Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has restated the Nigerian government’s commitment to providing welfare to African descendants globally.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said this on Monday when the African Diaspora Union (AFRIDU), led by its president, Archbishop Chidiebre Ogbu, paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja.

The visit was to seek collaboration with NiDCOM ahead of the upcoming African Diaspora Investment Summit, slated for October in Nigeria.

The NiDCOM chairman assured AFRIDU of its collaboration, saying that this followed the directive of the Office of the President to liaise with the diaspora union to ensure the successful hosting of the event.

She said that the summit would attract more than 2000 African descendants under AFRIDU.

According to her, the issue of citizenship rights of the African descendants under AFRIDU is a constitutional matter.

”Our NiDCOM team, in collaboration with AFRIDU and the Ministry of Interior in charge of immigration matters, will work together to find possible options available.

”I want to assure you of Nigerian Government’s commitment to the welfare of the African Descendants globally, including the global Africa Economic Investment Summit, as part of your quest to support African businesses and continental development.

”The Nigerian government will provide the enabling environment as the best place in the world to invest because of her abundance of human and natural resources,’’ she said.

The AFRIDU president, in his remarks, said that the visit was apt following the instruction of President Bola Tinubu to have an interface with the commission to host the global investment summit.

According to him, what we have in mind for October is similar or more in-depth to that of FESTAC 1977. We first try to conceive this project through the author’s mind, meaning to understand Nigeria.

”Like what Nelson Mandela said, the world will not respect Africa until Nigeria earns that respect. The black people of the world need Nigeria to be great as a source of pride and confidence.

”Nigeria needs to take its seat in the corridor of greatness of the world, and for African descendants to return to their roots in Nigeria, this will help Nigeria regain her respect and have the seat of greatness amongst the nations of the world.

”We believe that the international gathering in honour of the Africans in diaspora from six regions, which we intend to hold in October, is an opportunity for all the black people of the world from outside Africa.

”This will include all African descendants coming into Nigeria, and it is estimated that 65 to 70 per cent of the African descendents believe that Nigeria is their ancestral home.

”I will not go into details about the slave trade or how our forefathers were forcefully taken away by the colonial masters, but the time has come for us to proffer solution for a way forward.”

The AFRIDU boss added that the summit would bring professionals in diaspora that would contribute to the continent of Africa.

”We know that this event will bring experts, investors, professionals, scientists, entertainers, academia, and people with diverse skills to Nigeria to actualise the integration of Africans in the diaspora,’’ he said.

The delegation includes officials of AFRIDU from the six regions of North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa and the African Diaspora residing in Canada, America, the United Kingdom, and Gayana, among others.

(NAN)