African Diaspora Union pushes for Nigerian citizenship for African descendants

PUNCH

The African Diaspora Union has urged Nigeria to grant citizenship to African descendants in the diaspora who trace their ancestry back to Nigeria.

The President of AFRIDU, Prof. Chidiebere Ogbu, made this appeal at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

The press conference, part of the build-up to the ‘International Gathering in Honour of the Africans in Diaspora 6th Region,’ emphasised the importance of recognising and integrating the descendants of Africans who were forcefully taken away during the transatlantic slave trade.

AFRIDU, founded in South Africa in 2018 and registered in various countries, including Nigeria, is a Pan-Africanist civil society group dedicated to the empowerment of African peoples and the promotion of their cultural heritage.

In his address, Ogbu noted that many African-Americans, South Americans, and Caribbean descendants are eager to return to their ancestral home and contribute to Africa’s development.

AFRIDU has been advocating for these individuals to be granted full rights of African citizenship, allowing them to participate in business, invest in the economy, and engage in cultural and social life in Africa.

“Nigeria was the epicentre of the transatlantic slave trade, and many African-Americans and Caribbean descendants can trace their lineage back to this country,” Ogbu said, urging the Federal Government to issue citizenship waivers for those who can prove their Nigerian ancestry through DNA testing.

He stressed the potential benefits, noting that many of these descendants are experts, professionals, and investors whose skills and resources could significantly boost the Nigerian economy.

Ogbu further urged President Bola Tinubu to use his presidential powers to grant citizenship waivers to African descendants, a move that could set a historic precedent.

“This is an opportunity for Nigeria and our President to make history and write Nigeria’s name in gold in the world records for being the first to use Presidential Exclusive Rights to grant citizenship waivers to African descendants who are seeking citizenship rights under reparative justice and believe their ancestry is Nigerian.

“This will attract great prospects for Nigeria,” he said, emphasising the potential for African diaspora investors to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economy.

Also, the Diplomatic Administrator of AFRIDU, Dr. Onwubuya Breakforth, called on the Federal Government to seize multi-trillion investments from African Americans eager to invest in key sectors such as agriculture, mining, oil, and gas.

“You agree with me that millions of African-Americans are interested in various areas of developing our resources, such as the mining, agricultural, oil and gas, and real estate sectors.

“Nigeria has over a 48 per cent deficit in the housing market. They want to bridge the gap. Nigeria is not able to harness 60 per cent of its agricultural resources. They want to bridge that gap,” he said, highlighting the significant contributions the diaspora could make.

Breakforth also stressed that these investors, who trace their ancestry back to Africa, are not looking to come as tourists but as citizens.

“They have the resources, expertise, and technology to change Africa,” he said, adding that many have already done DNA tests tracing their roots to Nigeria.

The event highlighted the importance of the upcoming ‘International Gathering in Honour of the Africans in Diaspora 6th Region,’ set to take place in Abuja from 18th to 27th October 2024.

The event is expected to attract thousands of African descendants from across the globe, many of whom will visit their ancestral homes in various Nigerian states.