Nigerian professionals in the United States gathered over the weekend to inaugurate the Nigerian-American Business Forum in Florida, and they were full of eagerness to return home.
Some of them were full of praise for the country that offered them quality education which is they are using to develop the United States. They believe it is about time to go back home and help develop Nigeria, reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The team of professionals from some America’s Fortune 500 Companies formed work groups to help find solutions to their home country’s problems including electricity, engineering, agricultural infrastructure and health.
However, the question that lingered was: why are they still talking when they can go home?
“We have our Diaspora eager to come home. Most of us here are comfortable and don’t need to come home but Nigeria is our home,” said the president of the forum, Kenneth Shobola.
For cardiologist Oluyemi Badero: “We have been called to different countries, we are ready to do it in Nigeria. For the past five years, there is no month that we are not in Nigeria; Nigeria is littered with under-equipped hospitals.
“We are not looking for jobs, don’t hire us. Just employ our experience to build the country’s health sector. We just want to make Nigeria better if we see committed leadership to limit the number of Nigerians who go outside the country for healthcare.”
Remi Duyile believes the only solution to the country’s developmental issues is to give professional Nigerians the task to build and repair infrastructure because they know the environment better.
“If we are all expecting the U.S., China to do it for us, we are deceiving ourselves. Nigeria’s development must be internal – by Nigerians,” he said. Emelia Orubele supported Duyile’s view saying: “We can’t solve all the problems of Nigeria but with our expertise, we can do a lot to get great results”.
Nigeria is one of Africa’s leading countries with the highest number of citizens outside the continent. Some have relocated to their home country to help in the development process.
Can they make any difference if the government gives them the jobs offered the American and Chinese companies? Let’s know your thoughts in the comment section below.
