The need for the Nigerian Diaspora to give back to the society in one form or the other is of utmost importance and one of the mandates of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Nigerian Diaspora.
This statement was exemplified by an NGO, the Society for the Reconciliation of Distressed Nigerians in Diaspora (SORENID) on a visit to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in Abuja.
SORENID Chief executive officer, Ambassador Uche B. Okafor said his organization, was set up to facilitate a reconnection process with homeland, as well as, bridge the gap of Nigerians wanting to trace their roots, and for Nigerians, who for some reasons or the other, got stranded abroad and had to come home to start life afresh and in addition, victims of gender-based violence in the Diaspora are also included in the rehabilitation, resettlement and
reintegration scheme.
According to him, “a 20-room, 80 bed-space facility which originally was my guest house, got converted to a shelter for the victims and engage them meaningfully in skills such as beauty, fashion, ICT, agriculture and production of household cleaning agents.”
Okafor stated further that the FCT Diaspora Focal Point Officer and NAPTIP had visited the shelter. He said the need to liaise with other agencies related to Diaspora and migration necessitated the need to visit NIDCOM.
NIDCOM Secretary, Dr Sule Yakubu Bassi, who represented Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM, appreciated the group’s effort of identifying with the commission.
However, he pointed out that their objective is better suited with NAPTIP, which is in charge of handling cases of trafficked victims, their rehabilitation and reintegration into the society.
He encouraged other returnees to follow the path of Ambassador Okafor in giving back to the country, as that is one of the three mandates of Nigerians in the Diaspora: to be good ambassadors, to excel greatly in what they set out to do and to always remember home, wherever they are.
The NiDCOM secretary assured the group that the Commission will render its assistance in whatever capacity towards the growth of the NGO.
The Society for the Reconciliation of Distressed Nigerians in Diaspora (SORENID) is formed to help complement other strategic Departments, Agencies and Ministries.
