THE EDOS IN DIASPORA: INVESTORS AND INVESTMENTS - ANATOMY OF A DEADLY VENTURES!

BY PASTOR SUNDAY OMO IDAHOR ESQ.
ATTORNEY AT LAW
BOSTON MA USA.

THE EDITOR, 
EDO WORLD,
BENIN CITY, EDO STATE
NIGERIA.

Permit me once again to use your well acknowledged medium in expressing the obvious prevailing and pathetic plights of those of us living outside the geographic entity called Nigeria. while we desire to ensure that our home, our heritage, the place of our birth is developed to a level that will be comparable to the places where we are presently domicile, while we dream to see the day Benin city, and other cities in Nigeria will seems same as the cities in the united state of America, while we desire to work towards the realization of the laudable dream, their exist an insurmountable mountain of problems that seems to stands as rock of ages that will not move out of the way in other to realize this dream!
Kindly note that 99% of those living outside this country desire to return back to the place of their birth! No matter how beautiful Babylon might seem, no matter the available high standard of living prevalent in Babylon, even though Babylon seems live heaven on earth, yet, the fact remain that BABYLON IS A STRANGE LAND!
all most of our meetings here in America, we always analysis various ways we can help in the development of our great country called Nigeria. After all this academic discussions, the bottom line always remains the same- management of our investment! The singular question we are yet to find answer to is- how can we manage investment back home? How can we control and monitor our family members who see these investments as their share of the successes of their sons and daughters abroad?

INVESTING BACK HOME: 
daily on phone, during seminal and conferences, the discussion in always on how to secure our investment back home. many tales are prevalent, of people robbed, money stolen, buildings abandoned after completion money collected and photographs of building not owned by the builder is sent to him or her to show the so called progress of work done on the project. Most times pictures of house close to roofing level is sent to the builder while the truth is that the house in question is still at DPC level. money sent for projects are never accounted for, shares purported to be bought in the name and on the behalf of us abroad and claimed to be missing the moment we start to ask questions about the where about of the share certificates! money sent to buy landed properties ended up as privilege to marry more wives and buy more cars. the worst is that the moment the investor announce his plan to come home for a two week visit, all hell is let loose! if one is not careful, death knock! s at the door!

TO FAMILY MEMBERS--- INVESTMENT BY FAMILY MEMBERS ABROAD IS NEVER YOUR SHARE OF THE FAMILY CAKE! This altitude has to change if we are to witness any industrial revolution in Nigeria. we must stop this altitude of being a parasites that lives at the expense of his host, we must note that living abroad is never a bed of roses as our host most times sees us as tools that need to be used and discarded! the relations of yours sending the cars, goods, money home has a feature, he need s to save for the raining days, he needs to plan for days ahead when living abroad might no longer be feasible. Stop seeing the efforts of others as trophies won by you! it is a shame and a dishonor to human dignity for you back home to seat at a bar, spend within hours what your relations abroad will not earn in a week even when working night and day and doing two to three jobs just to get by. funny enough, I once saw relations of a good friend of mine in Boston while visiting Nigeria asking for mo! ney from my friend with a pathetic excuse that a member of the family was at a death bed and that the doctor asked for so much before treatment can be applied, yet the so call sick family member was right there sitting next to the speaker! What a shame!

ROLL CALL --
many had paid the ultimate price, with not a few maimed, others had their had earned money vanished into thin air. we are aware of stories of many abroad who due to the resolved to invest at home after spending millions in both dollars and Naira end up been killed so that the so called relation can take over that investment. Many were lucking to escape with serious body injuries after been short at both physically and spiritually. All because of wealth they never labor for! These days, talking about investing at home meets with silence from friends and love once here in far away land. Then follow the warning to be very careful, and that they love you so much and want you to return back from your trip home. in fact the golden rule is never to show any anger no matter what is seen on arrival, the worst is to silently take a trip to see a far away friend in another state, and from their take a detour to the airport- back to base! Personal experience abound, with relations steal! ing seven thousand Euros in Spain, another used the money met for continuous work in the house project to buy a car. Same person used money meant for plumbing works in the same house to relocate to another state. Cars are sold with no return made to me. Had both container and the agent missing due to the collaboration between my relation and the agent. Had laptops computers sold and money never remitted. The story never ends!
THE WAY FORWARD -- part two coming soon!