National Diaspora Day: Umeh,NIDCOM to address “Japa” syndrome
From Abuja, Kenneth Udeh
Senate Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Non-Governmental Organizations chaired by Senator Victor Umeh and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Chairman, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa have resolved to stem the tide of mass migration of Nigerians most especially youths out of the country.
To address the socio-economic impacts of mass migration “popularly referred to as “Japa” it was resolved that there was dire need for repratation of knowledge back to Nigeria.
This was agreed on Wednesday during a working visit by the NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri to the National Assembly to mark this year’s National Diaspora Day Celebration slated for July 25 in Abuja.
Abike Dabiri led members of the US Congres and the Alberta Canada Deputy Minister to interact with Senator Umeh to intimate him on the plans of the commission to celebrate the day.
Among the delegation included; Senator representing New York 21st District ,Brooklyn Kelvin Parker; Alberta Canada Deputy Minister for Immigration and Multiculturalism , Professor Akolisa Ufodike;District 58 New York Brooklyn Assembly Woman, Monique Chandler Waterman and CEO Canvas Institute Inc , Bobby Digi Olisa.
During their interactions all parties agreed that the mass emigration of youths from the country is having negative impact on the country’s human capital resources.
Senator Umeh in his comment stressed the need for migration to provide opportunities for the exploration of the Nation’s non oil sectors.
He said; “We have the same message of collaboration and working together. All that you have said are all targeted. Agriculture and Food production is a very critical issue in our agenda , even in our appropriation and efforts.
“We will be able to count various things we would like to look at. We are known as major oil producers and but we have a lot of other things untapped.
Canadian Deputy Minister Ufodike canvassed for a mutually beneficial immigration, he said; “We have to find ways that both sides benefit from immigration that does not involve brain drain but the repratation of the brains back to Nigeria”.
“The largest form of trade is Knowledge and there is a lot of knowledge that our brothers has developed. Also finding means to collaborate with Agriculture and if we can strengthen such through policies”.
Senator Parker pointed out the need for Nigeria and New York to collaborate on areas of Education and Agriculture, he said;
“We are interested in having soft collaboration between the state of New York and Nigeria especially opportunities in Education and Agriculture.
“We need an establishment here in Nigeria and we need to talk about how to create trade between Nigeria and the state of New York. “I know thay together we can build bridges that can transport each other for the greater good of us”.
The need to break the barriers obstructing knowledge was canvassed by Monique Chandler Waterman who stated that; “As we talks about the collaborations , it’s all about understanding each other. The fear of not knowing we need to break those barriers.
“Simple things become complicated when we don’t understand that we are all one. The focus is making sure that we all understand each other.
Dabiri on her part informed that the theme for this year’s celebration, was “Japa Phenomenon and its Implications for National Development.”
According to her, the event would also feature the 2024 Diaspora Merit Award.
She said that the day was set aside to commemorate Nigeria diaspora, hence the reason for the theme also bearing in mind the benefits and the disadvantages of japa.
According to her the delegation from the US and canada were in Nigeria to celebrate the Diaspora day stressing the need for a working relationship between Nigeria and both countries.
