ENUGU — Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has welcomed 112 indigenes from the state who returned from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks against black African migrants.
The returnees, comprising 77 families, were received on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, where the governor announced a ₦1 million seed fund for each of the 77 families to support their reintegration and efforts to rebuild their livelihoods.
Mbah, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the state government would continue to stand with the returnees as they adjust to life back home.
He disclosed that the government was also working with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to profile about 42 additional returnee families.
The governor condemned the renewed attacks and hostility against black African migrants in parts of South Africa, saying the situation had compelled many Nigerians to reconsider their safety and return home.
“Some may have left behind businesses, possessions, investments, friendships and years of work. And so, while there is happiness in seeing you alive and safely back on Enugu soil, we also understand that coming home under circumstances you did not choose can carry its own pain,” Mbah said.
According to him, the priority should go beyond receiving the returnees and focus on helping them rebuild their lives.
“The question before us is not simply, ‘How do we receive our people back?’ The bigger question is: ‘How do we help them begin again?’ That is why today’s reception must go beyond photographs and handshakes. It must mark the beginning of reintegration. It must mark the beginning of rebuilding,” he stated.
Mbah explained that the ₦1 million intervention was intended as a starting point rather than compensation for losses suffered by the returnees.
“Importantly, government must do more than make speeches. It must put something tangible in your hands. That is why we have approved a ₦1 million seed fund for each returning family represented here today.
“Let me stress the word seed. A seed is not the harvest. It is the beginning of the harvest,” he said.
He added that the support was not designed to replace businesses, properties or investments that some of the returnees may have left behind, but was meant to demonstrate the state’s solidarity with them.
“The important thing is that we want this intervention to move you from returning home to rebuilding at home. And the Government of Enugu State will continue to explore ways of connecting you with relevant opportunities, programmes and institutions that can support that journey,” Mbah stated.
The governor also urged the returnees to deploy the skills, knowledge and experiences they acquired in South Africa to pursue new opportunities in Enugu.
“Do not discard what you learnt abroad. Bring it home. Bring the discipline. Bring the ideas. Bring the networks. Bring the entrepreneurial experiences. Bring the knowledge of markets and technologies. Bring the things that worked. And even bring the lessons from the things that did not work,” he said.
Mbah said his administration was working to create an environment where residents could live, work, invest and establish businesses with greater confidence.
“We are expanding infrastructure. We are improving connectivity. We are strengthening healthcare. We are investing in education and human capital. We are opening new possibilities in agriculture, tourism, technology, enterprise and industry,” he added.
Speaking on behalf of the returnees, Chidimma Ogbonna expressed appreciation to the governor for welcoming them and providing financial assistance.
“Your kindness gave hope and this opportunity. Thank you for welcoming us home and for believing in us,” she said.
Another returnee, Cosmas Okwor, also thanked the governor for making them feel accepted, saying, “We are hopeful again.”
The Chairman of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, urged the returnees to pick up the pieces and move forward.
“Put yourself in a position to win. New opportunities beckon,” he said.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora, Barr. Olangwa Ezekwu, commended the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission led by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa for their efforts toward facilitating the safe return of affected Nigerians.
Ezekwu also expressed appreciation to Governor Mbah for supporting the returnees and demonstrating what she described as fatherly concern for the people of Enugu State.
