Valentine Ozigbo’s European Tour; A Diaspora Engagement in Policy and Practice
By Justin Kingland
October 27th 2024
As of 2019/2020, over 3.6% of the global population resides outside their countries of origin, making issues of identity, borders, and governance more complex. Many in the Diaspora face unique challenges in their host countries, from identity and cultural adaptation struggles to difficulties navigating border and residency issues.
In response, countries of origin have begun to adopt policies to support and engage their citizens living abroad. In Nigeria, while some government initiatives exist to address these concerns of the Diaspora population, they remain insufficient.
Since diasporas are not homogenous groups, it’s crucial to clarify the target recipients of these policies. Diasporas consist of diverse individuals who differ significantly in socio-economic and demographic backgrounds and in the personal motivations that initially led them to emigrate.
This diversity results in a wide range of attitudes toward their countries of origin, from intense patriotism and support to profound disapproval of their home governments. Consequently, depending on their perspectives and backgrounds, countries of origin may choose to engage with diasporans as citizens or subjects in different ways, to largely disregard them, or even to actively exclude them.
The incoming Governor of Anambra State, was a distinguished guest in Algeria at the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) 2024 where he served as a panelist on Sports Development. After the Freestyle Connect 2.0′ he ventured on a tour in Europe to connect and liaise with Ndi Anambra in Diaspora across Europe in
- Rome on October 20th
- Germany on October 20th
- Zurich on October 21st
- Belgium on October 22nd
- And Spain on October 23rd
Chief Dr. Valentine Ozigbo’s European tour highlights his commitment to inclusivity and strengthens the relationship with the diaspora, offering them a sense of belonging. Extending voting rights and representation to diasporans is just one of many ways countries seek to engage their populations abroad. Though not yet governor, Ozigbo has already taken steps the state government should have addressed. How better to define good governance than through actions like those seen in his recent tour?
The VCO European Tour holds significant importance, as it demonstrates VCO’s commitment to establishing a more robust and inclusive approach to governance. By engaging with the Ndi Anambra Diaspora, VCO demonstrates his unwavering commitment to prioritising their interests and fostering a lasting relationship with them when, by the grace of God, he becomes governor of this crucial southeastern state.
Dr. Valentine Ozigbo stands out as the most credible, transparent, and unarguably the most competent candidate within the Labour Party for the 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election. We call upon Ndi Anambra in the Diaspora to support this incoming leader, helping Anambra continue as a beacon of hope and prosperity in Nigeria and a model for other states to follow.
Amb. Hon. Kingland Justin Okechukwu Ezeani (DrM) is a distinguished leader in the Nigerian diaspora community, known for his service as the former chairman of the Social and Cultural Committee for Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) MY. He currently serves as Director of Media for Ndi Anambra State in Europe. He is the convener of both the Nigerian National Political Organization (NNPO) and the Anambra National Vanguard Organization (ANVO).
