By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
A Nigerian-born-American-lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, has described as disgraceful the comment attributed to Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, that Nigerians abroad have no right to speak about insecurity in the country.
Ogebe is the managing partner, U.S. Nigeria Law Group.
In a statement made available to TheNiche, Ogebe said he was appalled to hear of the disgraceful statements attributed to Wase which he described as an asinine remark that is shocking but not unexpected.
Read the full statement.
“Indeed it is part of the logical consequences of brain drain that dim wits will fill the power vacuum. At a time that Nigeria is exporting global leaders like Ngozi Iweala, Akin Adesina and Amina Mohammed to the headship of multilateral institutions, it is the likes of Idris Wase left in power,” he said.
Ogebe wondered whether Nigerians abroad who remit $22 billion yearly to Nigeria are not Nigerians enough to comment on Fulani violence, but Fulanis from abroad can come into Nigeria, kill Nigerians and harm its agro-economy with impunity.
“Sensible countries understand the value of their Diaspora as a strategic foreign human capital reserve and woo them accordingly. President Obasanjo’s administration certainly did so and introduced the annual Diaspora day. Indeed when on a VOA interview with one of Obasanjo’s ministers he said Diaspora was ‘inconsequential’ we immediately took him up as out of tune with his president’s policy priority.
“Unfortunately the intellectual quality of leadership has gravely declined under Buhari that you can now find members of parliament representing cows over humans.
“At a time when US President Biden’s administration has appointed more high profile Nigerians than ever in history, it is pathetic that Idris Wase is denigrating us at home. Thus it is said that a prophet is without honor in his own home.
“The reason why the US and UN do not as a principle negotiate with terrorists is not for lack of funds or concern but strategic – do not create a precedent that will make your citizens or diplomats become easy profit targets for kidnappers!
“Gov Elrufai sought out Fulanis abroad and paid them money not to kill Kaduna state people because he their Fulani brother was now the governor. What did this mean?
It meant that these foreign Fulanis could now monetize the killing of Kaduna people. It meant that they could do so with impunity because their brother the Fulani was governor.
“What happened? Fulani kidnap syndicate now have established entire kidnap villages in Kaduna state where hostages are housed, fed, killed or freed from with impunity.
“The two-hour Abuja-Kaduna road is now more dangerous from Fulani kidnap syndicate than from Boko Haram or Benesheikh road in the northeast.
“Bad governance has consequences as does lack of principles. Nigerians in Diaspora on the other hand save the country. While politicians are looting money abroad, our remittances have stabilized the economy from hemorrhaging.
“Indeed recently the CBN switched to dollar remittances for money transfers to make up for the shortfall in petro dollar incomes. Nigerians abroad are part of the few nationalities in Diaspora who get nothing in return for the economic value they bring.
“The time has come for us to consider having a member of the National Assembly representing the Diaspora. Idris Wase does not represent well the good and hospitable people of Plateau who host more expatriates than any state in the north.
“He represents a typical Nigerian politician who doesn’t know his job and is illiterate on democracy and governance.”