Kenneth Gbandi has been elected the new Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE).
Mr Gbandi was elected over the weekend at NIDOE’s AGM in Athens, Greece, which brought together delegates from all parts of Europe.
The mandate of NIDOE is to promote the welfare of the Nigerian Diaspora and pursue national development through advocacy, networking, partnerships, and bilateral cooperation.
Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) was established by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an umbrella organisation to represent the interests of Nigerian professionals overseas.
It has branches in almost all countries where there are big populations of Nigerian professionals.
Mr Gbandi is also the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) in Germany, which focuses on expert networking, societal advocacy, education, culture, healthcare, technological and economic empowerment projects.
He thanked the delegates for their “friendship, trust and confidence” and said he was counting on their collective support.
“Those in Greece will attest to the fact that the AGM was eventful, experiencing very heated and frank debates, best of legislative interventions and emotional appeals,” Mr Gbandi said.
He added: “The AGM also witnessed an unprecedented display of wisdom, understanding and the finest show of statesmanship and patriotism.”
Hon. Rita Orji, Chairman House Committee on Diaspora in the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was the Special Guest of Honour.
Mr. Ogah Usman Ari, Charge d’Affaires a.i, Nigerian Embassy Greece, also attended the meeting.
Mr Gbandi is the chief producer and financer of Miss Africa Germany and Miss Nigeria Germany. In 2011 he contested and won election as the Representative of the African Community in the Hamburg Senate Integration Advisory Council and was subsequently elected the Speaker of the Committee for Anti-discrimination.
In October 2016 Mr Gbandi received the Diaspora Man of the Year Award at the Voice Achievers Award in The Netherlands.