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 living in Europe under the aegis of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Europe (NIDO-Europe) have congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his assumption of office.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr Bashir Obasekola, and General Secretary, Michael Otogo, the organisation pledged its total support to the new leader, who was sworn into office as the 16th Nigerian president on Monday at a colourful ceremony in the country’s capital Abuja.
“As the umbrella organisation for Diaspora Nigerians in Europe saddled with the core responsibility to galvanize and harness the resources of Nigerians in diaspora for homeland development, NIDO Europe is apolitical. Hence, the organization is home for everyone, irrespective of any political inclinations,” the statement said.
“We are ready to work wholeheartedly with your leadership, as we have done effectively with all other leaderships before now. We are ready to collaborate in education, skills acquisition for youth, security, economic development agenda policies and diversification, healthcare and national orientation programs.”
NIDOE recognised the enormous challenges facing Nigeria but is confident that given the new president’s “sterling antecedents and progressive disposition” it was confident that Nigeria would “rise above all her challenges and pave the way for deep national unity, peace, security and cohesion”.
President Tinubu has promised to be fair to all Nigerians while tackling the development and security problems plaguing the country in his inauguration speech.
The new Nigerian leader has also pledged to remodel the economy to bring about growth as well as facilitate job creation. He announced an end to petroleum subsidy, which costs Nigeria billions of dollars annually. He has also pledged to work for a single exchange rate regime, which critics have often said was fraught with fraud and fuelling speculation in the forex market.
Economists have long called for these two measures for years, but former President Muhammadu Buhari, bowing to vested interests, refused to take them. Though the removal of subsidy is expected to lead to increase in the prices of petroleum products and trigger inflation in the economy, economists say the resources spent on the subsidy scheme could be better invested in education, healthcare and infrastructure.
NIDO is the single representative body recognized by the Federal Government of Nigeria as the umbrella organization for Nigerians in the Diaspora. NIDO WW has five continental zones, which are NIDO Europe, NIDO Africa, NIDO Asia, NIDO Oceania and NIDO Americas.
Femi Awoniyi
