Encomium
“I am pleased with the quality of people I am seeing. You are high quality people. Congratulations on your personal achievements.”
Those were the words of President Muhammadu Buhari as he met with members of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), the Netherlands Chapter, Monday, on the sidelines of his Official Visit to The Hague, Netherlands.
Saying he was quite pleased with their intellectual and professional achievements, the President lauded them for representing Nigeria well, and for always being in touch with their motherland.
Among those who met President Buhari were Julius Nnamdi Nwankpa, Chairman NIDO, Dr Mustapha Gidado, a specialist in tuberculosis, having oversight over management of the disease in 22 countries, Lola Visser Mabogunje, a performance monitoring expert, Dr Peter Ngene, a research scientist and Assistant Professor at Utrecht University, Engineer Cornelius Obot, a software expert, and Toyin Loyo, an artist and culture enthusiast of international repute.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Nwankpa, the NIDO Chairman, commended President Buhari for the war against corruption, “for which you have earned respect around the world,” high improvement in infrastructural development, and for signing into law the Diaspora Commission Bill, which he hoped would “become effective as soon as possible.”
On the security situation in Nigeria, the NIDO Chairman urged the government and security team to accelerate stoppage of unfortunate killings, while also calling on Nigerians “to play their roles in breaking the cycle of violence, which usually has no winner.”
The delegation presented the gift of an artwork called Light to President Buhari, with Toyin Loyo, the creator of the work saying: “The work is illuminating. You bring light, which will never go out, and which will shine round the clock.”
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
July 16, 2018
