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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Legendary American–African music icon Jeffrey Daniel, founding member of the iconic soul-funk group Shalamar, has called on Africans in the diaspora to return to the motherland, either by visiting regularly or relocating permanently, just as he has done.
Daniel, 70, a pioneer in street dance and R&B music famed for hits like “A Night to Remember” and “The Second Time Around”, shared this message during a courtesy visit to the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja. He expressed deep gratitude for his warm reception and opened up about his decision to live permanently in Nigeria.
Reflecting on his experience at the fifth Badagry Door of Return Festival in October 2025, organised by NiDCOM, Daniel described the event as a profound moment of “joy, healing, and reconnection”.
He contrasted walking through the Door of Return with the painful history of the nearby Point of No Return, where enslaved Africans were forcibly shipped away. “It symbolised a spiritual reconnection with my ancestry and a renewed sense of purpose,” he said.
Praising the achievements of Nigerians abroad, Daniel highlighted their excellence in technology, sports, science, music and innovation, especially in the US and Europe. “About 60 per cent of Nigerians in the diaspora are celebrated as top-performing students, a testament to the nation’s intellectual strength and resilience,” he noted. He urged global Africans to “return home and contribute to rebuilding Africa”, adding: “It is time to bring back the spirit of the ancestors and reconnect fully with the motherland, particularly Nigeria.”
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Daniel celebrated Nigeria’s vibrant culture, calling it “alive and intact” with rich languages, food, traditions and diversity. He praised Nigerians’ resilience and creativity amid challenges like limited infrastructure, saying these qualities distinguish the country globally. In a vivid analogy, he declared: “Nigeria should never be abandoned regardless of its challenges… [It is] a luxury car, which if it has any dents, should be fixed and appreciated, not discarded because of a dent.”
A judge on Nigerian Idol and teacher of Michael Jackson’s moonwalk (originally the backslide), Daniel remains active, performing with a reformed Shalamar line-up as recently as 2025 and 2026.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols at NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, while welcoming Daniel, Dabiri-Erewa hailed his return as “symbolic and a homecoming”. She called it “historic and deeply symbolic”, noting he is “the first global celebrity of his stature to return home and remain in the country”. His presence, she said, aligns with NiDCOM’s mandate to encourage diaspora reconnection, reinvestment and contributions to national development.
“Daniel’s journey transcends beyond entertainment and celebrity, as it speaks to identity, heritage, and the power of cultural reconnection,” Dabiri-Erewa stated. “His decision sends a powerful message to Africans in diaspora across the world that Nigeria remains a place of belonging, opportunity, and renewal, despite its challenges.”
She commended his participation in the Badagry festival, describing his walk through the Door of Return as “emotional, symbolic, and unifying, particularly for Africans and members of the global diaspora”. Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to using culture, creativity and diaspora engagement for national development and global rebranding.
