By Prudence Arobani
New York – The Nigerian Independence Day Parade, an annual event of Nigerians in the U.S. to celebrate Nigeria’s independence anniversary, has united Nigerians across ethnic and religious affiliations.
Chairman, Organising Committee of the 2017 event, Mr Yinka Dansalami, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York on Friday that the event also bring together from parts of the US.
NAN reports that Nigerians all over the U.S. are gearing up for the annual event, which would hold on Saturday in New York.
Cue-in audio Dansalami 1
“When you come to the parade, you see thousands of our Nigerian youths. They don’t know whether they Ibo, Yoruba or Hausa. They just look at themselves as Nigerians.
“So that is why we are able to now bring all the Nigerians together and that is what is motivating us; seeing our youths now acting as Nigerians.
“Not that I’m Ibo, not that I’m Yoruba, and they are connecting, they are marrying each other, going out with each other, they are doing everything together.
“So that is the more reason why we believe this is the thing that is actually going to help us with the image of Nigeria; to see Nigeria as being a united front. So this is what this parade is all about.”
Cue-out audio Dansalami 1
In view of the ongoing agitations by different groups back home, he appealed to Nigerians, particularly the youth in Nigeria to emulate their counterparts in the U.S. who see themselves as one.
Cue-in audio Dansalami 2
“What message do we take back home? All we can say is: try to emulate our youth, the youth of (Nigeria in the) United States of America.
“Because of this parade, they do not discriminate, they don’t care, they don’t even know anything that is called Biafra. They just believe that they are Nigeria and Nigerians.
“And that’s it for them and they want to do anything that will assist, that will help, that will promote the image of Nigeria.
“So that’s what we would be appealing to the people back home to take a leaf from what some of these youths are now doing in the United States of America.
“And then see Nigeria as one rather than as a divided country.”
Cue-out audio Dansalami 2
NAN reports that the 2017 event is in commemoration of the 57th anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence anniversary.
NAN also reports that the annual event, which started in 1991 and has been held annually since then, is the largest gathering of Nigerians abroad. (NAN)