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The Time To Return Home Is Now – Fashola Tells Nigerians In Diaspora

Aug 11, 2008 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Monday told Nigerians in the Diaspora to return home and help build their nation, saying the task of nation building was a collaborative one.

Fashola, who spoke at an Appreciation Dinner in honour of members of the Eko Club International on medical mission to Lagos State, said it would be a great disservice to the Fatherland if Nigerian professionals would stay behind abroad while their country seek elsewhere for the services which they could easily provide.

Noting that some Nigerians abroad sometimes hide behind the argument that there may not be anything for them to do in the country if they return, Fashola declared; “It is no excuse to ask us what you would do when you come back home because there was no promise when you left the country”.

“I recommend to all Nigerians in the Diaspora, the time to come back home is now. The Asians are going back home. No one else can fix this country for us. We had a choice also, we could have left, but we stayed back. We need you to come home. I make a passionate appeal to all Nigerians, wherever they are, to begin now to find their way back home, let us build up our country”, Fashola appealed.

According to the Governor, “I believe that at the last count, we were said to have over 22,000 medical personnel in all categories outside this country. Those were the people who went to build the medical practice of Cairo, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and others and now we are gloriously and happily exporting indisposed Nigerians to these countries”.

He said the services being provided for Lagos by the Medical Mission were also needed in all the other 35 states of the Federation and called on those who are disposed to come home to also extend their services to the other states, ”So wherever you are in the Diaspora, you need to come back home”, he pleaded.

Fashola who noted appealed to Nigerians to unite and speak with one voice once outside the shores of the country, said: “As far as I can recollect, I don’t remember any nationality breaking into ethnic groups while here. You are first and foremost Nigerians. Do not balkanize, otherwise those who benefit from our balkanization will continue to treat us as minorities instead of a nation of 140 million people”.

He said the dinner was the “very little way” in which the State Government wanted to show its appreciation of what the Medical Mission had done, adding, “If you had sent us drugs, it would have helped. If you had sent us equipment, it would have helped, but nothing could put value better than your presence here and your time. I doubt whether there will be any way we can fully show appreciation for all you have done”.

He recalled that the Medical Mission was started by his immediate predecessor in office, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and pledged to continue from where the immediate past Governor stopped, thanking the Medical Mission for their contribution to the healthcare programme of his administration.

“I have seen the hope you have restored to the challenged, the relief you have given to the hopeless and on behalf of the over 5000 Lagosians, Nigerians from all walks of life, who have chosen Lagos as their home, I owe special debt of gratitude to you”, the Governor said.

Describing the challenge before his administration as enormous, Fashola said the State Government was not only carrying the burden of Lagos alone but that of Nigeria and also standing as the hope of all black people across the globe, adding, “The pressure of our modest success is increased population to Lagos”.

In his remarks, the President of Eko Club International, Dr. Gbenga Abbas, said the objective of the Club was to be a dependable partner with the Lagos State Government in its efforts to make life meaningful to the underprivileged in the society.

Abbas, who said the 2008 Medical Mission was an expanded version of that of last year, told the Governor: “As part of our efforts to complement Your efforts to make life more meaningful to the people, we have assembled a team of medical surgeons, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and volunteers to come to Lagos State to support your efforts to ensure that healthcare services get to the needy in Lagos State”, adding that the Mission would not have been successful without the support of the State’s Ministry of Health.

Thanking the Governor for the reception and support given to the mission by the State Government, Abbas said the Club was made up of 36 chapters combined in Europe, Canada and ‘the land of the Obamas (US)’, adding that the club’s mission was to make impact in the life of its members and the underprivileged.

Earlier in his short welcome remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said the Mission started its work since August 4 and had since covered Lagos Island local Government and Ikosi/Isheri Local Government, adding that the Eko Club International undertook to assist the State Government through the formation and programmes of the mission, the members of whom, he said, paid their way into the country from their locations abroad.