Diaspora Day Series, Nigeria
Diaspora Day Series, Nigeria:
Event Summary
On Friday October 22, 2021 Africa Business Club (ABC) at The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School hosted its first Diaspora Day Series. The series highlights how Africans in the United States are making an impact in their fields, and how they are giving back to the continent. The goal of Africa Diaspora Day is to ensure the engagement of diaspora and migrants as entrepreneurs, social investors, policy advocates and partners in human development while simultaneously combating the negative stereotype attitudes towards these groups within society. Moderated by Ifeanyi Umejei, Founder & CEO of Groovv, the panelists included Segun Adeyina, Babajide Akeredolu, Ike Eze, Dr. Vincent Onyema and Julius Akinyemi.
The first country highlighted in our series was Nigeria and the theme centered around the role of its diaspora in building the Nigeria of tomorrow. We had notable speakers and panelists who all shared amazing perspectives about the role of the diaspora and how the diaspora can help.
Carey School of Business Vice Dean Rick Smith introduced the event and spoke about human capital and global business. Then Honorable Abike Dabiri-Erewa followed with a keynote address that emphasized the importance of the diaspora coming and working together to build the Nigeria of tomorrow.
Next, Distinguished guest, Representative Oye Owolewa mentioned the importance of giving back to the community. He spoke about strategies how the government can help build the community by engaging, enabling, and empowering members of the community.
The panel discussion served as a platform to review issues facing Nigeria today. Panelists spoke about the issues faced in Nigeria’s education and government systems and proposed solutions to fix these issues. Discussions centered on creating mentoring programs, seminars, and management trainings as solutions to Nigeria’s education issues. Government issues require assistance from the private sector to deploy various strategies such as policy reform, advocacy, and technology.
Overall, the Diaspora Day Series: Nigeria highlighted that Nigeria needs the diaspora abroad. It’s important that those in the diaspora continue to advocate for those in Nigeria as they advance in their fields. When Africans collaborate and brainstorm as one, they are able to develop strategies that can shape the government, education, and social systems to further the development of Nigeria. Two brains and two sets of hands are better than one.