Abuja, January 6: A team of Nigerian parliamentarians is set to participate in Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2012, which is scheduled to start in Jaipur tomorrow. The delegation for the three-day event will comprise the House of Representatives Committee on diaspora matters and will be led by its chairman, renowned journalist Abike Dabiri-Erewa. 
“We look forward to sharing experience with India because Nigeria is the largest democracy in the African continent, a position occupied by India in the Asian continent,” Erewa said, adding that the Nigerian parliament will soon pass a bill for the establishment of a diaspora commission. “During our discussions on this in parliament, we were inspired when we learnt that India has a full-fledged Ministry of Overseas Affairs and we wish to use this example as a template,” she said. Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev, said in a statement: “Although the event is essentially meant for ethnic Indians alone, as an exception, they have welcomed the initiative of the distinguished committee to engage with Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs at the PBD Convention at Jaipur.” Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the tenth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) on January 7 at Jaipur. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad Bissessar will be the Chief Guest in the 10th PBD.
“We look forward to sharing experience with India because Nigeria is the largest democracy in the African continent, a position occupied by India in the Asian continent,” Erewa said, adding that the Nigerian parliament will soon pass a bill for the establishment of a diaspora commission. “During our discussions on this in parliament, we were inspired when we learnt that India has a full-fledged Ministry of Overseas Affairs and we wish to use this example as a template,” she said. Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev, said in a statement: “Although the event is essentially meant for ethnic Indians alone, as an exception, they have welcomed the initiative of the distinguished committee to engage with Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs at the PBD Convention at Jaipur.” Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the tenth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) on January 7 at Jaipur. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad Bissessar will be the Chief Guest in the 10th PBD.