The Nigeria-Canada Trade Summit concluded last week, highlighting the immense potential of individuals with ties to both nations. Experts emphasized the advantages of living a “two-worlds” life, focusing on the cultural and professional bridges Nigerian Canadians can build.
Business and immigration specialists convened at the summit, held on March 7th, 2024, to explore the benefits of navigating between two countries. Prominent figures like Professor Pat Utomi, a renowned political economist, addressed the gathering.
Utomi stressed the transformative power of living across borders and the crucial role the Nigerian diaspora can play in the nation’s development. He underscored the value of leveraging the strong institutions and values prevalent in foreign countries to drive positive change within Nigeria.
Drawing historical comparisons to nations like Japan and China, Utomi emphasized how their diaspora communities significantly propelled national growth.
“I usually say that Nigeria despite all the frightening things you hear today, will rise again; and the anchor of that rise would be the Nigerian diaspora. If you look at the 20th century, Japan rose following the Meiji Restoration on the back of ideas from the Japanese diaspora majorly from Germany. India rising, China rising, all came largely from their diaspora,” he stated.
“We who are here in Nigeria, given the kind of corruption that we have allowed to eat into our psyche are not going to build a good society. Look, in my view, there are a number of things that’d be responsible for a great nation, one are your institutions and the other are your values. Those two are in complete collapse in Nigeria today. But those Nigerians who live in Canada, who live in the United States, who are living different values, they’ll bring the salvation we seek.”
The summit also featured Niyi Adesanya, a leadership consultant, who spoke on the importance of establishing sustainable business practices and building wealth that lasts across generations. He outlined a four-level framework for achieving business success, highlighting the need for a supportive environment to foster long-term prosperity.
“There are four levels to achieving sustainability in your business, first is getting rich, second is staying rich, third is being sane in the midst of riches, and the final level is attaining transgenerational wealth. One factor that is common to all levels is having a conducive and empowering environment,” Adesanya said.
Mehal Singh, a Canadian immigration consultant, shared his experience transitioning from student to entrepreneur in Canada. He advocated for perseverance and diligence in business ventures and offered a roadmap for navigating Canadian business policies and opportunities.
Sunday Olorunsheyi, co-convener of the summit, expressed concern over the current trend of African immigrants seeking employment in Canada rather than pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. He emphasized the significance of having a voice in decision-making and urged Africans to seize opportunities for economic empowerment.
According to him: “It is the people who are starting businesses in Canada that are controlling the economy and influencing policies, and our people are not well represented. Like I said, if you are not sitting at the table, it means you are part of the menu.”
The summit concluded with a renewed focus on fostering collaboration and leveraging the unique capabilities of the Nigerian diaspora community to drive positive change in both nations.
