Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerian youths to migrate to countries offering opportunities for growth, rather than risking frustration and danger.
Speaking at Afe Babalola University’s convocation ceremony on Saturday, Dabiri-Erewa emphasized the need to discourage irregular migration.
“It is important to also discourage irregular migration. You can’t stop migration – irregular or regular. We can’t keep having people just go and die in the desert,” she cautioned.
Dabiri-Erewa clarified, “We are not saying don’t ‘japa’ (migrate). We are saying that if you do ‘japa’, do it to a better place, to become a better person, not to frustrate yourself.”
The NIDCOM boss encouraged youths to carefully consider their migration destinations, stating, “For the young people, when you are done with your education here, if you get a job abroad, I am sure you will take it. Be careful where you are going to.”
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She also called on Nigerians in the diaspora to contribute to national development, highlighting their achievements worldwide.
“I have done a lot of traveling. Home will always be home. What kind of home do we want to come back to? What kind of home do we want to build?” she posed.
To address concerns about Nigeria’s challenges, Dabiri-Erewa noted, “A lot of them want to come back, but they will tell me ‘no light, insecurity’. We are here. This is ABU. There was no light. I don’t think you have 24 hours of light for PHCN, but you set this up.”
Emphasizing the importance of collaboration between Nigerians at home and abroad, she said, “Americans built America. Indians built India. Chinese built China. Only Nigerians will build Nigeria.”
