By Gabriel Ameh
Legendary American-African music icon Jeffrey Daniel has called on Africans in the diaspora to reconnect with the continent by visiting regularly or relocating permanently, urging them to contribute actively to Africa’s rebuilding and renewal.
Daniel, a founding member of the iconic soul-funk group Shalamar, made the call during a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja.
Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, the celebrated singer and dancer explained that his decision to relocate permanently to Nigeria was driven by a deep desire to reconnect with his roots and live out his purpose on the African continent.
Daniel, a pioneer of street dance and R&B music, is globally renowned for timeless hits such as A Night to Remember and The Second Time Around. Reflecting on his experience at the fifth edition of the Badagry Door of Return Festival, organised by NiDCOM, he described the moment as one of joy, healing, and spiritual reconnection.
According to him, walking through the Door of Return offered a powerful contrast to the painful history of the Point of No Return, through which millions of enslaved Africans were forcibly taken away. He said the experience symbolised a renewed connection to ancestry and a fresh sense of purpose.
Daniel noted that Nigerians in the diaspora continue to excel globally across sectors such as technology, sports, science, music, and innovation, particularly in the United States and Europe. He added that an estimated 60 per cent of Nigerians in the diaspora are recognised as top-performing students, a testament to the nation’s intellectual strength and resilience.
He urged Africans across the world to return home and play their part in rebuilding the continent, stressing that the time has come to reclaim ancestral spirit and reconnect fully with the motherland, especially Nigeria.
Describing Nigerian culture as vibrant, alive, and intact, Daniel highlighted the richness of its languages, food, traditions, and diverse cultural expressions. He added that Nigerians are uniquely blessed with resilience and creativity, qualities that continue to distinguish the country globally despite infrastructural challenges.
Using a vivid analogy, he said Nigeria should never be abandoned because of its difficulties, likening the nation to a luxury car that may have dents but should be fixed and cherished rather than discarded.
Daniel, who has also served as a judge on Nigerian Idol, remains active in the global music scene and continues to perform with a reformed Shalamar lineup, with shows scheduled through 2025 and 2026.
Welcoming him, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa described Daniel’s return to Nigeria and Africa as historic and deeply symbolic. She noted that his decision to relocate and reside permanently in Nigeria marks him as the first global celebrity of his stature to return home and remain in the country.
She said his presence strongly aligns with NiDCOM’s mandate of encouraging Africans in the diaspora and friends of Nigeria to reconnect, reinvest, and contribute meaningfully to national development.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, Daniel’s journey transcends entertainment and celebrity, speaking profoundly to identity, heritage, and the transformative power of cultural reconnection.
She added that his decision sends a powerful message to Africans in the diaspora that Nigeria remains a place of belonging, opportunity, and renewal, despite its challenges.
The NiDCOM boss commended Daniel for participating in the October 2025 Badagry Door of Return Festival, describing his walk through the historic Door of Return as emotional, symbolic, and unifying for Africans and members of the global diaspora.
She reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to leveraging culture, creativity, and diaspora engagement as strategic tools for national development and global rebranding.
Now 70, Jeffrey Daniel is globally recognised not only as a music legend but also for teaching Michael Jackson the backslide dance move later popularised worldwide as the moonwalk and for co-choreographing Jackson’s iconic music videos Bad and Smooth Criminal.
