Resolutions from the Town Hall Meeting
Hosted by NIDOA-New Jersey

On Saturday March 21, 2009 , Nigerians gathered at the Airport Renaissance Hotel in Newark , New Jersey to discuss the establishment of a Diaspora Affairs Committee by the Nigerian House of Representatives and to make recommendations to the committee. The afternoon event was a prelude to the Gala Night Launching of the New Jersey Chapter of Nigerians in the Diaspora Organization America (NIDO-America). Dr. Garba Lawal, Co-Coordinator of NIDO-America, presided, while Dr. Ugorji O. Ugorji, Executive Director of African Writers Endowment, Inc., moderated.

Others in attendance included Dr. John George, Chairman of NIDO-Europe; Dr. Ola Kassim, former Chairman of NIDO-America; Mr. Sam Osirim, National Chairman of the Nigerian Peoples Forum-USA; Chief Ola Aina of ANAC; Mr. Charles Chikezie, Secretary General of the World Igbo Congress (WIC); Dr. Anthony Ihunnah also of WIC; Dr. Femi Olaleye of Wish for Africa Foundation; Dr. Adeniyi Ogunkoya of NIDOA-New Jersey, Mr. Adedayo Sanusi, Coordinator of NIDOA-New Jersey, Mr. Abdulahi Salisu, National President of Zumunta-USA, Mr. Abdulahi Dauda, Co-chair of the launching committee of NIDOA-New Jersey; Mr. Sebastian Udeajah, Chair of the GDND Development Committee of NIDO-Europe, and Ms. Stella Onuoha, Assistant Executive Director of NIDO-America. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was a special guest at the meeting.

During the meeting the following resolutions were reached:

• •  The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and the honorable members of the House are to be commended for the historic consideration given to the Nigerian Diaspora by the setting up of the House committee on Diaspora chaired by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
• •  The National Assembly should urgently put in place all necessary legislative frame work for the implementation of the Diaspora's Right to Vote recently ordered by a Nigerian court.
• •  Such legislation should include representation of the Nigerian Diaspora as a constituency in the National Assembly, making the Diaspora essentially the 7 th geopolitical zone in the country.
• •  President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, GCFR should restore or exceed the level of support and interest in the Nigerian Diaspora that his predecessor demonstrated by facilitating the establishment of a robust Organ of government to engage specifically on Diaspora engagement towards National development.
• •  In order for the right-to-vote to be meaningful, all the agencies that are involved in conducting and safe-guarding elections in Nigeria must ensure that moving forward votes are actually counted and announced as counted.
• •  The Nigerian Diaspora condemn the spate of sectarian violence that took place recently in Plateau State and Bauchi State; that all those responsible in the killings and destructions be prosecuted to the full extent of the law; and that the Nigeria nation and the respective States must ensure (and assure Nigerians) that this would never happen again.
• •  NIDO-America must quickly resolve its leadership crisis and usher in a new cadre of leaders.
• •  NIDO-Europe should be commended for initiating and establishing the Global Database of Nigerians in the Diaspora (GDND); and that Nigerians in the Diaspora should visit the website of the GDND and register in it.
• •  Basic healthcare can be delivered through a non-profit and private sector model presented by Wish for Africa , without waiting for governments to do everything.
• •  That consulate and embassy services must be delivered as professionally as possible, and that adequate funding to these consulates and embassies must be provided by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
• This report is provided courtesy of the global resources of Tall Drums, Inc. and Talldrums.com.