NIGERIANS AND IMMIGRATION
Jul 4th, 2007 by kendi
THE NIGERIAN AMBASSADOR PROF. SUNDAY OLU AGBI
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ELECTION?
The Nigerian elections conducted between the 14th and 21st of April was generally flawed, the nation within the context of the provisions of the law tried their best. There was substantial compliance with electoral regulations and the electoral body called INNEC. They did a wonderful job which is contrary to what many people say. In Nigeria, people are very bad losers. These losers will always allege elections are rigged. I believe the rigging that took place was not phenomenal and it was not enough to declare that the elections be written off. Nigerians did their best.
YOUR TAKE ON THE NEW PRESIDENT?
Nigerians are beginning to know the new president. A graduate of chemistry and a former lecturer, he was also governor of Katsina state for eight years. As governor he was very prudent and a good administrator. This is the first time in Nigeria since 1960 when graduates would aspire to the position. Now, we have two graduates, the president, and the vice president.
TELL US ABOUT NIGERIANS LIVING HERE?
When I came in 2004, Nigerians were not working together but today there is a chairman who is well respected. The community is on the path to improving the lives of Nigerians living here. It is a very vibrant community.
The only problem is very few are professionally engaged. Many of them are either traders or factory hands. Others are not well settled because of the nature of the society. Its baffling the large number of Nigerians who cannot pick their way through. Some do not understand the language, its difficult without entrenching yourself into the Greek language and culture to really settle down in Greece. They must understand the language and culture. Accept they are in a foreign land and attune their minds to what goes on within the system. Once they know the system very well they will be able to cope. The point is many do not go to school. There are a few doctors and engineers. Opportunities to go to school do exist but unfortunately they do not.
Without education you cannot get a good job. They need to go to school and adderess their minds to that.
On the negative image associated with Nigeria, its not as bad as people think. There are bad eggs, such as people who deal in Narcotics, those who deceive business men to make money, people who engage in internet fraud. Looking at these categories, one finds they are less than one percent of Nigerians struggling for existence.
Nigeria is not as bad as they paint it. When you go to Nigeria proper, there are 130million people. Am not sure about 100 thousand that are bad, you have 129 plus million good people. Then that country is good.
Besides Nigerians living abroad are wasting their time and I tell those who have ears to listen. Some have gone back to Nigeria to invest and are doing very well.
The economy of Nigeria is now booming because the economy is private led. If you have money and you are a business man with money to invest in Nigeria, we encourage you to visit the country. Besides, oil Nigeria produces other minerals such as iron ore etc. Nigerians living at home are much better off than those abroad.
