A new dawn in history unfolded, as chapter members form The Nigerians in The Diaspora Organization Europe (NIDO) met in the City of Dortmund for a memorable Nido Europe Summit on Friday the 26th of May and Saturday the 27th of May at The LENSING – CAREE CONFERENCE CENTRE, Silberstrasse 21 44137 Dortmund, Germany
Distinguished Key Speakers, Entrepreneurs , Politicians, Community Leaders and NIDO Chapter members travelled from far and wide to experience and participate in an inspirational thought provoking event packed with presentations, workshops, new partnerships, networking, media interviews and the urgent need to plan and implement sort term and long term initiatives for the social and economical development of business, trade and an enabling environment in Nigeria.
I was also in Dortmund, Germany to promote the summit but also to gather the thoughts of distinguished community leaders and NIDO Chapter members who travelled from far and wide.
One of the amazing NIDO Members I got to speak to was a past Chairman for Nigerians in The Diaspora Organisaation Europe and an active politician and humanitarian based in Belgium- Hon Nweke.
I had spoken to Hon Nweke several times on the phone, so it was a pleasure to meet him for the very first time in person in Dortmund, Germany. Some of his thoughts on the summit can be found below
TTF : It is a pleasure to meet you here for the very first time here at THE NIDO EUROPE SUMMIT in Germany. Can you tell our African Online audience of over 6,000 Members, a bit about yourself and your background? ?
HON NWEKE I am currently a two –term Councillor at Osetend City Council and Global affairs analyst with a number of Afro-centric media houses. I am also the past Continental Chairman of NIDO EUROPR from 2011-2013
TTF: What has inspired you most about THE NIDO SUMMIT here in Dortmund and what are three most valuable lessons you have learnt over the last few days ?
HON NWEKE :
- Qualitative and relevant topics
- A good mix of audience
- Comfortable meeting venue and hotel
TTF: What are your thoughts on the Vision of Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation EUROPE (NIDO) as an organization?
HON NWEKE :
This is an organisation with great potential, one that is set to be more relevant in the coming years as Africa gets set to take its rightful place in the world stage.
In all of these , purposeful leadership will be critical
. If our online audience wants to know more about what you do, are there any social media
Platforms or websites that people can check out?
Twitter @collinsnweke
Instagram: Collins_nweke
Facebook @collinsnweke
Whatsapp: +32498345889
ABOUT HON. NWEKE
He is Ex . BOT and Chair and Councillor , Ostend City Council, Belgium
Collins Nweke was born in Nigeria on 14 July 1965. He migrated to Belgium in 1993 and currently has dual Nigerian-Belgian citizenship.
Nweke has a good command of English, Dutch and some German. He lives with his wife, Tonia and two sons, Tonna Jessy (Teejay) Nweke (born 11 March 1994) and Chidi Rae Nweke (born 15 October 1996) in Ostend, Belgium. He is a frequent traveller to Nigeria, his country of origin, where virtually all members of the large Nweke family clan reside. His father, Obi (Eze) Adigwe Nweke, is a traditional ruler and member of Ndi Nze Traditional Ruling Council of his Igbuzo hometown. His mother, Loveth Nweke, died on 5 September 2014. In his speech accepting the Leadership Service Award in Berlin on 7 September 2014, Nweke dedicated the Award to his mother
Education
He trained in Mass Communications, International Business Management (BCom) and Management Social Economy (MSE) partly in Nigeria but mainly in Europe. He also holds a Belgian ‘Graduaat’ in Corporate Policy and a Doctor of Governance (Honoris Causa) awarded in 2014
Employment and Professional activities
Before migrating, Nweke taught English Literature at Omu Boys’ Secondary School, Ibusa. He then worked for five years at the United Bank for Africa plc.
In Belgium, he worked in a team providing the European Commission Justice & Home Affairs Directorate with comparative research and analyses of ethnic minority participation in European business and politics. He later led a team of students on internship from the University College of West-Flanders in the development of a resource center with employment services tailored towards the labour market needs of ethnic minority groups in 2004, culminating in a highly successful national conference of private–public partners. From 2001 to 2004 he was employed by the Ostend civil service department of Social Welfare[3] where he established a digital Legal Research Centre for social and policy matters. He was co-Founder and first Chairman of the Jakoeboe Refugee Welfare Association in Ostend.
Nigerians in Diaspora in Europe
Nweke served as Chief Executive of the Board of Trustees of Nigerians in Diaspora in Europe (NIDO Europe) from 2004 – 2006 and as General Secretary from 2007 – 2009, and was elected Chairman in 2011. Collaborating with Global Diaspora in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Africa, Nweke was responsible for a structure with chapters in 18 European countries representing a Nigerian emigrant community (the “Diaspora”) of around 6 million, its objective to support the national development of Nigeria. Nweke played a leading role[4] in researching and managing the Nigerian Diaspora input in the 2005 National Political Reforms Conference (NPRC) in Nigeria. He carried out research on the concept of “Out-of-Country Voting” and submitted a briefing to the Nigerian Senate on the subject, culminating in a vote in favor of writing the concept into law.
As Chairman, Nweke focused on Trade & Investment and the engendering of sustainable strategic management processes. He led a Trade Mission involving 45 Diaspora and 13 investment projects to the State of Osun, Nigeria in August 2012. However, Nweke’s efforts to reform the Memorandum and Articles of Association of NIDO Europe at a Summit in Zurich, Switzerland, were thwarted. At the conclusion of his two-year term of office in November 2013, he disbanded the seven-man Board of Trustees and declined to remain in office.
TONY TOKUNBO ETEKA FERNANDEZ 