shaping the country cannot be overemphasized. Already, many of them make great sacrifices to be fully invested in what happens at home. Many of them continue to do all within their power to help.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chiarman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission recently had cause to commend Nigerians in the Diaspora on the rise of remittances in the first quarter of the year by 20.3 per cent representing the seventh consecutive quarter increase in diaspora remittances since the last quarter in 2020.

Reports show that in the last three years, the Nigerian population in the Diaspora remitted $60. 22bn to boost economic activities and the countrys external reserves.

Having shown that they are doing their best to keep things ticking at home, they can only be further integrated so they can do more. Besides, as those whose objective is to destabilize Nigeria from abroad ae well known, those who mean well must be allowed to contribute their own quota away from the baseless claims of those for whom leaving the country is a crime because they are contributing to the dysfunction here.

Kene Obiezu,
Twitter : @kenobiezu