THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Kenneth Gbandi has been re-elected the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) for a second 2-year term.
Hon. Gbandi was returned unopposed at the biannual election, which took place on Saturday (10 November) in Vienna as part of the activities of the group’s annual general meeting. It’s the first time that a chairman of NIDOE would be re-elected for a second term since its founding in 2000.
The event, presided over by HE Ambassador Vivian Okeke, Nigeria’s envoy to Austria, also witnessed the re-election of Engr. Cornelius Obot as Vice-Chairman, Barrister Georgian Opara, Legal Officer, and Adeyemi Ademuyiwa, Financial Officer. Other officials elected were Vire Komolafe as General Secretary, Rev (Mrs) Helen Onwu-Dorkenoo (Treasurer), Fidel Oneil Wilson (PRO/Asst. General Secretary), Godson Azu (Social/Welfare Officer), Ade Adeyanju (EU Relationship Officer), and Laura Ngozi Ikeobi and Ponfa Roy Bitrus as Special Duties Officers.
Gbandi thanked members for the trust reposed in him and pledged to consolidate the achievements of the organization under his stewardship. “Our determination is to ensure that the Diaspora continues to play an active role in national development,” Gbandi said.
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“Our activities will include the intensification of efforts to attract foreign investment and development projects to Nigeria,” he added. “That is the only way to promote economic growth and development to sustainably reduce poverty.”
The re-elected chair said the executive council would also give priority to issues of immediate importance to the Diaspora, such as the voting right.
Gbandi thanked Ambassador Okeke profusely for taking part in the activities of the annual general meeting, which took place on 8-10 November. “Ma, we appreciate your rare gesture which shows the respect that you have for Nigerians in the Diaspora.”
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Gbandi also congratulated Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who is the nominee for the position of the Chairman/CEO of the National Diaspora Commission, and charged her to work on effective policy frameworks for a more robust Diaspora engagement in national development when she assumes office.
Ms Dabiri-Erewa, who is currently the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, had praised Gbandi during the conference opening event for having taken NIDOE to higher level. The election was also witnessed by Barrister Vivian Iroh Uchime, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Abia State on the Diaspora, who represented her principal, HE Dr Okezie Ikpeazu,
Gbandi, a Hamburg, Germany-based media entrepreneur, was first elected chairman of NIDOE in 2016 at the organisation’s general meeting in Athens, Greece.
Femi Awoniyi
About NIDOE
The Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Europe (NIDOE) is the European arm of the global Nigerian Diaspora network recognized by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Established in 2000 and registered in England and Wales in 2002 under the Companies Act, the organization’s Headquarters is in London from where it serves its 19 Regional Chapters in 18 European Countries.
NIDOE and the other continental arms of NIDO – in the Americas, Asia and Africa, are together the largest assembly of Nigerians worldwide.
