FG plans reintegration policy for African descendants

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has said the Federal government of Nigeria is planning a reintegration policy for Nigerians of African descendants.

Akume disclosed this while receiving a delegation led by Professor Archbishop Chidiebere Anelechi Ogbu, President of the African Diaspora Union (AFRIDU) in Abuja.

Akume while speaking further, also commended the significant contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora to the economic and technological advancements of their host countries.

Akume assured the delegation that the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) would collaborate with AfriDU to develop a policy framework facilitating the reintegration of Nigerians of African descent back to their ancestral land.

Professor Ogbu emphasised that the delegation, consisting of Nigerians from South America, the USA, and Canada, is eager to invest in Nigeria if the Federal Government provides a sense of belonging and grants them Nigerian citizenship.

He announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the hosting of a historical Homecoming Event by AFRIDU in partnership with NiDCOM, scheduled for October in Abuja. The event is expected to attract over 2,000 African descendants.

AFRIDU Ambassador to the United States and Canada, Dr. Andre Moriel McClerklin, expressed the determination of diaspora descendants to reconnect with their Nigerian heritage.

“We are prepared to bring all that we have with us, our business capabilities, financial portfolios, intellectual properties, spiritual richness, and all that we have learned in the lands of our captivity,” he said.

Moriel added that they are ready to reclaim what has been lost in terms of land, language, and culture.

The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce, Ayanna Khan, appreciated the Nigerian government for its openness to investment discussions.

“I represent hundreds of businesses in Delaware, and we are excited about the opportunity to bring our capabilities, innovations, and ideas to Nigeria. We want to do business in Nigeria with our family and be judged by our capabilities, not the colour of our skin,” she stated.

The African Diaspora Union (AfriDU) is a civil society organization that serves as an umbrella body for all African diaspora organizations, aiming to integrate Africans into their countries of residence with a spirit of brotherhood.

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