Return home – Music icon, Jeffrey Daniel urges Africans in Diaspora

The Legendary American-African Music icon Jeffrey Daniel has urged Africans in Diaspora to connect to the motherland by visiting regularly or relocating to the continent, just as he has
done.

Jeffrey Glenn Daniel, of the Legendary Shalamar music band fame, gave this advice when he paid a courtesy call on Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/ CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) in Abuja.

According to the statement released by the Commission, he expressed gratitude for the warm reception and shared his motivation for relocating to and living permanently in Nigeria.

Daniel, a pioneer in street dance and R and B music and a founding member of the iconic soul-funk group Shalamar, known 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 the Commission, he described the moment as one of joy, healing and reconnection.

He noted that walking through the Door of Return stood in sharp contrast to the painful history of the Point of No Return, through which enslaved Africans were forcibly taken away, and symbolised a spiritual reconnection with his ancestry and a renewed sense of purpose.
The American dancer noted that Nigerians in the diaspora continue to excel across several sectors, including technology, sports, science, music, and innovation, particularly in the United States of America and Europe.

He added that 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 urged Africans in diaspora all over the world to return home and contribute to rebuilding Africa, stressing that it is time to bring back the spirit of the ancestors and reconnect fully with the motherland, particularly Nigeria .
He described Nigerian culture as vibrant, alive, and intact, highlighting the richness of its languages, food, traditions and diversity of experiences.

According to him, Nigerians are uniquely blessed with resilience and creativity, even in the face of limited infrastructure, and this spirit continues to distinguish the country globally.

Using a vivid analogy, Daniel stated that Nigeria should never be abandoned regardless of its challenges, describing the country as a luxury car , which if it has any dents, should be fixed and appreciated, not discarded because of a dent.
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 as recently as 2025 and 2026.

Welcoming him, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described his return to Nigeria and Africa as symbolic and home coming.

She said that his return and decision to stay back in Nigeria as a resident is historic and deeply symbolic, noting that he is the first global celebrity of his stature to return home and remain in the country.
She stated that his presence aligns strongly with NiDCOM’s mandate of encouraging Africans in the diaspora, as well as friends of Nigeria, to reconnect, reinvest, and contribute meaningfully to national development.

According to her, Daniel’s journey transcends beyond entertainment and celebrity, as it speaks to identity, heritage, and the power of cultural reconnection.

She added that 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.

The NIDCOM boss commended Daniel for his participation in the October 2025 Badagry Door of Return Festival, where he walked through the historic Door of Return.
She described the act as emotional, symbolic, and unifying, particularly for Africans and members of the global diaspora.

Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to leveraging culture, creativity, and diaspora engagement as strategic tools for national development and global rebranding.

The 70- year-old Daniel, is a pioneer in street dance and R and B music and a founding member of the iconic soul-funk group Shalamar.

He is globally recognised 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.