Diaspora Desk

Eko Club International Convention: Opeifa Calls For Greater Synergy With Govt Institutions

Published

3 years ago

Oct 29, 2021.

Dr Kayode Opeifa, a former commissioner of Transport in Lagos State and also a one-time Vice President of Eko Club International has charged the club’s hierarchy to model its aims and objectives after the proven success of the past leadership of the diaspora group.

Dr Opeifa was speaking on the sidelines with Eko Hot Blog during the opening ceremony of the club’s 12th Biennial conferencing holding in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.

The convention kicked off on Thursday, October 28th, 2021, with a party bus ride to New Orleans, and will be followed by a visit to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank on Friday, October 29th, where the diaspora group will make a goodwill donation to the victims of Hurricane IDA as part of its community outreach program.

Recollecting the progress the club has made since its inception in the early 2000s, the former commissioner said: “For me, 12 years, 15 years down the lane, Eko Club International has come a long way. I mean Eko Club USA and Eko Club Europe. We all still see ourselves – same people, new people. We also have an opportunity every two years apart from the quarterly meetings to come together and thank God, especially this particular year. It is unique, coming out of the Covid 2019/2020 pandemic.”

Dr. Opeifa at the Convention

“We also know some of our members got caught in this Covid pandemic. Some had to take care of their loved ones. By and large, we all thank God that we’ve come out of it, and this year’s convention will be double, and not as the regular ECI convention. It was also double not just as an election year but it will also be a thanksgiving for us to see ourselves. We’ve produced a lot of successes and we’ve had our challenges and we’ve overcome those challenges. Those who have relocated to Nigeria are doing fine, those who have stayed here are doing fine. One way or the other, we all still come together.”

“More importantly, we are seeing more younger people now. I’m very impressed, when I look at those who are contesting, just like every year we always have one or two young ones, and we must commend that Eko Club has actually produced a new generation of leaders. I can see almost all the people contesting this election are newbies, and that means we’re making progress.”

Dr Opeifa also urged the group to pursue a more robust relationship with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) as a governmental conduit that could serve as a nexus for deeper involvement in policy-making and advocacy for the benefit of the general populace.

He recalled that during the administration of erst-while governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a young diaspora group (ECI) had invited the Governor to its convention in Atlanta and made petitions which was duly taken into advisement by the former Governor.

“When we started, before I joined, there was no commission on diaspora. Clubs like Eko Club, the Ndi’Igbo club and the rest that are struggling to link up with Nigeria and create relationship between Diaspora and Nigerians at home. But now we are working. The government of Nigeria has a Diaspora Commission, and the commission is doing a fantastic job. So what I would want to see more from Eko Club {International} is a link with that commission; because I can’t see it right now.”

“I don’t see a relationship between us, and that commission is chaired by a Lagosian. We need to create a relationship. The Lagos group happens to be the most dominant, effective, efficient, and interactive of all diasporas. I would also want to see a situation where Eko Club starts getting more involved in policy decisions in Lagos. It used to be that way.”

“We should take advantage of this convention to discuss how to get back to where we were. If you recall when we had our convention in Atlanta, we had the Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, and he was charged with some tasks and he got it done. You also recall there was once upon a time a recruitment exercise was going on in Lagos, Eko Club {International} made a request, same thing when Lekki Peninsula was built.”

Otunba T.J Abass at the Convention

The former commissioner also emphasised the strategic importance of members of the club who have relocated back to Nigeria and are now serving in different capacities in the state’s public service. According to him, their involvement with the club during their time in the diaspora will prove invaluable in helping the club liaise with the government and other relevant stakeholders in the state.

Larry Ojo and Olusi at the Convention

“For me particularly it wasn’t as convenient to come for this convention, but that’s why I decided to show up. There should be seriousness amongst our members who have relocated to Nigeria and Eko Club here. The office of the liaison officer should be strengthening ties, so that when Eko Club {International} has an event in Lagos. These Eko Club members, Lagosians, from diaspora who have relocated could be very much part of it, and that will also assist in making these policy issues that I mentioned earlier come to fruition. I think that should be one of the issues that will be discussed today.

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