Kenneth Gbandi, chairman of NIDOE (left) speaking while Vire Komolafe, general secretary of the organization, looks on at the Nigerian Diaspora Conference in Vienna, Austria, November 2018 / Photo: Femi Awoniyi

Nigerians converge in Dublin for Diaspora Conference 2019

Nigerians from across Europe will gather in Dublin, Ireland, on 7-9 November for the annual Nigerian Diaspora Conference.

Organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) and hosted by its Ireland chapter, the event will discuss issues of concern to Nigerians abroad as well as those surrounding the Diaspora role in national development.

The conference, which is also the annual general meeting of NIDOE and that will be attended by Nigerians from all over Europe as well as dignitaries from Nigeria, will feature seminars and workshops.

The official opening ceremony reception will be hosted by the Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland, Her Excellency Dr Elizabeth Uzoma Emenike, on Thursday, 7 November (5pm) at the Dublin City Council.

Members of the Executive Committee of NIDO Ireland, hosts of the Nigerian Diaspora Conference Dublin 2019

 

Dignitaries who have also confirmed their attendance are Ambassador Joseph Ayalogu (former Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations in Geneva and Ambassador to Switzerland), HE Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany), Ambassador Abdul Bin Rimdap (former Nigerian Ambassador to Austria & Germany), Cllr Eoghan O’Brien (Mayor, Fingal County Council Dublin, Ireland), Prof. Dilip Mahapatra, MD (Chairperson, Confederation of Indian Communities in Ireland) and Andrew Parish, Chief Commercial Officer, Irish Diaspora Loan Fund (Investment Fund).

Hon. Kenneth Gbandi, Chairman of NIDOE, said many other important personalities from the worlds of politics, business and academia in Nigeria are expected at the annual event.

A main highlight of the conference is the launch of the hugely ambitious US$1 trillion infrastructure development fund for Nigeria, whose objective is to promote international investment in the country’s housing, transport and energy sectors.

Hon. Kenneth Gbandi, chairman of NIDOE, speaking at the annual general meeting in Vienna, November 2018. Beside him is Vire Komolafe, the new General-Secretary of the organisation / Photo: Femi Awoniyi

 

Like the Chinese say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. If seriously pursued and irrespective of the results it eventually achieves, the investment initiative will go down in history as one of the boldest plans ever conceived to change the course of a country’s development.

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The 3-day conference will be rounded up with Gala Night & Excellence in Business Award ceremony at which outstanding Nigerian owned businesses in Ireland will be honoured. The occasion, tagged  “Our Fabrics of Tomorrow”, will also feature cultural displays and the celebration of Nigerian home-grown fashion industry.

Adedotun Adegbesan, chairman of NIDO Ireland, has appealed to members of the organisation across Europe to attend the annual meeting as the Dublin meeting was determined to chart a new course for the Nigerian diaspora in Europe.

Femi Awoniyi

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