Ninety three ambassadors yesterday received their letters of credence from President Goodluck Jonathan, as he urged them to properly project the country.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Ojo Maduekwe is now the new Nigeria ambassador to Canada and the late Igbo leader’s wife, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu will be representing Nigeria in Spain.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States Prof. Ade Adefuye and the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Sarki Tafida, are retained, according to the postings made available by Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru.
According to the letter released by Ministry of Foreign Affairs,“In all, there are 62 ambassadors although 93 people were deployed. Of the lot, 86 were posted out. The remaining seven, who are ambassadors in-situ, will remain at home. Of the 86 posted out, 62 are Ambassadors; 24 are Deputy Heads of Mission. Among the ambassadors are 11 women 10 of whom are Heads of Mission. One is a Deputy Head of Mission”.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Presidential Villa, Jonathan said “You are posted to your designation to represent the president and not your state or your ethnicity and project Nigeria as united and indivisible nation. You must encourage Nigerians abroad to have a solid union.
“Today, we live in an international environment that is characterized by rapid change, intense competition, and driven by knowledge and technology. It is an exciting world in which only the best succeed. In such an environment, only a dynamic, confident and proactive Foreign Service can effectively and efficiently serve Nigeria’s interests.
“As Nigeria’s window to the outside world, our diplomatic service must necessarily raise its standards to match the best globally, both in the quality of service delivery and the professionalism of its staff. To build and sustain a corps of staff that can excel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must accord priority to recruiting the best and ensuring the regular training of its diplomatic agents.
“I believe that the objective of raising standards can also be achieved if senior Foreign Service Officers are given challenges that prove their worth. They should be sufficiently equipped to act as veritable change agents, and lead in positively driving Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives abroad. My decision to give prominence to career officers in the current appointments was informed, in part, by the imperative to incentives the career officers and enhance commitment to professional excellence.
“As you prepare to depart to your countries of accreditation, you must always bear in mind that our foreign policy must reflect the aspirations and priorities of a democratic Nigeria. Economic Diplomacy and Africa remain at the centre of our foreign policy agenda. In this respect, your responsibility to attract investments into the country and open up markets for our local goods and services cannot be over emphasised.
“Defending the interests of Nigerians living and operating lawfully in your countries of accreditation must be seen as a primary assignment. Protecting their interest through greater and more efficient consular support is also a priority to which you must remain fully committed. Increasingly, the Diaspora is shaping the growth and development of nations. Ours should not be different.
“We have a vibrant Diaspora that you need to constantly engage with so that it can effectively support and make contributions to national development, especially in the areas of finance, ICT and Intellectual Property.
“In my inaugural address on 29 May 2011, I stated that Nigeria, in partnership with the African Union, will lead the process for democracy and development in Africa. To promote this objective, I charge Nigerian Missions abroad to give the highest priority to our vision of promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
“Our efforts to secure democracy and ensure stability in West Africa and in other places across Africa are ample evidence of our unwavering commitment to these values. As our principal representatives, I urge you to pursue this mandate with renewed vigour.
“In today’s increasingly inter-connected and interdependent world, you must also pursue multilateral diplomacy and build beneficial bilateral partnerships with your host countries. In all cases, these relationships must be anchored on mutual respect and mutual responsiveness. This, I believe, underlines the reciprocity principle that the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs noted in his earlier remarks.
“ Nigeria’s foreign policy must continue to espouse our commitment to regional and pan-African integration and unity. We must continue to work within ECOWAS, AU, the Commonwealth, and the United Nations, to build a safer, more secure, just and equitable world. You are the torchbearers of our vision and purposes as we engage the world. Go out and serve the nation with dedication and pride”.
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