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Young Nigerians especially corps members have been advised to desist from seeking greener pastures in Europe through illegal routes.
Ambassador Afolabi Adefidipe of the Pan Frican Institute of Global Affairs (PAIGAS) gave the advise recently during a lecture and interactive session with 2017 Batch B (Stream II) corps members in Oyo, Kwara and Ogun States.
Ambassador Adefidipe said it was alarming that out of about 9000 deaths recorded in Africa in 2016 through illegal route on high seas, 40% of them were graduates from Nigeria.
The PAIGAS chief supported his assertion with documentary evidence where those on transit camp after deportation expressed their ordeal.
He said PAIGAS as an institution was not against movement of young Nigerians to seek greener pastures anywhere in the world but against “a situation where a productive and energetic segment is wiped out through inhuman treatments meted on them”.
He added: “All these are preventable and this is why eminent personalities who served in foreign services of their respective countries in Africa and who have passion to restore the dignity of black race are now using the platform of NYSC to address the issue”.
Ambassador Adefidipe who was accompanied by another distinguished diplomat, Ambassador Ali Ocheni, urged governments across the African continent to pursue policies that would help citizens make decent living at home without having to seek for survivals in countries that treat them as second class people.
The Osun State born diplomat charged the corps members to use their education to effect positive changes in the society and stand up against illegal migration.
He expressed the deep appreciation to the NYSC Management under the leadership of Brig Gen Suleiman Zakare Kazaure for allowing PAIGAS “to preach the gospel truth of ‘No to illegal migration’ to young Nigerians at the orientation camps”.
At the end of sensitisation, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Anidobi, the Camp Director, Mrs. Funso Olusoji and some corps members were decorated as PAIGAS ambassadors.