Tambuwal Charges Nigerians in Diaspora to be Worthy Ambassadors of the Country
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honorable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has charged Nigerians in the Diaspora to be positively productive in their bid to earn a living in any country they found themselves, in order to change the country’s negative image abroad. This he stated would make them worthy ambassadors of Nigeria.
He made this remark while receiving Miss Taiwo and Kehinde Afolabi, Nigerian sisters who live in Brazil and run a non-governmental organization that assists Nigerians coming to Brazil to find a sense of direction and belonging by helping to bridge the communication and vocational barriers- two areas Nigerians in Brazil have continued to find difficult.
The Speaker praised the efforts of Taiwo and Kehinde as well as that of the members of their entourage in helping Nigerians living in Brazil feel a sense of the Nigerian hospitality and brotherhood. He pledged the support of the House for their NGO and for Nigerians living in Brazilian prisons. He also directed the House Committee on Diaspora to coordinate this supportive function.
Earlier, Miss Taiwo had informed the Speaker that there were about 50,000 Nigerians living in Brazil, out of which about 274 were incarcerated in Sao Paolo alone.
She pleaded with the Speaker to use his good office to weigh on the Nigerian government to negotiate with the Brazilian government in order to expedite the release of the Nigerians in Brazilian prisons; disclosing that the Brazilian authorities had expressed their willingness to do this but that Nigeria had not officially contacted them on that issue.
Miss Taiwo noted that Nigerians got into trouble with the Brazilian authorities largely due to lack of job opportunities, a situation in which the language barrier is a significant cause. She went on to say that she and her twin sister Kehinde were using their organization to help Nigerians living in Brazil acclimatize and settle in without being alienated. According to her, their organization trains two sets of 50 Nigerians (100) at a time, who they empower in language and technical courses, in order to ensure they effectively integrate into the Brazilian society, gain employment and avoid the path to prison. This, Miss Taiwo Afolabi prayed will help change the negative impression Brazilians and the whole of South America have of Nigerians.
