NIDO accuses Dabiri-Erewa of hostility at virtual town hall meeting

Wed, May 13, 2020
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Foreign

EUROPE, Asia, Africa and America chapters of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) have accused Chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, of intolerance and hostility towards its members who held divergent views during Saturday’s virtual town hall meeting organised by NIDO America.

An executive member of NIDO Europe chapter, Godson Azu, in a statement, described her as insensitive and unprofessional in her use of words during interactions with members of the organisation.

He said, “For some obvious reasons best known to Dabiri-Erewa, she has been antagonistic and hostile to some leaders and members of NIDO, especially those who disagreed with her views or ways.”

Citing Saturday’s virtual meeting in which he participated to enable him to understand the relationship and engagement challenges between NIDO Worldwide and NIDCOM since the one year of the commission’s existence, Azu said he was shocked and disappointed at Dabiri-Erewa’s response to a question.

“She resorted to name calling and self-promotion rather than being constructive and professional in addressing issues affecting Nigerians in the Diaspora in the right context, which shows the high level of mental and intellectual disconnection of leadership,” he stated.

Continuing, Azu, a member of the United Kingdom (UK) Nigerian Diaspora community said, “Dabiri-Erewa called me and other Nigerians in Diaspora beggars and charlatans. What an affront and disrespect to the Diaspora community!

He accused her of stating emphatically that the likes of Kenneth Gbandi, Collins Nweke and Godson could not ‘bully’ her around with attacks on social media.

Azu said he was not a bully and “the same goes with my diaspora colleagues, Gbandi and Collins both of whom I have come to know over many years in our Diaspora community works.”

He urged the NIDCOM chairman to publicly withdraw her comments and apologise to them, adding, “The questions that led to the derogatory response were on the relationship and engagement challenges between NIDO worldwide and NIDCOM and what was delaying the constituting of NIDCOM Board one year after its establishment.

“Are these not logical and rational issues that require simple answers, rather than name calling and throw

Guardian

– May 13, 2020 @ 09:25 GMT |

 

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