Just saw this article @ Thisdayonline.com, decided to post it here and hope we have spirited debate concerning the "content" of the write up.


Diaspora By Ekerete Udoh


Last Friday, as I went through security clearance at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, on my return trip to New York after a two-month stay in Nigeria, I was struck by one thing: over a dozen of the people I met on the line were returnee Diasporans. Like me, these Diasporans were taking a quick trip back to their respective bases to handle a few logistical concerns and would head back to Nigeria in a matter of weeks. I was also struck by the air of unbridled optimism and sunny disposition about Nigeria that they all projected. Gone were the usual jeremiads of doom and gloom about what a living hell hole Nigeria represents which was a recurring decimal anytime the Nigerian project was discussed by a section of our Diasporan community.


“I came back here in 2010 to set up an educational facility and after a fortuitous encounter with my state governor, I was asked to join his administration, and today, I am glad that I now have the opportunity to help my governor dispense democratic dividends and to be to use my acquired skills in the service of my state and country in general. I would advise my fellow Diasporans not to be disconnected from what is happening here in Nigeria, but to be engaged and see what they can do to appropriate and utilize their skills- set to add value to our common essence,” an ex-New Yorker now based in one of the South West states had told me, as we waited to be processed.


Throughout my two-month stay in Nigeria, I was constantly running into returnee Diasporans who, in spite of some challenges that are all too visible, have decided to come back to Nigeria and help in the developmental efforts of the country. “Nigeria has the market, the educated workforce, cheap labour and a wonderful sense of community. I believe if one were to set up a business that has a distinct niche and targets at least a million people, I think such a business has every chance of success. Don’t forget that out of almost 160 million people, I think there are conservatively 20 million people with easily disposable income that can patronize a product or service whose niche cannot be replicated easily” a former Los Angles, California based businessman, who moved back to Nigeria four months ago, had told me, while we drank beer at the Movenpick Hotel, Accra, last month.


The above sentiments were expressed by dozens of Diaporans I had also encountered last month too in London, when I attended the Akwa Ibom People Convention which took place at Thistle Hotel, Marble Arch, London. From what I saw and heard, it was evident that the spirit of reverse migration has dawned on us and it is a good thing. About 20 years ago, Ireland- a former economically depressed nation that had seen million of its citizens emigrate to different nations-especially the United States- a migration trend that started in the middle of the 19th century during the infamous potato blight and reached its peak at the turn of the 20th Century, experienced an economic and cultural renaissance following its membership of the EU. The Irish economy was growing exponentially and with that came a wave of reverse migration. I remember some of my colleagues at a Fortune 500 company in Midtown Manhattan, where I had worked as a Senior Accounts Manager telling me that they were resigning their appointments to move back to Ireland and participate in the evolving ‘Irish Gilded Age”. “Even though we are doing great here, but given the opportunities I saw when I went to Dublin recently, and based on the great success I had seen recorded by my friends who had moved back a few years earlier, I don’t think remaining here is a smart idea,” my colleague, Robert O’Riley had told me in the conference room of our 34 Street, Midtown, Manhattan office. Two years after he relocated to Dublin, O’Riley was back in New York- a proud owner of a thriving service company and was crowing about the opportunities that existed in Ireland.
It is a known fact that several hundreds of thousands of Irish -Americans-some who had never visited Ireland, moved back to the country to take advantage of the opportunities that the country’s membership of the EU had engendered. The same pattern was also seen among Indian-Americans who today have made India the out-sourcing capital of the world, where to get information on my American Express or MasterCard, someone in Mumbai, India would answer the call and struggling to sound American, would provide me the information I needed.
The Chinese Disaporans have helped push China from a bicycle-riding nation a few decades ago, to one of wide boulevards and glittering skylines with some of the world’s billionaires riding in exotic cars. These Diasporans have also transferred knowledge and a skill garnered in the West and today, China is poised to become the next hegemonic power of the world. I was struck when a good friend of mine, an American conservative Republican (yes, I do have conservatives as friends even though I loathe their platform) told me that the only two foreign languages he has asked his children to learn are Mandarin and Arabic. “I want them to be ready when China begins to dictate the pace of activities in the world.”
The Nigerian Gilded Age is on and I am again advising my fellow Diasporas not to allow this opportunity to pass them by. When I first talked about this phenomenon briefly last year, some of my readers eviscerated me, and said I was being too overly optimistic about the Nigerian state, that I had refused to write about the doom and gloom that they only believe is what Nigeria represents. While I am not presenting a sanitized version of the Nigerians state, always reminding my readers that we sure have challenges and that there is a huge disconnect between the leaders and the led, that the private sector is booming and like the American Gilded Age, this is the right time to become involved.


The Gilded Age in American politics lasted from the 1870s to the beginning of the 20th Century. It was a period of great economic growth, which saw America leapfrogged England as the most industrialized nation in the world. This was the period when great wealth was accumulated and it produced such fabulously wealthy men as the Vanderbilt’s, the Rockefellers, the Carnegies, the Andrew Melons, J.P Morgan’s and others whom the media of the era dubbed the railway barons. Americans on the lower social rung also saw their economic circumstance improve exponentially even though there was widespread poverty and inequality too. Conspicuous consumption was the order of the day as huge mansions and other toys of the wealthy competed for space. Those who invested in the era are today’s member of the ‘old money ‘class and their investments have ensured continued wealth and prosperity for their generations.


Nigeria, in my own opinion is going through its own Gilded Age and it thus becomes incumbent on the Nigerian Diaspora community to be a part of this phenomenon. All over the country, even though the stench of corruption rents the air, even though infrastructural amenities are at best medieval, even though people going to bed without electricity and are swatting mosquitoes, even though some roads are death traps, Nigeria holds incredible opportunities for those who dream and dare. Diasporans are dreamers and therefore, must be a part of this great movement at making a difference in our country.


Some are already are making a difference. Prince Chidi Ibe, a young man who lived in England for years, came back to Nigeria a few years back, and seeing the increased taste of Nigerians for quality products, set up The Best Western Premier Hotel, in Port Harcourt. The hotel, a five-star hotel that is managed and run in the same manner you would see here in New York or London, today caters for the needs of discerning Nigerians. Prince Chidi, believing that Nigerians in Diaspora have a lot to contribute to the growth of Nigeria, established an NGO-called “Initiative for Diasporan Knowledge Transfer (IDKT)- which provides a platform for Diasporas with ideas and patents that would add value to our national development to work together toward appropriating such talents for larger national cause . “Look at what the Indian and Chinese have done. I think we have enough Nigerians in the Diaspora that can replicate same. There are opportunities here in Nigeria and our compatriots must avail themselves of these opportunities. Our democratic culture is deepening and Foreign Direct Investment is pouring into the country because of stable environment exists politically- there can’t be a better time for Nigerians in the Diaspora to consider coming back home”. Prince Ibe had told me recently in Abuja.
As I have always stated, if Diasporas continue to stay four or more thousands miles away and sneer at the country, lobbing written and verbal grenades, without engaging themselves in the new Gilded Age, they will have a lot to answer to their children who would ask them in the next few decades why they had cut themselves off from being a part of a period where huge wealth and opportunities were amassed through sound and creative ideas. Like the Irish, Chinese and Indians did earlier, Nigerians in the Diaspora should not discountenance the idea of a reverse migration.

waiting for summary

Any returnees in the house and have set up businesses or investments with success story, including the challenges?
Let's hear from you.

jp philips: It is a good initiative but my greatest worry is the pressure on existing infrastructures.
I could recall vividly the era when you go to the airport and you see only govt officials, Today, there is a new mentality for people to see the reasons to fly, where did the ideology come from? diaspora, people who have traveled elsewhere and returned has sold the Idea to us and we are living their American dreams in Nigeria.

In the 60's, multi millionaires at the time made money through land and haulage transportation but that trend is no longer appealing to us, i am not insinuating flying is wrong, the negative curve is one where Nigeria has a few airlines to carter for the needs of the populace, the savvy for services of ostentation will increase the price, Today , flying in Nigeria can be termed "extortion" in the real sense other than a means of transportation.

Another attention could be drawn to real estate, when the Diasporas showed interest in owning homes in Nigeria, was when the prices of Houses climbed beyond roof tops, same is applicable to many facets of our existence.

my own take is this, if they are coming with capital to set up businesses that will stimulate the economy in the long run, then it is a welcome development, that will at least make up for the extra pressure on infrastructures, but if they are coming with Foreign degrees just to relegate out National universities to the back stage, for the love of God, let them remain where they are trained after all, they got the best of education and as such should be competitive over there.

Our job market is already saturated.

The premise is that the returnees will set up shop/ businesses in Nigeria to employ and empower people @ home, not compete with them for jobs or opportunities, but help create opportunities.

why is this thread here instead of politics/some other section?

Sagewood:

The premise is that the returnees will set up shop/ businesses in Nigeria to employ and empower people @ home, not compete with them for jobs or opportunities, but help create opportunities.

the govt needs to improve the employment sector since not everybody is into business.


Most Nigerians abroad are actually doing salary jobs, same as everyone else there. If you did not have a business background for the duration of your stay overseas, how would you suddenly go into business in nigeria and expect magical profits? And what about the current business owners in nigeria- you'd suddenly intrude into their market niche and expect them to be happy about that?

jpphilips:
It is a good initiative but my greatest worry is the pressure on existing infrastructures.
I could recall vividly the era when you go to the airport and you see only govt officials, Today, there is a new mentality for people to see the reasons to fly, where did the ideology come from? diaspora, people who have traveled elsewhere and returned has sold the Idea to us and we are living their American dreams in Nigeria.

In the 60's, multi millionaires at the time made money through land and haulage transportation but that trend is no longer appealing to us, i am not insinuating flying is wrong, the negative curve is one where Nigeria has a few airlines to carter for the needs of the populace, the savvy for services of ostentation will increase the price, Today , flying in Nigeria can be termed "extortion" in the real sense other than a means of transportation.

Another attention could be drawn to real estate, when the Diasporas showed interest in owning homes in Nigeria, was when the prices of Houses climbed beyond roof tops, same is applicable to many facets of our existence.

my own take is this, if they are coming with capital to set up businesses that will stimulate the economy in the long run, then it is a welcome development, that will at least make up for the extra pressure on infrastructures, but if they are coming with Foreign degrees just to relegate out National universities to the back stage, for the love of God, let them remain where they are trained after all, they got the best of education and as such should be competitive over there.

Our job market is already saturated.

interesting post.

my own take is this, if they are coming with capital to set up businesses that will stimulate the economy in the long run, then it is a welcome development, that will at least make up for the extra pressure on infrastructures, but if they are coming with Foreign degrees just to relegate out National universities to the back stage, for the love of God, let them remain where they are trained after all, they got the best of education and as such should be competitive over there.

now, I'm not sure why so many nlers see "business" as some kind of magical alchemy that turns every investment unfailingly into maximal returns.

i dont think it works that way.

Most of the diasporan nigerians have been in paid salary jobs throughout their career, and to suddenly expect them to turn business gurus with a midas touch when they have little or no background in business, is not realistic.

what the govt needs to do is create jobs or job quotas that can absorb the incoming diasporans and at the same time, provide housing they can afford.


and i dont think blocking them from academia is the answer either?