Interview Michaël EMEKA: “A new era begins for Nigerians in Côte d’Ivoire”
Newly elected president of the Nigerian community in Côte d’Ivoire during the first democratic election in the history of this association, Michael Emeka ONWUCHELU wants to give it a new dynamic. Between the struggle to help all Nigerian nationals to overcome difficulties, fight against the phenomenon of prostitution and engage in a strong partnership with the Ivorian government, the new president of Nigerians in Côte d’Ivoire leaves no challenge aside. Big challenges that he tells us about in this exclusive interview.
What feelings do you have after your election?
I am very happy to be the elected president of the Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire, elected by vote. I am very moved to be president because on the one hand it is a way, an opportunity to serve the eternal and to serve humanity. And also make sure that Nigerians who reside in Ivory Coast respect the laws of the country.
What are your goals?
The goal or objectives in this kind of leadership are to ensure that Nigerians who do their business legally are not intimidated. We also have a mission to bring together all the groups of the Nigerian community into one entity because the Nigerian community has been around for years. Unfortunately most Nigerian leaders do not know where their brothers who are experiencing difficulties live or at what level their difficulties lie. This is the reason why the founding fathers of this community initiated this association to unite and bring together all Nigerians who live in Ivory Coast. We just want to work on an improvement or put in place a structure so that the future leaders can perform their duties in a peaceful atmosphere. So that the Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire can serve the reason it was created. And reassure you that Nigerians who live in Ivory Coast are citizens who respect the laws. And also to see how much we can help each other.
You are the first president elected by vote, is this a new era for the community?
In truth I am very moved to be the first democratically elected president of the Nigerian community because it was not an easy thing. We trace things, indeed the steps have started since 2018 and people thought that it was not going to be possible and in the end we realized that it was possible. And between 2018 and today, we have had the first democratically elected president who is for the first time in the Nigerian community. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank the electoral commission that worked hard to ensure an excellent election I take this opportunity to call on all Nigerian nationals who live in Côte d’Ivoire to welcome this change to come together to see how we will move the Nigerian community forward. Because the Nigerian community if it were a commodity, no one would have bought it here in the past. That’s why we came up with several strategies. To make the community interesting. We therefore appeal to all Nigerians to achieve the goal. The Nigerian community was not firmly established in Côte d’Ivoire, so it could not have programs that brought together Ivorians and the Nigerian community. And from now on, there will be this common understanding between our host country and the Nigerian community. So it is true that in our program during the election campaigns we mentioned that there will be sports programs that will bring Nigerians together but that will be played out between members of the community. And after that, we can invite Ivorians and other international communities to take part. We chose football because football brings together, indeed no one of its ethnic groups players be Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo when it comes to football, will be forgotten. We are fighting to have a union among the members of the Nigerian community. Every ethnic group will be represented in our administration and if we talk about the Nigerian community it is everyone without exception.
What steps will you take to address the difficulties of Nigerians in Côte d’Ivoire?
As you know, Nigerian nationals are numerous here so we take the opportunity to thank the Ivorian government, that is to say the Ivorian land for always welcoming us, for always accepting us at all times and at the same time launching this call for partnership to the Ivorian government to help us and accompany us so that it has peace and stability within the Nigerian community so that our business grows. We want to take this opportunity to appeal to the Ivorian state to open the doors for us and work in partnership with the Nigerian community. And also so that he has peace between the two communities and so that the negativity moves away. And that we can put an end to illegal trafficking and prostitution. At the embassy level, on the diplomatic level, there are about twenty people for the most part who are not permanent residents so they can not know exactly the difficulties that the nationals are experiencing. Since we have been there for years (29 years now), then we know well the difficulties and the Nigerian population in Ivory Coast which amounts to between 2 and 3 million. And we know each other well so we will work with the Ivorian government and the embassy to help Nigerians who are in trouble.
In which economic sector are Nigerian nationals most present?
Nigerians’ favorite field of activity is business. There are some in the trade, others in auto parts like the president himself, in household appliances. But mainly, they are in business with a small number of professionals who are expats. Basically, it is in trade that Nigerians find themselves.
How will you fight against the phenomenon of child prostitution that is shaking the Nigerian community?
If I ran for office and was elected president and I say I am not aware of this problem, it is because I am not telling the truth. So I know very well that this problem already exists within the community. That is why we will work with the Ivorian government to discourage and arrest those who mainly practice the phenomena of trafficking or trafficking in human beings and child prostitution. We will carry out awareness campaigns to get them to abandon these practices or they will be prosecuted by law.
What appeal would you make to the Ivorian government to ask for its help?
Nigerian nationals are numerous here so we take the opportunity to thank the Ivorian government that is to say the Ivorian land for always welcoming us, for always accepting us at all times and at the same time launching this call for partnership to the Ivorian government to help us and accompany us so that it has peace and stability within the Nigerian community so that our business grows. We want to take this opportunity to appeal to the Ivorian state to open the doors for us and work in partnership with the Nigerian community. And also so that he has peace between the two communities and so that the negativity moves away. And that we can put an end to illegal trafficking and child prostitution.