Sanjay Jain commits to promoting cultural integration between Nigeria, India

Sanjay Jain is the President of Indian Cultural Association, an organisation, which is committed to promoting cultural integration to improve bilateral relations between Nigeria and India. The iconic Indian personality in Nigeria spoke to GREGORY AUSTIN NWAKUNOR on culture, economy and others.

One word summarises the character of the iconic Indian Chief, Sanjay Jain: Humility. And he is never in short supply of the three words: ‘I am sorry.’ He could say it as many times as possible during a conversation.

Jain is the President of Indian Cultural Association, an organisation, which he says, is “committed to promoting cultural integration to improve bilateral relations between Nigeria and India.”ICA is the premier association of Indians residing in Nigeria, with the motto, ‘Brotherhood through Culture’.

“Sorry you were not invited for this year’s Diwali Festival,” he says, remorsefully. Diwali is arguably the biggest festival in India and is known as the homecoming of Lord Rama after a 14-year exile. The five days of the festival mark different legends such as Lord Krishna killing the demon Narakasur and the Goddess Lakshmi’s birthday. This festival of lights is celebrated by wearing new clothes, meeting family and friends, burning crackers, and lighting lanterns and diyas (earthen lamps). No festival is complete without special food and, depending on the region; Diwali feasting includes a variety of sweets and savouries.

“Diwali is the biggest festival in the Indian calendar, which is just like Christmas, which Christians celebrate. The festival celebrates victory of light over darkness and good over evil. So, on the occasion of the 2023 festival, the Indian Cultural Association celebrated the festival at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos, and as many as 6,000 people gathered at the venue. It was held on November 17. We invited big entertainers for the event and raised funds only to do the charitable work for the needy in Nigeria.”

The event attracted notable Indian celebrities and Bollywood stars such as, Nora Fatehi and Amit Mishra. Since 2000 the association has ensured that Bollywood celebrity singers are invited over to headline the festival’s concert.

The ICA president, who confesses Indians have made Nigeria a home, notes, “this is a big compliment to Indians as well as the Nigerians as to why the Indians find Nigeria as a home.”

He adds, “Compliment to Indians – because they leave their own country and come here to work, contributing towards the economic development of the host country and in the process earn their livelihood. Compliments to the Nigerian populace – because they have welcomed us with open arms, they have shown warmth in interacting with us and that has encouraged us to come and stay here. That has made us feel like a home away from home. This needs a lot of accolades for our Nigerian brethren.”

Jain says in pursuance of ICA’s objectives in the past years, the association had taken up corporate social responsibility projects as a way to give back to the society that has welcomed them wholeheartedly.

On January 9, 2021, his association got the highest ‘Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award’ (Non Resident Honour Award) from Government of India at the 16th PBD Convention held in New Delhi, India).

The day is significant to India, as it was the day Mahatma Gandhi, father of the nation, returned to India from South Africa. To give cognisance to the date, Government of India decided to celebrate ’Pravasi Bhartiya Divas’ (Non Resident Indian’s Day) on this date.

As part of activities celebrating the day, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is given to deserving Indians/associations/institutions. The award is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians/institutions by the President of India.

PBD convention is the flagship event of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and provides an important platform to engage and connect with overseas Indians.

Born in Rajasthan state of India and working in Nigeria for over three decades, Jain says, “the awards are conferred to select Indian diaspora members to recognise their achievements and honour their contributions to various fields.”

As the name implies, this special ceremony celebrates Indians who have taken residence in other countries outside India. Initially, the Non-Resident Indians Day celebrations were held every two years, but when statistics showed that there were over 33 million non-resident Indians living in countries all over the world, the present-day government made the celebrations a yearly event. But these awards are announced once in two years. The Indian government made many publications and implemented campaigns around the world on this effect.

Jain says the entire Indian community of Lagos, Nigeria, was elated with joy when the award came, as this is termed a historic event. It is the very first time that such an award is bestowed to any individual or institution in Nigeria. And since it has been awarded to Indian Cultural Association, which is an apex body of Indians, it gives them a great sense of accomplishment.”

Lots of charitable projects were undertaken into ICA’s scope due to his visionary thinking, which not only brought smile on the needy Nigerians’ faces but also earned good name for the Indian community in Nigeria.

“The association gets actively involved in the welfare and social programmes for the Indians as well as for the Nigerian communities. The Association is involved actively on the local Nigerian community’s upliftment and also endeavours the Indian members to mingle with other communities, thereby creating a serene and calm environment. The association regularly conducts the Indian cultural events and festivals also,” Jain said.

The association has continued to support projects in Nigeria with a view to strengthening relations between the two countries. According to him, the association has initiated many projects that are aimed at developing the society.

He states that the objective of the association is to do a lots of charity work for the needy in Nigeria and to convey a message to the Nigerians that the Indians care about them. Indians have integrated so well with the Nigerian culture.

Jain, who is also the Chairman of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Nigeria Chapter, connects with a lot of social organisations in Nigeria and does lots of charitable and social activities through these organisations, adds, “we do lots of charitable works in Nigeria. So, all funds raised on that day are used only for the support of the needy in Nigeria and that is why people have supported the Indian Cultural Association, as they know that every penny gathered is set out for charity and that is why the association is getting stronger everyday.”

On the relationship between the two countries, he believes more could be done especially in the area of trade. He is confident with the emergence of President Bola Tinubu more will be done.

Jain says, “Nigeria is the biggest trade partner of India in Africa and with the way both giants are proceeding, it appears that it will increase day by day.”

According to him, the association, in the usual manner, always attempts to bring the two cultures together to achieve cordial and harmonious relationships between communities.

Jain is happy with the communal spirit of the Indian community and the will to adopt practices from the Nigerian community and vice-versa. For Jain, “I can say it authoritatively that the Indians feel great about Nigeria and its people. It is not out of the reference here to mention that the similar kind of feelings is there in the minds of Nigerians who had stayed in India. And that makes our bonding with each other stronger.”

This, to him, owes much to the deep rooted involvement of Indian Cultural Association to achieve better cultural ties between the two communities.
Though he was not born in Nigeria, when he had an opportunity to come to Nigeria, he immediately decided to come here for work. “When we reached here and stayed for some time, we felt very comfortable. And again, I would say that warmth and the friendly nature of the people of this country, has provided a very conducive atmosphere for a foreigner to be comfortable here,” he says.

He has been in Nigeria for last three decades, and feels very much at home here. “Nigeria is a beautiful country made of equally warm-hearted people. I have several Nigerian friends and they are as warm as my any other Indian brother or sister to me. And that is the biggest reason that you feel at home and thereby intend to stay for long in this country,” he says.

“I hope Nigeria continues to be very good,” he says, excitedly.

According to him, “I find Nigerians to be very calm and friendly. I enjoy their company. I have quite a number of Nigerian friends and they are all extremely nice to me.”

He adds, “I like Nigeria very much. I have been living in Nigeria for 31 years now and in 2008, the Oba of Mushin gave me the title Asiwaju of Matoriland, Mushin. Then, I had told him I was too young for it, but he insisted and the title was bestowed on me. He believed, I was fit for it and that was how I got the title. I am very happy about it. At first, I did not know the essence of it, but later when Nigerians and Indians interacted with me, I then realised that the chieftaincy coming from Mushin is very reputable in Nigeria, as compared to the similar title from the remote villages.

He says, “I stay here with my family; my two children were also here. They studied here and then went for higher studies. They also feel at home in Nigeria and they too have lots of Nigerian friends over here.”

He continues: “Our experience of living in Nigeria is excellent and I must admit that Indians in Nigeria are well received in every aspect of life. They have been able to mingle very well with the Nigerian populace only because the people of the host community have accepted them with open arms.”