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.
Nigerians from across Europe will gather in Vienna, Austria, on 8-10 November for the annual general meeting of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE).
The event, which will also be attended by dignitaries from Nigeria, is a special one.
A new executive council of NIDOE will be elected in Vienna, an event that takes place every two years.
Moreover, as the meeting is taking place before Nigeria’s general election, scheduled for February 2019, discussions will hold on the state of the nation.
In fact, NIDOE has invited all the presidential candidates participating at the polls to Vienna.
READ ALSO Ecobank to register diaspora Nigerians for BVN at NIDOE conference in Vienna
“There will be a session at the AGM [annual general meeting] in Vienna devoted to the 2019 polls, which provides an opportunity for the political parties to engage with the Diaspora on their plans for Nigeria,” NIDOE said in a statement.
“The session will enable the Diaspora to hear first-hand what the different political parties are offering and how they intend to collaborate with the Diaspora for the advancement of our nation.”
Several candidates, including Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party, Alhaji Usman Ibrahim of the National Rescue Movement, and Dr Alistair Soyode of YES Party, have confirmed that they will attend the event.
READ ALSO Update your membership, NIDOE chair appeals ahead of election
Other dignitaries who have also confirmed their attendance are Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, and Hon. Rita Orji, chairperson of the Diaspora Committee, Federal House of Representatives. Dabiri-Erewa is the presidential nominee as the Chairperson/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission.
Hon. Kenneth Gbandi, Chairman of NIDOE, said many other important personalities from the worlds of politics, business and academia in Nigeria are expected at the annual event.
Issues of concern to Nigerians abroad as well as developments at home will also be debated at the meeting. A special session will discuss the report of the ‘Nigeria Diaspora Global Development Conference 2018’, which took place in London on 27-29 July 2018. The confab drafted a policy paper on a long-time framework for increased Diaspora engagement for the economic development of Nigeria.
Gbandi, who is seeking a second two-year term in office, has called on members of the organisation across Europe to endeavour to attend the annual meeting.
Femi Awoniyi
NIDOE Annual General Meeting
8-10 November 2018
Hotel Lenas Donau
Wagramerstr. 52, 1220 Vienna, Austria
CONTACTS:
Engr. Oluyemi Ogundele, Chairman of NIDOE Austria; Tel: +436644941020; Email: oluyemius@yahoo.com
Engr. Abiodun Ogunshakin, Secretary-General, NIDOE; Tel.: +447949783640, +2348102441400; Email: secretariat@nidoeurope.org
Hon. Kenneth Gbandi, Chairman, NIDOE; Tel.: +491709878495; Email: chair@nidoeurope.org
