Nigeria Community Excellence Awards is a celebration of excellence within the Nigerian Community in South Africa. It is an annual event of The Nigerian Voice Newspaper South Africa.
Nigeria Community Excellence Awards is the only platform that honors outstanding and upstanding Nigerians who excel in their chosen careers within the community. It also appreciates South African citizens and organizations that collaborate/partner with Nigerians or recognizes the effort of a Nigerian individual or organization in South Africa. It awards the very best amongst the best in the community. The standards are high and unmatched as it continues to set new benchmarks for excellence, innovation, and vision.
The event brings together officials of the Nigerian Government from Nigeria, the High Commission of Nigeria in Pretoria, and the Consulate General of Nigeria In Johannesburg.
Also present at the event are; members of the Nigerian community in South Africa, representatives of Nigerian associations and corporate South Africa, as well as South African citizens and members of other African Diaspora.
The event is an initiative created to encourage social cohesion, citizens to citizens interaction, and cultural and educational exchange opportunities between citizens of Nigeria and South Africa importantly, and friends of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Voice Newspaper is a Nigerian community newspaper in South Africa registered and established in 2010. It is the only Nigerian community newspaper in South Africa as of today, and the only Diaspora community newspaper in South Africa using the name of its country of origin as its title.
Among our aims is to change the negative narratives about Nigeria by showcasing the positive side of Nigerians in South Africa and that of Nigeria by extension.
We also promote Nigerian culture, tradition, entertainment, and musical talents through our platform and various events organized by us.
Some of our core objectives are to appropriately inform and empower the Nigerian community and friends of Nigeria in South Africa about happenings in South Africa and specifically within the Nigerian community.
Unfortunately, our millions of Nigerian brand ambassadors are like ostrich who have buried their heads in the sand because of the collective shame brought upon them by a few parts of the whole. Our strengths are played down and our weaknesses celebrated beyond our borders.
In response to address these issues from a media point of view, the Nigerian Voice Newspaper South Africa was birthed. Leveraging on the far-reaching and agenda-setting power of the media, we began to set our agenda and tell Nigerian stories as we want it ought to be. We look for all that is beautiful in us to magnify in ways that tell the world; ‘we are not all bad; “we are better than that”. We celebrate our heroes and their heroics.
Beyond this approach, we saw the need for leadership, social cohesion initiatives, the need for citizens to citizen interaction, and the initiation of cultural, arts and crafts exchange programs among our community, citizens of the host nation, and Africans, especially in South Africa. We are determined to raise a new generation of role models that we can hold up as worthy examples not just for the world, but for members of our community and the upcoming generation. We wanted to build our community; we want us to celebrate ourselves and spur one another on to greater and more good.
For over three (3) decades, Nigerians have been migrating to South Africa. For many, South Africa is home. They have integrated themselves into South African society through marriage, education, employment, and various forms of investments.
In October 2013, former Nigeria High Commissioner to South Africa Ambassador Sani Yusuf, in an interview with The Nigerian Voice Newspaper at the High Commission of Nigeria, Pretoria, estimated that there are over three hundred and fifty thousand (350,000) Nigerians living in South Africa.
Also, in March 2014, the former Consul General of Nigeria, Hon Okey Emuchay, in a different interview, with The Nigerian Voice Newspaper, in his office at the Consulate General, Illovo, affirmed the Nigerian High Commissioner’s estimate of the Nigerian population in South Africa.
Other unverifiable sources have argued that the population of Nigerians in South Africa is close to one million (1,000,000).
The overall financial strength, and contribution of Nigerians in South Africa, should no longer be underestimated. Nigerians have established themselves widely in the medical, education, SMEs, and entertainment sectors.
Over the past seven (7) years, the Nigerian Community in South Africa; has suffered immensely from various Xenophobic attacks. The attacks have caused tension between the South African government, other African governments, and citizens of both nations.
The immense potential waiting to be unlocked within the Nigerian community in South Africa by corporate organizations and business individuals is enormous. The population and financial strength is a potential market for different products and services.
The clarion call is upon government Departments and agencies, corporate organizations, medium-small scale businesses, and citizens of both countries to begin to act to change the narratives and unite citizens of both great nations.
Africa must unite. Importantly for Africa to unite and for its citizens to enjoy the benefits of the unity of Africa Nigeria and South Africa needs to unite not only at governmental levels but also at the level of citizen to citizen relationships that will give birth to partnership in business, education, entertainment, cultural activities, sports, arts, and relationships.
