President Bola Tinubu in an address to Nigerians living in the United States has stated the importance of their presence back in the county urging them to “forget the frustration of the previous years’ leadership.”
During a townhall meeting organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly session in New York, on Wednesday night, Tinubu encouraged Nigerians abroad to adopt a success-oriented mindset to overcome challenges in their pursuits.
The meeting, organised by NiDCOM, provided a platform for President Tinubu to share his insights and advice with the Nigerian diaspora community in the U.S.
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He said: “I want to give you a measure that will resonate with you. I was once a diaspora. What you have been through, I have been through it. Change of mindset is necessary.
“Take it this night that Nigeria is home for business opportunities.
“Also, anywhere you stay, there is always going to be an opportunity in, and in everything you do, there is always going to be an opportunity, if you know how to search and put your mind into it,’’ he said.
The president also expressed satisfaction with the behaviour of Nigerians who have continued to flourish in their chosen sectors in their host nation.
“You are lucky to be among those who are celebrated for good manners and behaviour and are operating in an acceptable manner.
“I’m very proud of you; I have also been beneficial of inspiration, determination, commitment, and perseverance and that is all you need to get to pull through.
“But, we need you back home, Nigeria has arrived; forget the frustration of the previous year’s leadership,’’ he said.
Tinubu, who praised the efforts to educate out-of-school children, the healthcare programme, and the need to reduce poverty, stated that Nigeria is a blessed nation.
He added: “Sincerely, we don’t have any reason to be poor, we are just poor in some leadership areas.
“That is what I harped on during my campaign. It was a very gruesome campaign but I won the election but if I didn’t throw myself into it with strong determination and results, I wouldn’t have won.
“There were so many hurdles on my way that would have stopped me. I refused to be stopped, you can do the same as many of you here who are contesting elections.”
In addition, he urged the Nigerians to embrace one another, urging that there should not be no sentiment and discrimination among them.
The president said: “You ought to embrace one another. No labeling, no identity, you should remove ethnic identify that tend to differentiate us.
“We are one single family, living in the same house but living in different rooms.”
