Bolanle Ashabi Sarumi-Aliyu (BASA), the first female governorship aspirant in Oyo state, was recently appointed the senior special assistant on Diaspora Matters, by Governor Seyi Makinde. In this chat with ENE OSANG, she discusses her appointment, women, the change she will bring to her state with regard Diaspora matters amongst other issues.
What would you say encouraged the governor to appoint you the SSA on Diaspora matters, or is this a compensation for not emerging the governor after running in the last election?
I believe His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde is in the best position to answer this question, but if I may say something compulsorily then I will say my good intentions for Oyo state people was seen by His Excellency as genuine; the zeal to serve the people might have also caught the attention of His Excellency. And the governor has mainly intelligent people in his cabinet; so maybe I am also one.
Do you think you can still achieve the change you desire which made you run for governor, but now as SSA on Diaspora Matters?
The appointment the governor gave me will be of great benefit to the people of Oyo state. For example, I have the mandate to source for foreign skills, innovative ideas and expertise that is needed by the people in the areas of health, agriculture, education, etc. I am to harness and effectively utilise Diaspora skills in mentorship, skills transfer, and external resource mobilisation for my people.
To connect the citizens to their Diaspora families which will allow them get closer to their motherland, this will increase remittances back home and enrich some families without hope. This and a lot more which will be unfolded as the year runs out.
What are you bringing to the table; what do you want to be remembered for as the SSA on Diaspora Matters?
I will be harnessing the potential of Diaspora entrepreneurs for Oyo state transformative and inclusive development. I will facilitate access of Oyo state private sector, public sector and individuals to the enormous technical, financial, political, and other Diaspora resources vital for entrepreneurial success within the state.
Facilitating Diaspora engagement for a better relationship and support the Diasporas by keeping the welfare of our Diaspora issues at heart. I will build learning culture for women; raise money as grants for selected institution that will assist women. I will also secure investment and financing project to increase Oyo state FDI.
What basically do you do as the SSA to the governor on Diaspora Matters?
My duty as SSA Diaspora is to engage Oyo state Diasporas in various ways of developing Oyo state, areas such as connecting Diasporans back home, updating them with various investment opportunities, searching for Oyo state Diasporans doing great things abroad and celebrating them in return.
It also includes facilitating Diaspora role in entrepreneurship in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); business; investments and trade; facilitating Diaspora in rural and community development; facilitating African Diaspora remittances and microfinance. It further includes facilitating Diaspora in education and training; facilitating Diaspora’s role in water, environmental and energy management; facilitating Diaspora in health, disability and welfare.
Also, it includes putting Oyo state government on the map as a front runner in combating human trafficking and modern slavery.
Is your office any different from that of the chairman/chief executive officer of the Nigeria Diaspora Affairs Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who spearheads the Nigeria’s Diaspora Matters ?
The functions and duties are somewhat the same, except with a Commission, the Honourable is able to function on a larger scale and the target of Honourable Abike Dabiri has a wider horizon covering the entire country and Oyo state inclusive while my office is streamlined to Oyo state Diasporans, though at times my office activities and benefits will contribute to the entire Nigeria’s interest. In short my office is set up to domesticate Diaspora engagement at the state level.
What impact or difference has your office made so far in the lives of Oyo indigenes?
So far my office has been able to step into the issue of the Oyo state citizen put up for sale online in Lebanon, thanks to Hon. Abike Dabiri with the cooperation of the Nigerian Mission in Lebanon, I have been able to reach the lady and we are in constant dialogue with the lady and even with her family back here in Oyo state, we are in the second stage of understanding what sort of assistance she needs and to relieve the burden solely on Oyo state government, I am in talks with some Oyo state Diasporan groups who have shown interest in working with the state Government to return her back home safely and empower her on return to Oyo state.
My office is currently working with the Ministry of Women Affairs and other relevant stakeholders on complaints received from our citizens in the UAE regarding terrible working conditions and ill treatment giving them by a particular company abroad.
We have been working with some Diaspora groups and they have identified with us and have also shown interest in partnering with the state in areas of community development and investments. My Office will be partnering with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion and some other ministries to carry out sensitisation programmes to raise more awareness around human trafficking and modern slavery.
Let me ask you this; the high rate of trafficking of citizens from across the states to foreign lands in search of greener pastures; what is the situation in the state?
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, 2006) in the last two decades, there has been an increase in the internal trafficking of women and children. An increased number of people are trafficked from rural communities in Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, etc.
Oyo state happens to be one of the state with high number of migrants within the country, this desperation has increased Oyo state trafficking rate to an unprecedented level. We will continue to raise more awareness about the dangers surrounding this social evil and take it to our secondary school students.
As a woman, what is your take on female citizens who travel out of the country for prostitution?
My view towards female diasporas engaging in prostitution is split into a few answers: I would like to advice them to stop this occupation and begin to look inwards to realise the hidden talents they have so they can begin to live a dignified life and for those forced into it, please reach out to us or the Authorities if u can. I feel sorry for these victims if one considers the deplorable working conditions they work under, many are subjected to mental and physical abuse. Many of them are actually ‘sold’ by their employees as slaves; some of these ladies are used in carrying out organised criminal activities like drug couriers.
Do you know that of the 40-45 million people affected by forced labour and forced marriage globally, 71 per cent are women and girls. In 2016, an estimated four million adults and one million children were sexually exploited for commercial gain; of these, 99 per cent were identified as female.
Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking and experiences both internal and external trafficking of women and children.
Nigerian girls are trafficked to Europe, the Gulf, and African countries for domestic labour and sexual exploitation. The IOM estimates that approximately 80 per cent of girls arriving in Europe from Nigeria are potential victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Brain drain is another huge challenge in Nigeria; what will your office do to reduce this at least in Oyo?
To reduce brain drain Diasporas who want to fully come home, especially for those who have learnt one or two skills in a foreign country, Oyo state is planning to put measures in place with the intention of engaging their services in areas where human capacity is needed.
The Oyo state government is also coming up with Policy that is focused on Diaspora professional’s knowledge and skills transfer in sectors such as health, education, Information technology and agriculture where there is more social return on expatriate investments that is higher and more sustainable than market returns.
The coronavirus pandemic, many have said, has taught nations a lot of lessons. With regards to Diaspora matters, what lessons are there for Nigeria to learn or have learnt?
We need to invest more at home, more of promoting local content.
What would you say are the implications of Covid-19 on women?
Women in these trying times have been faced with a lot of things, ranging from the burden of taking care of the entire family every single day. Mothers are faced with looking after the children in every single second, while they play around the confines of the house to avoid home accident.
Women are faced with serial rapists who are currently idle and will want to continue in their absurdly act and depressed husbands venting their anger on their wives. Mothers who are widows have lost their means of livelihood because of the lockdown are faced with challenges of fending for their children and other dependents.
What message do you have for Oyo indigenes and Nigerians in general?
Let’s be patriotic and love our homeland. Let’s look back, partner and invest back home if we are in The Diaspora. There’s no place like home.
