Far Away, Close to Home: Nigerians in US, Canada, Strengthen Egba-Yewa Root

Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu/

Some Nigerians, based in the United States (US) and Canada, have shown that home is where their heart is.

At a gathering last week in the US, Egba and Yewa descendants did not only show where their heart is by eating hot amala and other delicacies from their root, they also raised funds to assist the needy back home, and support ongoing infrastructural developments in their hometowns and communities.

NewsmakersNG learnt at the conference and fund-raising gala, in Atlanta, that they also provide infrastructures in schools across their town.

The Abeokuta indigenes, under the aegis of Egba National Association, are offering scholarships to indigent children and providing infrastructures in schools in Abeokuta and its environs, according to the Chairman of the association, Reverend Sunday Gbajobi.

Rev Gbajobi told NewsmakersNG that the National Executive Council was making giant strides and it has focused on its target objectives. He added that the moral and financial support of members had done so much in funding the association’s efforts.

The President, Egba Association of Georgia, Prince Omokayode Ogundimu Elerunwon said that the Egba sons and daughters in Atlanta came together with one desire and belief, “to serve our dear homeland, Egba, in any area of support for the citizens in need”.

A mild drama played out at the gala night after reciting the Nigerian national anthem, American national anthem and it was time to sing the Egba anthem.

Members of the association from Canada insisted on singing Canadian national anthem before rounding off with the Egba anthem.

They shunned appeals from the Master of Ceremony, and kept everyone standing for exactly eight minutes and twenty seconds until the Canadian national anthem was quickly downloaded and played the way the other two countries’ anthems were played electronically.

The environment was filled with Abeokuta aroma as everyone fed on hot expertly prepared amala, ewedu and gbegiri (bean soup).

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