The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerians abroad

  • Nigerians Abroad: Arokodare scores  season’s 10th  goal

    Nigerians Abroad: Arokodare scores  season’s 10th  goal

    Tolu Arokodare was on the scoring sheet for Belgian League leaders, Genk who were held to a 2-2 draw  at Saint Truiden.

    It was Arokodare’s 10th  goal of the season from 16 games and his goals have helped strengthened Genk spot at the top with 35 points.

    Arokodare’s compatriot, Yira Sor was introduced in the 74th  minute.

    In Scotland, Cyriel Dessers was an unused substitute in Rangers’ 1-0 away win at St Johnstone. Leon Balogun was introduced in the 46th minute of the encounter.

    Real Madrid have gone within just a point of La Liga leaders, Barcelona following their 2-0 home win over Christantus Uche’s Getafe yesterday.

    Uche came on at the start of the second half and was unlucky not to score at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    In England, Alex Iwobi grabbed his third assist of the season for Fulham who held Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 away despite ending the game with 10 players. The Cottagers’ goal scorer, Tom Cairney was red carded but his teammates held on to secure the away point. It was Iwobi’s 13th game of the season and he has three goals.

    Read Also: Fans rail against Sanusi’s 5th term  bid as NFF General Secretary

    Iwobi was replaced in the 86th  minute by Timothy Castagne. Calvin Bassey, Iwobi’s teammate in Fulham was on for the entire 90 minutes in the tie.

    Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye had a torrid time at the goalpost in Udinese’s 2-0 home loss to Genoa in the Italian Serie A. The loss sees Udinese slide to the ninth spot with 17 points.

    Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was removed at the start of the second half in Lazio’s 3-1 defeat at Parma. It was Fisayo’s sixth game of the season. He has registered a goal.

    In Germany, Kevin Akpoguma bagged his 11th game of the season for Hoffenheim who were beaten 2-0 at Mainz.

    In France, Akor Adams was not listed for action for Montpellier who needed a late goal to get a 2-2 draw at home to Lille. Adams is yet to recover from a thigh complaint.

    Gift Orban was not listed for action in Lyon’s  4-1 emphatic win over OGC Nice whose attacker, Terem Moffi is yet to recover from his knee injury.

    In another French Ligue One game, Toulouse pummelled Gabriel Osho’s Auxerre 2-0.

    In Turkey, Ibrahim Olawoyin got an assist as Rizespor thrashed Kayserispor 3-0 in a Turkish Super Lig tie. It was his second assist of the season from 12 games. He has a goal too.

    In another game in Turkey, Victor Osimhen was not on the score sheet in Galatasaray’s 2-2 draw at home to Eyupspor but he gave an assist for his team’s second goal.

    Osimhen who was yellow carded in the stoppage time of the first half has been involved in 12 games with nine goals and four assists in all competitions.

  • Suffering of Nigerians abroad

    SIR: It is sad tale for most Nigerians who fled the stark realities at home for an envisaged golden fleece in foreign climes. Some of them even sold their belongings, including their houses and cars just to finance their trips. Others embarked on the hazardous adventure across the Sahara and the Mediterranean in a brash move to secure a foothold in Europe. In this craze to flee one’s fatherland, even a fellow African country could be considered a potential better prospect than staying back;  hence, the sojourn of not a few of our citizens across the length and breadth of the continent is an irresistible lure to many even at the peril of their very lives.

    Nigerians in South Africa for instance have continued to be at the mercies of their hosts’ vagaries of temperamental disposition for sometimes now. At the slightest provocation, Nigerians easily become preys to the unprovoked gods of the xenophobic denizens of this once domicile of apartheid regimes. Nigeria will tolerate few attacks on her citizens in other countries with a philosophical rationalization but certainly not South Africa, whom she did so much for when it mattered most in the fight against that racial segregation of those dark years. Nigerian embassy in South Africa should continue to drum into the hearing of their belligerent hosts about the role played by Nigeria in liberating them from the nearly five decades of those repressive regimes of apartheid. They should also be reminded that no country has monopoly of violence as many South African businesses and nationals thrive un-molested in Nigeria.

    Outside the shores of Africa, Nigerians are not spared unimaginable degradations and sundry assaults. For instance early in the year, BBC reported on the multiple attacks on students of Nigerian extraction in India. Also the Daily Sun reported in May that up to 535 Nigerians in China are serving various prison terms for drugs-related offences but the truth is that not all of them are culpable, some are punished because they did not have legal representation during trial. The story is not different in Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Turkey, Dubai and Bangladesh. In Germany, for instance, a Nigerian was reportedly thrown out of a moving train when he allegedly could not afford his fare.

    While the list is inexhaustible but the most disturbing trend is the continuous deportation of Nigerians all over the world since the beginning of this year, from countries such as Cameroon, Libya, UK, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Spain to mention a few .

    The plight of Nigerians abroad would continue to fester as foreign missions are said to have bad records of not being concerned about the welfare of their fellow citizens in Diaspora. They neither speak up nor rise in their defence. Could this be a case of complacency, timidity or lack of temerity?

    A viable economy will make traveling abroad for greener pastures a less attractive venture. This, to say the least, presents a more compelling national imperative to save our eroding national pride.

    Finally, seasoned, qualified and competent people should be engaged in our foreign service to actualize the purpose of establishing these missions abroad.

     

    • Itaobong Offiong Etim,

    Calabar. 

  • Nigerians abroad remitted $20b in 2014, says Osinbajo

    Nigerians abroad remitted $20b in 2014, says Osinbajo

    Diaspora Nigerians remitted home about $20b last year, the Federal Government said yesterday.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the government will tap into the experience the Nigerians abroad to deepen the economy.

    Those in the Diaspora will however wait for some time before they can start voting in  elections.

    Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, spoke at the 2015 Diaspora Day held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The theme of the conference is: “Diaspora and Nigeria Change Agenda.”

    The VP said legislation, huge finance, and confidence in the electoral system were required before diaspora voting can commence.

    He said: “We are also aware of the importance of voting rights of Nigerians abroad. But to achieve this, the National Assembly will have to legislate. Diaspora voting is in Nigeria’s future.

    “Because obviously there is a lot to be done including building confidence in the Nigerian electoral process. The skills and planning required in planning a number of national election in an atmosphere of continued suspicion of each party is a major challenge by itself.

    “Our electoral process is evolving and as greater confidence is built in the institutions and processes associated with it we may then create voting opportunities for our citizens abroad in the not too distant future,’’ he said.

    According to him, his administration was building a new Nigeria that requires the support and participation of all, including Nigerians in the Diaspora.

    He said: “Permit me to take this opportunity to integrate the place and role of Nigerians abroad in the Change Agenda of the Buhari administration.

    “This is because we have embarked on the building of a bold new Nigeria and we need all hands on deck.

    “The time has come for talents from home and abroad to mix it up in patriotic zeal to fashion the Nigeria of our dreams.” He stated.

    He added: “First let me quickly lay out our medium to long term strategy as a government.

    “It is namely to build an economy led by a strong and responsible private sector.”

    The President said government’s intervention would come in the provision of physical and economic infrastructure and social policies that provide opportunity and succour for the 110 million extremely poor Nigerians in the country.

    He said the administration was targeting consistent generation of 5,000 MW of power daily by early 2016, describing it as a modest target from what was already available.

    The President also said efforts were on to complete a variety of outstanding power-related projects in order to lay the foundation for 10,000MW and 15,000 MW subsequently.

    Buhari said government was pursuing a long overdue reform in the hydrocarbon industry and reorganising the NNPC and holding the officials accountable for past revenue losses.

    He said government would improve the local refining capacity to reduce the over 37 per cent of foreign exchange applied to the importation of refined products.

    In agriculture, he said a programme of self-sustenance was on in the production of rice, wheat cotton in order to reduce foreign exchange requirement for importation of such items.

    He said rice importation alone gulped about $4 billion annually adding that seven rice producing states were working in concert with the Federal Government to map out the pathway to self-sustenance in rice production within 30 months.

    He said the agricultural and agro-allied value chain remained a priority of government in job creation plans as it would support local agriculture.

    He said plans were on to create a friendly and efficient environment for investments by removing bureaucracies and red tapes in approval processes stressing that the incentive regime in the country would also be reviewed.

    Efforts, he said, are on to return all garment and textile factories to full production capacity within the shortest time possible.

    He said to address youth unemployment, government will invest in infrastructure, technology, agriculture and mining while the one-meal-a-day programme for primary schools would also create many jobs and business opportunities.

    The President said that government would implement social intervention schemes to make no fewer than 110 million extremely poor Nigerians to participate in the new Nigeria.

    According to him, the experience and exposure of Nigerians abroad would be tapped to building a thriving economy as done by other nations.

    He pointed out that India, Japan, China and Korea attained global status following the contributions of their nationals abroad.

    The President said the administration was convinced that the nationals abroad could participate in the change agenda with their 15 million population with about four million in U.S. and Canada and about one million in London.

    He said: “Besides, the financial remittances from Nigerians abroad have well reached an estimate of over $20 billion in 2014.

    “With the potential of such huge populations abroad and attendant financial muscle, no government can actually totally ignore such persons.”

    He said the place to start was to develop a reliable data of Nigerian citizens abroad using the Embassies and missions.

    The President said the proposed Diaspora Commission if signed into law would open a new chapter and create  the platform for engaging Nigerians abroad and allowing their expertise to permeate the country.

    Urging Nigerians in diaspora to be good ambassadors in their host countries, he assured that the government would ensure that their rights were protected.

  • What Nigerians miss while abroad

    What Nigerians miss while abroad

    Nigerians are happy-go-lucky people who love freebies as much as the next person. Nigerians are unique and special in their own way and it is these endearing qualities that attract foreigners to this great nation with people of amiable characteristics and peculiar ways of life. Even though some of them are comfortable to stay back in Nigeria and slug it out, others can’t stand the heat so they ‘check out’. Having a sister and an in-law who stay in the United States of America, I have a firsthand knowledge of the different things they miss about Nigeria.

    • Visitation from family members, friends and neighbours is one thing Nigerians abroad miss about home. The weekends are usually reserved for such visits in Nigeria. During these visits, family banters are exchanged; amidst some other family matters like who recently gave birth, who is getting married, which family member died etc, with wining and dining. In America, it is not so. My sister told us that everyone locks their door and minds their own business.

     

    • Street shops are those little shops that dot the streets, selling consumer goods or foodstuff. Almost every street in Nigeria has at least one of this, depending on the locality. It is so easy and stress-free to just come out of your house and buy what you need without going a long distance. If you want to buy anything in America, you have to go to either the mall or a small/medium-sized convenience store some distance away from where you live. This can be a hassle; especially if what you need to buy may just be a toothbrush or a packet of biscuits.

     

    • Street parties are the order of the day in Nigeria now. Every street has a party usually at the end of the year for its residents who contribute a stipulated amount for refreshments and music. Also, parties of most types are usually hosted on streets by those who can’t afford to rent halls. This is not the case abroad.

     

    • TV Shows in Nigeria are the types residents won’t want to miss, especially those in America. From Checkmate, The Rich also Cry, Ripples etc. that made waves in the 90s, to the recent telenovelas and Nigerian soap operas that are ruling the airwaves now, make for interesting and engaged viewership in the country. Nigerians abroad ask after these TV shows and even buy CDs of them when they are in the country.

     

    • Lagos bus conductors are a handful, and they make a journey memorable. Quite colourful characters themselves. They regale them also about stories of an encounter with a ‘stubborn’ passenger. They always get into altercations with law enforcement agents which usually results in them being taken to police stations or army barracks as the case may be. Not people one would like to have a misunderstanding with, they are however sometimes funny.

     

    • Speaking vernacular is a favourite pastime of most Nigerians that they can’t do without. The speaking of various dialects shows an affinity for where one comes from. Pidgin English is usually spoken in a relaxed mood with one’s friends especially during unwinding. At every slight opportunity, Nigerians speak vernacular when they are not in a formal setting, probably as a silent protest against the imported English Language which some view as burdensome. Nigerians abroad miss this opportunity except when they see themselves which usually once in a while.

     

    • Owambe parties could be said to be another ‘pastime’ Nigerians love. Every weekend, there is always an owambe party happening somewhere. Hardly does anyone need an invitation to attend, as the principle of ‘mogbo moya’ (I heard and I came) applies in Lagos and Yoruba-hosted parties. The owambe party could be based on any type of celebration, where there are assorted types of food in abundance, with large chunks of meat. You can even take ‘takeaway’ because there’s a lot to spare.

     

    • Market haggling is a way of life with Nigerians. Who wants to buy something at the stipulated price when you can have it at half price? Nigerians love to haggle because they know that they are entitled to it and most times they get what they want. Haggling has become an art that is learnt in Nigeria because you don’t want to be among those that are called ‘mumu’, for something that could have being gotten for a cheaper amount. Professional hagglers can beat a price from one thousand five hundred naira to between five to seven hundred naira. In America, price tags are on items, and there is certainly no room for haggling. The highest you can get is a discount when there are sales.

     

    • Nigerians are among the happiest people in the world, so says a recent survey. Despite the economic and political clime, they always are happy and have a positive attitude to life. Nigerian hospitality is known world-wide with stories of foreigners affirming that Nigerians are nice with good attitudes. Bad notions about the country are suddenly dispelled when foreigners interact with indigents and have a taste of Nigerian hospitality.

     

    • Varieties of food in Nigeria are something Nigerians outside the country miss a lot. The different kinds of meals all over the country are a food connoisseur’s dream. From nsala soup in Delta state, amala and gbegiri in the west, oha soup in the east, edikaikong in the south, tuwo shinkafa in the north and all the various delicacies all over, one can’t forget the food in a hurry. Suya is a delicacy that is enjoyed by all as a snack or a supplement to what one is eating. I remember a time when my brother in-law came to see us; he said my sister asked him to bring suya for her as she was seriously craving for it. He bought the suya on his last day in Nigeria and put it in his hand luggage. At the airport (we had dropped him and left), his hand luggage was checked and the suya was discovered by the check-in officials (mostly thorough whites). He was told that he can’t take it with him and it will have to be given to the dogs! Five hundred naira worth of suya down the drain into the dogs’ throats. My sister always goes back to America with a few of her favourite things; roasted and peeled groundnuts, Knorr cubes, Robb, curry and thyme, dried bitter leaf, dry pepper, noodles etc. Suya, roasted corn and ube, walnuts, agbalumo and cake are eaten during the stay, no more to be taken.

     

    • Daily Lagos scenes are also of interest in the society. ‘Anything can happen in Lagos’ goes a popular saying, as oddities are commonplace in Lagos. From humans turning into animals in broad daylight, lynches and near-lynches, confessions of being in a secret society, people being stripped for ‘crimes’ committed, fights etc. are some of the things that makes Lagos an interesting place to live. In the social aspect, Lagos does not ‘carry last.’ It is the first destination for events and celebrities from other parts of the world. Lagos is the hub and nerve-centre for entertainment in Nigeria.

     

  • AFCON: Cape Verde coach rates Nigeria high

    AFCON: Cape Verde coach rates Nigeria high

    Cape Verde Head Coach, Lucio Antunes, has said the Super Eagles put up a gallant performance against his side and he expects the team will go far in the African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    The Super Eagles and the Blue Sharks settled for a goalless draw in Wednesday’s international friendly with many rating the Cape Verdians slightly above the Nigerian side that fail to shine on the night

    Coach Antunnes, who spoke through an interpreter, declared that his boys met a very experienced side in Nigeria and he was happy that the team played out a draw.

    He also promised that the Blue Sharks will cause upsets at the AFCON with the quality of players at its disposal.

    Futaa.com reports that Cape Verde and South Africa will play the opening game of the 2013 Africa Nations Cup on January 19.

     

  • 10,000 jobs for women, youths

    10,000 jobs for women, youths

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration appears determined to sustain its battle against unemployment as it has concluded plans to employ about 10,000 women and youths under its Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerrment Programme (SURE-P) before the end of the year.

    This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide while receiving members of the FCT Chapter of the National Council of Women’s Societies in her office in Abuja.

    The women were led by their President, Mrs Nancy Godwin Bulus.

    The Minister said that the FCT Administration would employ about 10,000 women and youths.

    Akinjide explained that the FCT Administration established the Project Implementation Unit towards training and empowering women and youths in skills and vocation.

    “The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is gender-friendly and has initiated some programmes to economically empower our women and youths. One of the programmes is the SURE-P, which was established to oversee and ensure the effective and timely implementation of projects to be funded with the savings accruing to it from partial removal of subsidy on petroleum products.

    “There is going to be massive employment of women and youths in the FCT before the end of this year. We are employing about 10,000 women and youths under the SURE-P. By empowering a women and youths, you are building a nation,” she said.

    The minister praised the Nigerian women for their remarkable support for the present administration and assured them that the government was on track in the execution of its transformation agenda.

    She urged the FCT Chapter of the NCWS to collaborate with the Gender Department of the Social Development Secretariat towards empowering the rural women.

    She also disclosed that the FCTA has received approval and license for the establishment of a microfinance bank in Kwali Area Council as part of measures to provide access to cheap funds and empower the people.

    “We plan to establish microfinance banks in each of the six area councils. We have received licence for the establishment of a microfinance bank in Kwali Area Council, which will fully take off in the first quarter of 2013,” she added.

    Earlier in her address, the NCWS President, Mrs. Nancy Godwin Bulus, commended the minister for her selfless effort in the development of the area councils and satellite towns.

    She further praised the minister and the Secretary, Social Development Secretariat, Mrs. Blessing Onuh, for their support in retrieving the Certificate of Occupancy for a land given to the Council in 1996 by Federal Capital Development Authority.

    Bulus solicited the financial support of the FCTA and other donor agencies in the territory for the building of FCT NCWS Multipurpose Hall, Day Care Nursery and Primary School, Chalets, Shopping Malls on the Council’s land.

    She also called for the appointment of members of the FCT Chapter of NCWS into the boards and agencies of the FCT Administration.

  • Plight of Nigerians living abroad

    SIR: Each time I get to read about the plight of Nigerians in foreign lands, I feel saddened, depressed and angry.
    Why? I am perturbed that my fellow country men and women suffer endlessly, and in most cases, they are simply marked-down for offences they really knew nothing about. It is regrettable that many Nigerians are routinely thrown into jail for offences they may not have committed.

    Regrettably, the government has not done much to protect its citizens from such vagaries in foreign lands. This posturing is both unacceptable and indefensible.

    These citizens after all left the country with great hopes, frustrated by lack of jobs at home. Not a few of them took loans, sold houses, cars, left lucrative jobs and even threw a lavish send-forth party before embarking on the search for opportunities they could not get at home.

    Reports of racist attacks against foreigners, inclusive of Nigerians mostly, in the United States of America, Europe and lately, South Africa have continued unabated.

    The ordeal of some of these Nigerians sometimes stems from persecutions, stereotyping, false accusations, harassments and other forms of racial abuses. In many cases, these unfortunate citizens receive little assistance or protection at all from the embassies.

    The way Nigerians are treated abroad does no credit to the image of the Federal Government. We can borrow an example of the State of Israel of how to treat citizens. The Middle-east nation is renowned for its unapologetic protection of her citizens wherever they live in the world. The dictum is that every Israeli life is precious to the Jewish State. Even the remains of her dead in war and peace are sacred and treasured.

    What the country needs is proactive diplomacy that will enable our envoys anticipate problems before they develop, not the present reactionary and lame mode.

    As a first measure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should undertake to publication of travel advisories. The information would provide the necessary enlightenment.

    There is need for all to ponder on the state of our nation and tame the monster that drives people away. The rate of unemployment is daily skyrocketing, insecurity is at its peak, the cost of living is intolerably expensive and corruption is the order of the day while basic social infrastructure continues to be out of the reach of the common man.

    •Adewale Kupoluyi
    Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.