It was a beehive of activities in Jos, Nigeria when an internationally recognized non governmental organization; the Sunday Bala Oma Foundation (SBOF), held her 14th Annual Seminar for Transformation of Nigeria with the theme: The Role of Diasporans in Community Development.
The epoch event which began with an opening prayer by the Senior Pastor of ECWA Goodnews Church, 55 Ahmadu Bello Way Jos, Rev Bitrus Ajang Yaro, who was ably represented by the Associate Pastor, Rev Enoch Methuselah, observed a one minute silence for all the staff and students who lost their lives during the Saint Academy building collapse.
In a statement by Pankhinaan Gwanshak, Head of Communication, SBOF, several schools presented songs, playlet and articles which captured the theme of the event. Baptist High School, St. Paul’s Academy, St. Louis College, GSS Township and Pembi Academy, were amongst schools that participated.
Furthermore, the Keynote speaker, Dr (Mrs) Elizabeth Wuyep – Akubo who spoke on the theme from Scotland, United Kingdom, appreciate the SBOF Team for putting up such laudable initiative annually, to reorientate and empower young Nigeria citizens.
She disclosed that billions of dollars are remitted to the Nigerian government yearly, through the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission. Just last year, more than 20 billion dollars was remitted, but the amazed audience, wandered why the citizens are not feeling the impact of such huge investment
Aside the yearly remittances, she also unveiled other means, through which Nigerians in the Diaspora have been contributing to community development, which includes health, education, agriculture, and the family, just to mention a few.
Dr Wuyep concluded by making concrete recommendations, admonishing Nigerians to learn from countries like India, China, The Philippines, Italy and Ghana who engage their Diasporans through development activities such as development IN, THROUGH and BY Diasporans. India introduced legal and tax incentives to attract financial resources of NRIs and to create a PIO card. Their foreign policy recognizes and value the Diasporans in industrialized countries, she emphasized. Nigeria cannot afford to disappoint the efforts being made by the Diasporans, Akubo concluded.
Finally, the award session saw the Summer Entrepreneurship Students giving vivid debriefing on all they learnt during the program and thanked the NGO for finding them worthy of such rare opportunity. They promised to contribute their quota to the nation’s growth. 10 of the 15 that participated were given certificate of participation.
Maduka Williams, a JSS 3 student of Great Grace Christian Academy Jos, was awarded N100,000 scholarship to further his studies, for emerging the overall best graduating student of SBOF-SEP 2023/2024 Set.
The CEO, Sunday Bala Oma also congratulated the two selected awardees of this year’s SBOF Award of Excellence. Ms Precious Ukaegbu, a medical student in the United States was awarded SBOF 2023 personality of the Year, for being a good Ambassador of the NGO in the United States, while the SBOF personality of the decade was given to Late Prof Seidu Onalo Mohammed for his immense contribution to space research development in Nigeria.
Precious, who spoke from the United States, thanked the organization for this recognition and promised to continue to give back to the society that made her, who she is today.
The participants were given an open window to participate in this year’s Summer Program that will commence from 12th of August to 31st August 2024. The number to contact for further details is 09021115058. The LOC thanked all those who made it for this year’s STN, particularly SBOF Team in Pakistan led by Mehran, Naeem and Muskaan who also are eagerly awaiting SBOF’s community initiatives in their country to commence. We also recognize those who joined from the United States, United Kingdom, Asia and the Pacific.
