Our support to every Nigerian in need has made us very strong

Our support to every Nigerian in need has made us very strong – NYD President, Onyeke

Wife of Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Mrs. Cecilia Obisakin (2^nd from left); Mrs. Ojeleye (1^st left), NYD President Emmanuel Nwachukwu Onyeke (3^rd right), Mr. Ohaegbu Benjamin (2^nd right); and, Mallam Saliou Karim (1^st right) at Nigeria House Cotonou on Tuesday, December 3, 2013.

PHOTO: MAURICE ARCHIBONG. All Rights Reserved.

The President of the Benin Republic Chapter of Nigerian Youths in Diaspora (NYD), Mr. Emmanuel Nwachukwu Onyeke, has identified succour to distraught compatriots across the neighbouring country as the source of his body’s galloping popularity.

Speaking with mauricearchibongtravels in the Beninese economic capital, Cotonou, recently; the NYD President said: “No Nigerian has ever been abandoned by us. Since our association began operating in Benin about five years ago, we have always assited anyone that cried to us: provided the person seeking solace has genuine reason”.

The NYD, working hand-in-hand with Nigerian Embassy Cotonou, has helped to secure the release of detained compatriots, according to Onyeke. Aside from working to free detained Nigerians, Onyeke added that, NYD frequently provides funds to stranded ones to facilitate their return home.

Apart from the NYD President, mauricearchibongtravels also met three other executive members of the body in Cotonou. The trio: Mr. Abdullahi Sanusi Koguna, Mr. Ohaegbu Benjamin and Mallam Saliou Karim are Vice President, Secretary and Director, Admin/Finance; respectively of NYD.

The NYD chiefs were at Nigeria House, Cotonou; on Tuesday, 3 December, 2013; to deliver 10 bags of rice to the Association of Nigerian Women in Benin Republic (ANWIB). The donation was NYD’s contribution to ANWIB’s noble efforts to succour widows and orphans, among others.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s envoy to Benin Republic is Ambassador Lawrence Obisakin. This ambassador’s wife, Mrs. Cecilia Gbemisola Obisakin, is the arrowhead of ANWIB. Mrs. N. Ojeleye, ANWIB Chairperson at Nigeria House, Cotonou; accompanied Her Excellency, Mrs. (Dr) Obisakin in taking delivery of the rice donation by NYD.

While expressing gratitude to the NYD executives led by the President, Mr. Onyeke, for their donation; Mrs. Obisakin said: “I am impressed by your generosity and your gift will go a long way in helping those in need, where our events will take place”.

Aside the 10 bags of rice, ANWIB had buses-load of other gifts; all of which were freighted to the Beninese city of Parakou and subsequently presented to, among other beneficiaries, an orphange (Orpheinat) run by the Catholic Mission in Tchatchou, near Parakou.

The NYD scribe during a chat with mauricearchibongtravels inside the office of Mr. Onyeke, said the association “has been in existence since five years ago”.

When asked how come we never heard of its existence, this was the interjection of NYD Vice President, Mr. Koguna: “We have been more interested in working than merely blowing our own trumpet. May be some people in Nigeria have never heard of us, but I can assure you that all our compatriots in Benin Republic are aware of our existence because of the things we have been doing. The NYD, working with the embassy, has touched many Nigerian lives in Benin Republic”.

Speaking further, Ohaegbu, who described the NYD as “an association whose presence is acknowledged by Nigerian Embassy Cotonou”, added that the body “was formed to bring all Nigerian youths together, thus fostering national unity; to impart on Nigerian youths resident in Benin Republic the need to positively re-brand their country’s image in the foreign land; and, to guide them to abstain from crime”.