[size=14pt]Jonathan’s constructive engagement makes us look homeward, say Nigerians abroad[/size]
THURSDAY, 15 JULY 2010 01:16 HORATIUS EGUA

Nigerians in Diaspora have said President Goodluck Jonathan’s constructive engagement with Nigerians abroad was the right encouragement needed to make them begin to look homeward.

In a communiqué by the group on Wednesday, in Paris, France, signed by Henry Ukrakpo, president; Miracle Okumagba, vice president, and Kingsley Iweh, secretary and made available to our correspondent, the group said “commendably underlying Jonathan’s approach is a respectful realisation of a new world order that allows people of Nigerian origin to have a sense of belonging and contribution without the need for unnecessary shifts”.



According to the group, “Nigerians abroad now have a sense of pride in having the closest representation of a statesman as their president. Given the recent visits by the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan to France, South Africa and Canada, there has become a remarkable shift in approach by a visiting Nigerian president abroad against the norm of the past decades.

“The president has given a new definition to foreign presidential visits by robustly featuring in his itinerary comprehensive and highly engaging interactive meetings and sessions with Nigerians in the Diaspora on developmental efforts back in Nigeria”, the group said.

“In the new world order where distance has been collapsed by information technology and enhanced occupational mobility”, the group said, “Jonathan’s renewed importance of engaging Nigerians in discourses, the way he has been doing especially during his recent last visit to France show a president with foresight, humility, courage and broad mindedness”.

The group pointed out that “President Jonathan realises that Nigerians abroad are not necessarily fleeing a struggling country but have merely sought other environments for greater expression of their highly invaluable wealth of talents and other natural endowments that are needed for national development”.

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paddy_lo

You are trying o!

If I moved back to Nigeria, I would stay in Abuja. The rest of Naija is no place for me.