The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has expressed appreciation for the significant contribution of ND-Group, Cameroon, led by Mr. Ismaila Adegbola, in enhancing Nigeria’s reputation in neighboring countries like Cameroon.

She acknowledges the esteemed recognition bestowed upon her as Mr. Ismail Adegbola, CEO/Publisher, Naija Diaspora, presents her with the Woman of the Year Award 2023. This prestigious accolade, initially bestowed during the 10th-anniversary celebration in Douala, Cameroon, was formally presented at the NiDCOM Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

« I am deeply honored to receive this esteemed award. It is a testament to the collective efforts of all those who tirelessly work towards enhancing Nigeria’s diaspora relations and fostering development across borders. »

The publication celebrated its 10th anniversary under the distinguished patronage of His Excellency, Sadi Rene Emmanuel, Cameroon Minister of Communication with a tow-day event that included the symposium and annual diaspora excellence award. This platform provided a unique opportunity for collective learning, networking and gaining insights into government policies that relate to communities.

Dabiri-Erewa announced that the Commission looks forward to the new collaboration with Naija Diaspora Magazine to further advance the interests of Nigerians in the diaspora and strengthen ties between Nigeria and Cameroon.

« I am impressed by the five million Nigerians in Cameroon who contribute immensely to the socio-economic fabric of both nations. Their resilience, ingenuity, and unwavering commitment to success inspire us all to strive for greater unity and progress. »
“I am proud of you Mr. Ismail and proud of what you are doing also. We are also inviting you back to Abuja for Diaspora summit coming up in October 2024. Definitely, the partnership must be now,” she said.

Mr. Ismail Adegbola, a prominent figure in diaspora affairs and publishing and a Nigerian resident in Cameroon, highlights the importance of celebrating exemplary individuals like the Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM who embodies leadership and dedication in her endeavors.

He commended the Chairman NiDCOM’s proactive stance in amplifying the voices and concerns of Nigerians globally, stating, « Mama Diaspora’s proactive dedication ensures our Diasporas’ voices are heard on the global stage. We celebrate your integrity, passion, brilliance, and quality. You have been a wonderful woman to diaspora communities.”  

The Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire led by High Chief Michael Emeka Ownuchelu has called on His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rescue many Nigerians in Cote d’Ivoire prison, while many are already dying as a result of improper care.

In a statement released by the Nigerian Community PRO, Hon. Davidson Ogbu Tabel reads:

“It is very pertinent at this time to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria led by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for urgent intervention of rescuing Nigerians out of Abidjan prisons. Many are being detained for wrong offense and we understand that some are already dying in prison custody. As Nigeria community in Côte d’Ivoire, we have been trying our best day and night to ensure we help our brothers but we believe our government can make it faster with our host country.

“Not many people in prison are criminals, some got there wrongly, while some are overdue for release because of some clauses which can only be from the government. We believe in the government of President Bola Ahmed and we are hoping that the government will attend to this issue in Côte d’Ivoire.

Hon. Tabel revealed that the Nigerian community is stabilized under the leadership of High Chief Micheal and has vowed to deal with issues surrounding Nigerians in the country.

“We are doing our best in the Nigerian community to maintain law and order among our brothers and sisters, we respect the laws of the host country and as a matter of fact, the president has ensured he treated issues surrounding Nigerians accordingly.

“The president general of the Nigerian community has repatriated over 600 girls since he assumed office in 2021. Most Nigerians are being trafficked to this country, and this is not good for our image here. When the president assumed office in 2021, he made a vowed that he was going to address the issues that Nigerians are facing.”

The government of High Chief Michael Emeka Ownuchelu also achieve the introduction of the Biometric Indentification system called (Carte Consulaire Biométrique) valid ID cards issued to Nigerians living in Côté Ivoire. All these were done in support from the Nigerian Embassy.

He advised the Nigerian government to include the Diaspora fund in the subsequent budget in Nigeria.

“There is a need for the Nigerian Diaspora to be recognized by the Federal Government of Nigeria. It is also important for this current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use his good office to establish a budget for Nigerians in the Diaspora.

“The fact remains that many of these representatives in Nigerian communities across Africa are spending their money to empower Nigerians in various countries. It is something the federal government should look at. They have been assisting the growth of Nigeria without means of funding. For example, many times President Michael Emeka had used his money to deport young girls back home against trafficking, sex prostitution, rape and others. He provides them accommodation, feeding and lots more.”

The Nigerian community is accepted and recognized by the Côté Ivoire government.

A truce between Israel and Hamas entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with the militant group promising to release more civilian hostages to delay the expected resumption of the war and Israel under growing pressure to spare Palestinian civilians when the fighting resumes.

The sides agreed to extend their truce through Wednesday, with another two planned exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. But Israel has repeatedly vowed to resume the war with “full force” to destroy Hamas once it’s clear that no more hostages will be freed under the current agreement’s terms.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit the region later this week for the third time since the start of the war, and is expected to press for an extension of the truce and the release of more hostages.

The Biden administration has told Israel it must avoid “significant further displacement” and mass casualties among Palestinian civilians if it resumes the offensive, and that it must operate with more precision in southern Gaza than it has in the north, according to U.S. officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.

Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his call for a long-term cease-fire and the release of all hostages, reflecting broad international support for a cessation of hostilities.

Hamas and other militants are still holding about 160 people, out of the 240 seized in their Oct. 7 assault into southern Israel that ignited the war. That’s enough to potentially extend the truce for another two weeks under the existing framework brokered by the Qatar, Egypt and the U.S., but Hamas is expected to make much higher demands for the release of captive soldiers.

Either way, Israel says it is committed to resuming the war, which is already the deadliest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence in decades. It blames the soaring casualty toll on Hamas, accusing the militants of using civilians as human shields while operating in dense, residential areas.

Israel has vowed to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities. That would almost certainly require expanding the ground offensive from northern Gaza — where entire residential areas have been pounded into rubble — to the south, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people have packed into overflowing United Nations shelters.

Hamas freed another 11 women and children on Monday in the fourth and final swap planned under the initial cease-fire agreement, which went into effect Friday. Israel released 33 Palestinian prisoners.

Monday’s releases bring to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released.

The Palestinian prisoners released so far have been mostly teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces. Some were convicted by Israeli courts of attempting to carry out deadly attacks. The prisoners are widely seen by Palestinians as heroes resisting occupation.

Most of the freed hostages appeared to be physically well, but an 84-year-old woman released Sunday was hospitalized in critical condition because she had not had access to her medication in captivity. They have mostly stayed out of the public eye, but details of their captivity have started to emerge.

In one of the first interviews with a freed hostage, 78-year-old Ruti Munder told Israel’s Channel 13 television that she was initially fed well in captivity but that conditions worsened as shortages took hold. She said she was kept in a “suffocating” room and slept on plastic chairs with a sheet for nearly 50 days.

Israel imposed a total blockade of Gaza at the start of the war and had only allowed a trickle of humanitarian aid to enter prior to the cease-fire, leading to widespread shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel to power generators amid a territory-wide power blackout.

The cease-fire has allowed residents who remained in Gaza City and other parts of the north to venture out to survey the destruction and try to locate and bury relatives. Footage from northern Gaza, the focus of the Israeli ground offensive, shows nearly every building damaged or destroyed.

A U.N.-led aid consortium estimates that over 234,000 homes have been damaged across Gaza and 46,000 have been completely destroyed, amounting to around 60% of the housing stock in the territory, which is home to some 2.3 million Palestinians. In the north, the destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure “severely compromises the ability to meet basic requirements to sustain life, » it said.

More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 people have been killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians killed in the initial attack. At least 77 soldiers have been killed in Israel’s ground offensive.

The toll on the Palestinian side is likely much higher, as the Health Ministry has only been able to sporadically update its count since Nov. 11, due to the breakdown of the health sector in the north. It also says thousands of people are missing and feared trapped or dead under the rubble.

Israel’s bombardment and ground offensive have displaced more than 1.8 million people, nearly 80% of Gaza’s population, with most having sought refuge in the south, according to the U.N. Office for Humanitarian Affairs. Israeli troops have barred people from returning to the north during the cease-fire.

Hundreds of thousands of people have packed into U.N.-run schools and other facilities, with many forced to sleep on the streets outside because of overcrowding. It’s unclear where they would go if Israel expands its ground operation, as Egypt has refused to accept refugees and Israel has sealed its border.

The U.N. says the truce made it possible to scale up the delivery of food, water and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war. But the 160 to 200 trucks a day is still less than half what Gaza was importing before the fighting, even as humanitarian needs have soared.

Juliette Toma, a spokesperson for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said people come to shelters asking for heavy clothes, mattresses and blankets, and that some are sleeping in damaged vehicles.

“The needs are overwhelming,” she told The Associated Press. “They lost everything, and they need everything.”