Naija Times, one of Nigeria’s leading online newspapers, will hold the third edition of its colloquium tagged, Naija Times Diaspora Conversations (NTDC) via Zoom on Saturday, 20th May from 7:30 pm.
Participants will be drawn from a wide audience around the world.
Nigerians in the Diaspora remain an important audience for Naija Times. When the newspaper was founded three years ago, two sections – Diaspora News and Diaspora Files – were created to connect with them.
Five distinguished Nigerians are billed to discuss the topic, “Cultural Transformation: An Imperative for National Development” at the event.
They include Executive Director of Kano-based NGO, Basic Rights Action, Malam Naseer Kura. He was President the National Association of Nigerian Students.
He will be joined by a marketing communications professional and author, Joe Onyenyili-Onuorah; and a fashion and beauty entrepreneur, Debbie Akindele-Ojo, who describes herself as a “fair-minded and enterprise-oriented business owner”.
Others are UK-based accountant, chartered marketer, and leadership consultant, Dr. Charles Omorodion; and US-based project manager, Nosa Osaikhuiwu, who is the Executive Director of the African Institute for Cultural and Economic Renaissance.
On what to expect on Saturday, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Naija Times and Convener of the colloquium, Ehi Braimah said that a clinical diagnosis of the “Nigerian problem” will reveal that we have to “change the way we think and behave” as the starting point of “cultural transformation”.
“To move forward and enthrone transparent governance and begin the task of nation-building and development, our people and society must become culturally-oriented,” Braimah explained. “The pervasive culture of impunity without consequences by our people will also be discussed”, he added.
Braimah also noted that “we do not have any other country to call our own, adding that Nigerians must work together to build a better and prosperous country”.
One of the speakers, Osaikhuiwu, who is based in Houston, Texas, United States, shares the same views with the Braimah. “We must do away with unethical behaviours and embrace a new culture that promotes the truth, honesty, fairness and integrity in all that we do”, Osaikhuiwu wrote in an email to Naija Times.
Naija Times Diaspora Conversations was launched on 17th April 2021 with the objectives to engage Nigerians in the Diaspora to give them a voice on the issues that affect the country, find a common ground from the discussions and make recommendations to the government, and promote patriotism generally among Nigerians – both at home and in the Diaspora.
The first edition of the colloquium discussed the security challenges in Nigeria, while the second edition focused on the dilemma of home coming of Nigerians in the Diaspora and what needs to change.
While Naija Times’ Editorial Adviser, Jahman Anikulapo will oversee media relations management and participants’ engagement of the colloquium; Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board, Akpandem James will serve as the rapporteur.
