Fellow Nigerians, The executives of our great community wish to extend their profound felicitations and warm wishes to you all as we gracefully enter a new year, 2017.
Looking back through the years and 2016 in particular, in no other community have we seen the sense of oneness, patriotism and a shared destiny as we have in our great community, hence in this definning moment in time, it becomes duty bound for the very people you elected and selected to serve you, to come back and say, thank you for your support and wish you all the very best in the year ahead.
Allow us a bit of reflection on the year 2016. Much as we can collectively agree we had some challenges as a community ( which is not out of place ) in the areas of our quarterlly general meetings, keeping abreast with immigrations issues as it affected passport issurances and sundry palaver that plague citizens in diasporal, we are of the view that, as a people, God, through his infinite mercies has been consistently good to us and in that regards, we urge each and everyone of us to count our blessings.
The year 2016 saw the birth of new business ideas and opportunities within our verile community. For the first time, our hardworking and law abiding citizens ventured into the Tourism, Finance and Media sectors and with these, showcasing to our host country, the dexterity and industry that define us. A record number of our citizens were able to legally adjust their immigration statuses, venture into gainful employment or start businesses of their own. These might seem like baby steps when viewed individually, but collectively, God’s favour has been heavily upon us.
In spite of the feats mentioned in the last paragraph, some of us have also had it rough. Such is the natüre of life in general and diasporal in particular. At any rate, we pray fervently that at some point, each of our story will reflect the blessings we seek in our adopted beloved country Turkey.
We also want to extend our warm greetings to the Nigerian Embassy officials for their consistent interest and support in the affiars of Nigerians through the years.
Finally we would like to thank the following businesses and the citizens behind them for all their patriotism and generousity in driving this community a step forward ; His excellency, the Honourable Mr. Ibrahim Isah - Ambassador of Nigeria to Turkey, Abdülkadir Erkahraman - President UMTD, Afaseh Group Limited, Nwobi Computer and Communication, C in B investment, Afro Istanbul, Winobis Import & Export Ltd., Ariwas Group Ltd., to mention but a few. May God continue to uplift you in ways that would baffles even the most blessed.
Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation. This is hoping that in this new year, WE MAKE MISTAKES, because if we are making mistakes, THEN WE ARE making new things, trying new things, learning, living, PUSHING OURSELVES, changing ourselves, changing our community, CHANGING THE WORLD.
God bless you all and may God continue to bless our beloved Homeland, Nigeria.
Prince Emre Magboh,
President (On behalf of the Community).
