I wish to reply to the plea made by the honourable Dr. Alex Ekwueme, as reported in the Guardian of Monday 19th August 2002, who thought it wise to invite the crowd of Nigerians abroad to come home and help in building their country, instead of building other countries’ economies. At the occasion of the wedding ceremony of Mr. Molokwu Azikiwe, son of the late Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, a renowned statesman, and crusader of democracy in Nigeria.
Definitely it eluded Mr. Ekwueme that Nigerians student’s abroad, after finishing their education do not have any incentive whatsoever to return home for the “development of the nation”.
What development?
And how can development be helped when the citizens of the country are not secure?, in a country where the privileged like Mr. Azikiwe Jr., who has his father’s fame and the opportunity to come and staff the Bureau of Public Enterprises.
In a country where the Police cannot be trusted, where the armed robber operates without disturbance nor fear of being caught.
I think lots of things have to be achieved by those at home to ascertain the return of the Nigerian population outside Nigeria.
One really thinks that maybe its in the interest of “some” persons in Nigerian that the expatriate leave the country for better life abroad, where they can boast of 24 hours electricity service, full water supply, and all the other basic human needs.
Is he trying to covey that the nation is providing jobs for Nigerians from Diaspora?, because the NIDO experiment as introduced is proving to be a PDP political “sweep” than the expatriate convergence that it is supposed to represent.
I am of the belief that if Nigerian professionals were to be encouraged to return “home” incentives like security for lives and properties should be seriously looked into, the basic amenities (food, shelter, etc.) of life should be focused as a necessity rather than “enjoyment”.
Even here abroad, fellow Nigerians are being exploited by Nigerian diplomats who are supposed to help in ushering Nigerians back home, but instead, you see “hunger” in their eyes ready to feed on their own brothers’.
Where then Mr. Ekwueme are the incentives?
Olatunde Olugbenga
Athens.
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