Caribbean diaspora reconnects with ancestral roots in Cross River

Cross River State is set to welcome 300 Caribbean nationals in October, in an initiative aimed at reconnecting the African diaspora to their ancestral heritage while opening doors for cultural and economic collaboration.

The state’s Diaspora Commission says visitors from Jamaica, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, the Bahamas and other islands will spend 11 days in Cross River, engaging with traditional institutions and touring cultural landmarks.

Commission chairman Prince Otu Okor explained that the programme goes beyond symbolic recognition. “We are building exchange and study opportunities for Caribbean and Nigerian youths to learn together while encouraging diaspora investment in tourism and education,” he said.

The reception in Calabar will include formal documentation exercises and traditional induction ceremonies, followed by networking engagements in Lagos with other African diaspora groups.

Analysts view the visit as part of a broader effort to unite Africans at home and abroad, boost heritage tourism, and deepen diaspora-led development partnerships.