Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Abdullahi Sule are among dignitaries to attend the official investiture of Honore Hounkpatin as President, High Council of Beninese living in Nigeria.
Hounkpatin disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the event would be a veritable avenue for him to seek partnership with the two governors and their counterparts to open up centres in their states, where Beninois in Nigeria could be trained as artisans.
“That is why in our letter to state governors, we asked for partnership to be able to open up centres whereby, we the Beninese in Nigeria, can share experience and ideas for interested candidates in this field of artisan.
“Because the field is wide and the market is big, we the Beninese alone cannot do it. There is need for us to partner with Nigeria and most especially, state governments in the country.
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He identified such areas of artisanship to include building and the art of putting finishing touches to masons, Plaster of Paris (POP), tillers.
According such synergy would also help the participants to share experience and ideas in; stucco painting, fashion design, chefs and domestic workers among others.
Hounkpatin, who recalled that he had trained 400 Nigerians in various artisan works in the last 28 years, advised on those who want to be trained as artisans to exercise patients to enable them learn the job.
‘’It is better we train Nigerians so that they can also benefit, but only if they can be patient so that they can learn the job properly,’’ he said.
He said that upon receiving necessary experience, the trained artisans would be encouraged to set up centres where they would be able to train others.
Hounkpatin said that Beninois living in Nigeria now had well structured union where people could report any misdemeanor committed by members for prompt action.
The president of the council, who described Nigeria as a good country whose citizens were accommodating, assured that Beninois living in Nigeria would comply with the law of the land.
He called on all Beninois to regularise their stay in Nigeria to avoid conflict with the law. (NAN)
