President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerian medical professionals living abroad to encourage more of their colleagues in the diaspora to return home and contribute to national development.
The President made the appeal on Friday when he received members of the Nigerian Diaspora Medical Associations, led by the Director-General of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the State House in Abuja.
Drawing from his own experience of studying and working in the United States before returning to Nigeria, Tinubu said his journey should serve as an inspiration to Nigerians abroad.
“I’ve been through that journey. I’m home, and I can tell you, there’s nowhere like home,” the President said, adding that he had gained valuable experience from his time in the United States before returning to contribute to Nigeria’s development.
Tinubu recalled his early professional experiences in America, including his time at the Standard Oil Building in Chicago, and said his return from Mobil had been a commitment to confronting the challenges of transforming Nigeria.
He acknowledged that many Nigerians abroad had experienced the opportunities and difficulties of living outside the country, urging them to use their knowledge and expertise to support national progress.
The President appealed to members of the delegation to encourage other Nigerian healthcare professionals overseas to return home, saying the success of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda would help create a better environment for Nigerians.
“My friends who are still there, try to attract them home,” Tinubu said, adding that improved education, development and prosperity remained key goals of his administration.
He described the contributions of diaspora doctors as invaluable, noting that their expertise would help lay a strong foundation for future generations.
“Your children will see the foundation of this country as belonging to them, and the future belonging to them is what we are working hard for,” he said.
Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to reducing poverty and improving the welfare of Nigerians, stating that poverty was unacceptable and that efforts would continue to promote prosperity and better living conditions.
Speaking on Nigeria’s democratic development, the President said the country’s political system was still evolving and should be assessed within the context of older democracies around the world.
