About Integrating Diapora Development Vision!

Public discussions in the country have of late taken incisive propotions over the Diaspora’s contribution to development. Inclusive progress that stresses the importance of taking on board all sheds of society and ensur that the nation attains growth objectives has also been under consideration for long. This entails factoring into development paradigms all segments of society. Those who go abroad in search of greener pasture and succeed are generally looked upon as people in a class of their own. Same as people who leave their villages and travel to big cities in search of a better life are perceived by their folks back home at times from a distance distant. All these social classifications will certainly never disappear from our communities, but the way they are considered within the global concept of national can be critical in ensuring harmony among people.     
Cameroonian-born Breel-Donald Embolo who scored a critical goal for Switzerland in the opening match against the Indomitable Lions on 20 November, 2022 at the ongoing Qatar World Cup, left many tongues wagging. How could he do that against his own country of origin? But how could it be otherwise? Who in his place could have acted differently?  Does it mean that if he played for Cameroon he would have had the same opportunity to score the way he did for Switzerland? Does it even mean that those who did not select Breel Embolo to play for Cameroon were fundamentally wrong to have left him out of the Lions’ den? As difficult as answers to these questions can be, the first fact is that his team mate made a pass for him to score. He did not take the ball alone from one goalpost to the other before scoring. It was simply the result of team spirit that enabled him to find himself at that position to be able to score a goal for his side. Others may explain it to be the result of destiny and so on. But the fact is that one team won the match against another team.    
Debates  over the contribution of those in the Diaspora in the wellbeing of the population and in national development have in some cases been so virulent and interminable. When such inflammatory argumemts combine with football passion, the fury is complete and difficult to tame.  While some see the desire of going abroad in search of greener pasture as brain drain, others simply think it is but normal to seek a better livelihood wherever possible. Meaning that the age-old phenomenon of emigration cannot stop any time soon. With globalisation, people are increasingly aware of the pull-factors that exist elsewhere and want to go for such attractions at all cost. Tragic instances have been reported of people undertaking impossible and periluos journeys to get to their “land of promise”, be it imaginary or real.  Once they overcome the hurdles and get to such a destination, it can be suicidal telling them to make a u-turn. Those who chastise Embolo might have wanted him to make such a turn. Alas!     
When it comes to football passion, nearly everyboday has lessons to dish out even to the most talented player or coach on the field. People argue as if they could abandon their cocoa plantations and hurry to the field to score a goal before returning to their farms. They forget that, just running from one end of the pitch to the other could be impossible for many. Difficulties of that nature can be evident in almost all sectors of society. It is easier to criticise what others do than to effectively replace them on the ground. Football fans are fond of such postures and they can be very passionate about their choices.  However, no one has ever gone out to question the numerous remittances from citzens abroad, local development projects, social amenities, healthcare facilities and so on that those in the Diaspora do bring directly or negotiate from partners to enhance development back in their villages or at other levels of society. By acknowledging citizens for their good deeds, it is even more important to ensure that conditions that exist can allow them to freely share their know-how with the rest of the country. Many may want to see the obstacles to citizens abroad supporting local development to be only at institutional levels with the absence or illadopted texts. Yet, the issues are at time deeply entrenched in the general psyche whereby people tend to look ...