The class of diaspora’s being talked about here are Nigerians who migrated out of Nigeria to saner societies where governance is at the instance of the masses which has helped transform such societies massively.
Please be patient as you read through this article, it would need you to spare some minutes of your time. Please kindly make the sacrifice for us.
This class of migrants being talked about in this write up in most cases are those who are gainfully employed and doing unbelievable exploits in their chosen careers overseas.
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While we cannot appreciate them enough for their remittances to Nigeria which is of great worth to the economy of the Nigerian State, now is the time to ask for a bit more from those of them who can make the sacrifice.
The Nigerian political elites across board are very cruel and mean on all counts, with just very few exceptions.
These elites in Nigeria switch to become deities of some sort which must always be worshipped and praised at all times, once they gain access to political power.
With the political power they acquire from the elections, they decide who to offer the freedom to live and express oneself fully or whom to deny such inalienable rights.
This political power is also what they use to stifle opposition in the country just as we have in Nigeria at the moment where APC seems to be in a haste to crush every form of opposition to their rule even when opposition is absolutely needed to keep those in power in check.
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These are the reasons why you are always advised if you are based in Nigeria to never speak up against the government even if they want to snuff the life out of you.
These political office holders often use the instruments of State which they almost never deploy to defend the common people on the street, to mete out terror on anyone that dares to call them out for short-changing the masses.
Permit me to narrow this conversation down to Abia State in Nigeria where Dr. Alex Otti a known bank czar is now the Governor of the State after contesting for the same position in 2015, 2019 and 2023 respectively. You can imagine the volume of resources lost in those earlier unsuccessful contests before the monumental success of 2023.
This particular leader of the blessed people of Abia is not anywhere new to leadership positions and wielding of power owing to the many paths he walked through in the banking industry where he rose to the peak of his career.
So, it would be wrong to say that the political promises he made consistently while he sought power over the years, were probably borne from a place of naivety at that time.
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Through fiercely contested election in 2023, Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party emerged as the only Nigerian Governor on the party’s platform. This was the same political party on which Mr. Peter Obi contested for the Presidential election in 2023.
One fact that stares us in the face is that the 2023 gubernatorial election was a sort of referendum on Abia PDP by residents of Abia State, for how the political party had neglected the masses over these years.
Now that the power Dr. Alex Otti sought so desperately for has been achieved, we as Abians are of the singular opinion that it is a new dawn for us on all facets of our life as Abia residents or natives.
This indeed is a New Abia and it would be wrong to pitch our benchmark for excellence on the performance of a government (outgone PDP government) Dr. Alex Otti promised us that he was coming to right their wrongs.
While I appreciate the deliberate efforts made by the Governor to offer the people of Abia State good governance, I must also admit that we must all stand up as Abians to appreciate the job one of our distinguished Abia State sons, has been doing lately with the aim to hold the Governor and his team accountable on behalf of all of us.
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Who is this Abia State born good governance advocate that I am talking about?
He is Engr. Ekeoma by name.
A Seventh Day Adventist just as the immediate past and present Governor of Abia State.
He is of Isiala Ngwa North origin, but it is worthy to note that for a minimum of 15 years, he has lived overseas in Scotland.
People like me would have ordinarily not taken his criticism of Dr. Alex Otti’s government serious despite the facts and figures he publishes routinely to drive home his advocacy, if not that he did the same thing or even worse to Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu who comes from the same Ngwa clan as him.
I have watched people call him names and deride him for asking our Governor questions about what he is doing with our funds.
These attacks mostly come from the place of government officials who are part of the government or ancillary folks who have made it a self-appointed duty to defend everything this government does whether they are good or bad.
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To my very own knowledge as of last year when I often had conversations with Engr. Ekeoma the good governance advocate, he cannot be said to be struggling financially. He enjoys recklessly the dividends of a responsibly run society.
The irony actually is that he may never be poor again as a result of the investments choices he has accumulated in Europe and Africa over the years.
He didn’t just arrive here; this son of a teacher worked his way up to this phase of his life.
However, his motivation for putting his life on the line for the sake of Abians is to see that Abians enjoy just a bit of what our political office holders ensure that their own kids and family enjoy overseas which is where they always run to for vacations and after their tenure elapses.
Engr. Ekeoma’s expertise at the analysis of data provided by the government itself is why we as Abians now are well informed that there is a lot going on with our finances and such must stop if we must have a State that we would be proud of in the years ahead.
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Finally, assuming we have so many other people based overseas lending their voices to good governance advocacy as their own community service to their various States, I am certain that we would successfully pressure these political office holders to at least for once prioritize the masses and act in their interest.
Engr. Ekeoma has to be encouraged, supported and not allowed to be bullied as he is doing a job you and I cannot do being based in Nigeria.
He has travelled round the world and seen what good governance can offer humanity, so don’t come to argue with him when he goes gloves off with our political elites who are after our lives, to make sure that they do what they have to do for you and I.
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As I wind down on this write up, may I inform you that the not so young man has sacrificed visiting Nigeria for as long as would be necessary so as to be free and alive to prosecute this project of good governance advocacy.
This which he is doing can be likened to doing the Lord’s duty and we must be deliberate about encouraging him to march on.
How many South Eastern States have men like Engr. Ekeoma?
We need so many of his likes in diaspora to drive the rapid development of the region indirectly through their advocacy which lately has been awakening the South Eastern residents.
6 responses to “THE ROLES OF NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION; THE ABIA STATE EXAMPLE.”
Great read once again!
I may disagree with few of his methods but it doesn’t wipe out his greatness.
Thank you, Kachi for this write up
Do you know about this particular man in question? Have you ever listened to him spit his facts? However, I share in your sentiments with your reservation towards his approach, but the truth is that the political class do not take gentle men seriously.
You don’t need to agree with my methods. Those that starve people to death, and cart away their public funds don’t look at your sentiments.
I agree with you on this because if you had approached it gently, most of these men would not have taken you seriously as they would have seen you to be blabbing.
It’s good to criticise government constructively, it’s another thing for the government to use such for good governance, most times government feels that those that criticise them are their enemy, but it’s not true, it’s like a parent advising a child on the way to go,we need more of Engr.Ekeomas.
Most definitely we need so many of them across the Southeastern States as this would go a long way to help us hold these men accountable because in reality most of these politicians do not care.
We must continue to take the war of accountability to them at all times.