ABUJA — The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged graduating students of Lagos State University (LASU) to pursue excellence, make meaningful impact and remain proud ambassadors of Nigeria wherever their journeys take them.
Dabiri-Erewa gave the charge while delivering the Convocation Lecture at the 29th and 30th Convocation Ceremonies of LASU, held on Tuesday, under the theme: “From LASU to the World: Harnessing the Nigerian Diaspora as the 7th Region for National Development.”
The appeal was contained in a statement e-signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, mnipr, Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NiDCOM, Abuja.
The NiDCOM boss challenged the graduates to “Be Useful, Visible and Nigerian,” stressing that personal success should go beyond individual achievements to include positive contributions to society and national development.
She encouraged the graduates to think globally while maintaining strong ties with Nigeria, noting that international exposure should provide opportunities to acquire knowledge, build networks and create platforms that could ultimately benefit the country.
Dabiri-Erewa described the Nigerian diaspora as Nigeria’s “7th Region”—a vast and influential community with skills, expertise, investments, knowledge and global networks capable of making significant contributions to national development.
According to her, the increasing presence of Nigerians across the world presents enormous opportunities, particularly when their experiences, resources and knowledge are effectively channelled towards nation-building.
The NiDCOM Chairman, who was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by LASU in 2023, urged the graduates to pursue excellence wherever they find themselves while retaining a strong sense of responsibility and connection to their homeland.
She further challenged them to deploy their skills, knowledge and networks to make tangible contributions to society, emphasising that true success should not be measured solely by personal accomplishments but also by the impact individuals make in the lives of others.
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Dabiri-Erewa noted that Nigerians in the diaspora have critical roles to play in shaping the country’s future through investments, innovation, knowledge transfer, mentorship, partnerships and other forms of engagement.
Her message to the graduating class was clear: wherever their journeys take them, they should remain connected to Nigeria, make meaningful impact and always remember to give back.
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