The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has paid tribute to Nigerians and persons of Nigerian origin who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, saying their names and stories must not be erased by time.
Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement marking the 25th anniversary of the tragedy signed by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NiDCOM. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, remembered Godwin O. Ajala, Ignatius Udo Adanga, Olabisi Shadie Layeni-Yee, Sadie Ini Ette and Ayodeji Awe among those whose lives were cut short in the attacks that claimed thousands of lives and altered the course of global history.
She said the passage of a quarter of a century had not diminished the pain of losing loved ones, stressing that behind the statistics associated with September 11 were individuals with families, careers, aspirations and dreams.
“We remember them. We remember their families. We remember the lives they lived and the dreams they carried. Twenty-five years later, they are not forgotten. Their names remain, and their stories must continue to be told,” she said.
The NiDCOM boss extended her thoughts and prayers to the families and loved ones of the victims, noting that remembrance was particularly important for younger generations who did not witness the tragedy.
She said the Nigerian victims represented the far-reaching presence of Nigerians across the world and the enduring connections they had built in the communities where they lived, worked and contributed.
According to her, the anniversary should not only serve as a painful reminder of lives lost but also as an opportunity to celebrate the lives the victims lived and the legacies they left behind.
Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to recognising and honouring the lives, contributions and experiences of Nigerians in the diaspora, stressing that every Nigerian life mattered, regardless of where the individual lived in the world.
She prayed for the peaceful rest of the victims and for strength, comfort and healing for their families and loved ones who continue to bear the pain of their loss.
