By Nkechi Eze
Legendary American-African music icon and dance pioneer, Jeffrey Daniel, has issued a powerful call to Africans in the diaspora to reconnect with the continent by visiting regularly or relocating permanently, describing Africa and Nigeria in particular as a place of belonging, healing, purpose and renewal.
Daniel 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. The visit, according to an official statement signed by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols of NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, followed Daniel’s participation in the fifth edition of the Badagry Door of Return Festival organised by the Commission.
Expressing deep appreciation for the warm reception accorded him, Daniel spoke passionately about his decision to relocate to Nigeria and live permanently in the country, describing it as a personal journey of rediscovery, reconnection and fulfilment. Reflecting on his experience at the Badagry Door of Return, he said the moment was filled with joy, healing and a profound sense of spiritual reconnection with his ancestry.
Walking through the Door of Return, he noted, stood in sharp contrast to the painful history symbolised by the Point of No Return, through which millions of enslaved Africans were taken away. According to him, the Door of Return represents restoration, reconnection and a renewed sense of purpose for Africans in the diaspora seeking to reclaim their roots.
Daniel, a founding member of the iconic soul-funk group Shalamar and a pioneer of street dance and R&B music, observed that Nigerians in the diaspora continue to excel globally across diverse sectors, including technology, sports, science, music and innovation, particularly in the United States and Europe. He added that about 60 per cent of Nigerians in the diaspora are celebrated as top-performing students, a reality he described as a testament to the nation’s intellectual strength, resilience and creative capacity.
Calling on Africans across the world to return home and contribute to rebuilding the continent, Daniel stressed that it was time to bring back the spirit of the ancestors and reconnect fully with the motherland, especially Nigeria. He described Nigerian culture as vibrant, alive and intact, praising the richness of its languages, cuisine, traditions and diversity of experiences.
According to him, Nigerians possess a rare resilience and creativity that continues to distinguish the country globally, even in the face of infrastructural limitations. Using a vivid analogy to underscore his message, Daniel said Nigeria should never be abandoned because of its challenges, likening the country to “a luxury car that may have a dent,” stressing that “you fix the dent and appreciate the car; you don’t discard it 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 re-formed Shalamar lineup as recently as 2025 and 2026. Now 70, he is globally celebrated 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.
Welcoming him, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa described Daniel’s return to Nigeria and Africa as deeply symbolic and historic. She said his decision to relocate and remain in Nigeria marked the first time a global celebrity of his stature had returned to the continent and chosen to stay, calling it a powerful statement of identity and belonging.
According to her, Daniel’s presence aligns strongly with NiDCOM’s mandate of encouraging Africans in the diaspora and friends of Nigeria to reconnect, reinvest and contribute meaningfully to national development. She noted that his journey transcends entertainment and celebrity, speaking instead to heritage, identity and the enduring power of cultural reconnection.
Dabiri-Erewa added that his decision sends a compelling message to Africans in the diaspora worldwide that Nigeria remains a place of opportunity, renewal and belonging, despite its challenges. She commended him for his participation 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.
Reaffirming NiDCOM’s commitment to leveraging culture, creativity and diaspora engagement as strategic tools for national development and global rebranding, she described Daniel’s homecoming as a milestone moment in the ongoing effort to reconnect Africa with its global family.
