September 13, 2022

Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Americas (NIDOA), South Savannah chapter, Georgia, have made history by inaugurating the first NIDO online radio, calling on Nigerian Diasporas to participate in its programmes to further Nigeria’s development.

NIDOA South Savannah President, Mr. Collins Ikegwuonu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that the first online radio could be listened to anywhere in the world.

“It’s a platform to influence governmental policies and we want every Nigeria to come and participate, free of charge, just come with your content,’’ he said.

He paid tribute to pioneer of the chapter, late Prof. Joseph Igietseme, who gave the idea of establishing the radio and came up with a Roadmap that the chapter is implementing.

“We are planning to invite some Nigerians schooling abroad, those in journalism school and create a stipend where we can encourage them to develop programmes for the radio.

“We see this as way of supporting and mentoring the younger generation; it means their voices would be heard all over the world before they graduate,’’ the official said.

With the Roadmap, he said that the chapter was able to mobilise no fewer than 100 Nigerians into the association in less than one year, making the chapter the youngest NIDOA in the Americas.

“My chapter is aggressively working with all Nigerians in respective of their ethnicity, what we did is that we made people understand that is not a one man show.

“We encourage them to come with their ideas, for us to brainstorm to see how we can develop Nigerians,’’ he said.

Ikegwuonu told NAN that the chapter had been encouraging Nigerian professionals to discuss ways of mentoring younger Nigerians coming into America to be able to have successful and meaningful careers.

In addition, he said the chapter was working to introducing free premium life insurance, a project that has not been done in NIDOA chapter to help address untimely death, if it happens.

Apart from the contribution of his chapter, the official said that Nigerians in Diaspora had a lot of skills and potential, noting that what is lacking is the enabling environment.

“We want Nigeria government to understand that for us to contribute greatly, they need to talk to us first and give us a level play field to contribute to the growth and development of our homeland.

“I’m in Aero space industry, if you come talk to me, I can help the Nigerian government develop a plan, invite fellow Americans and they will believe me to go and set a company in Nigeria.

“Nigerians have lots of talents and potential and great people doing great things in various sectors here in the U.S,” Ikegwuonu.

On 2023 elections, Ikegwuonu encouraged Nigerians above 18 years to go and get their PVCs to vote, lamenting electoral illiteracy and emphasised on the need to re-introduce history in the secondary schools to address it.

“Electoral process should be added as a curriculum while people will know once they are 18 years, they should have your PVC, know their ward chairmen, Local Government Chairmen, etc.

“If you don’t know your leaders at the grassroots, you will not be able to make decision at the top,’’ he said.

He prayed for peaceful elections and urged the electorate to vote right by choosing competent, honest, and prudent leaders.

“Election is an opportunity to change something that is not working.

“The power belongs to people and they have right to change every situation by peaceful voting not by rioting, not by killing people, not by causing chaos but by organising themselves and vote peaceful,” he added. (NAN)