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Tag: envoy

  • Gaza: Hostage exchange should include over 7,000 in Israeli jails – Envoy

    Gaza: Hostage exchange should include over 7,000 in Israeli jails – Envoy

    The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullah Shawesh has called for holistic approach in the Israelis- Palestinians hostage talk.

    Shawesh said that the hostage exchanges should include the over 7,000 Palestinians behind bar before the outbreak of current hostility. 

    Shawesh spoke when he briefed Diplomatic Correspondents in Abuja.

    He said every Palestinian is for peace and looking forward to all hostages going to their homes regardless of nationalities. 

    He however said it should not just be about the Israeli hostages alone but that West Bank and 2.3 million residents of  Gaza be set free from Israeli siege.

    According to him: “There are 2.3 million Palestinian in Gaza and have been subjected and held hostage by the  Israeli since 2007. More than 7,000 people are in Israeli jail including 300 children. 

    “So when we talk about hostage solution is that it should be collective on both sides. We can not just talk about one side. I strongly believe that all the hostages, regardless of their nationalities should be back  home tonight. 

    Read Also: Ceasefire in Gaza Strip will last for 10 days 

    “The Israelis and the Palestinians. And Gaza should be freed and  likewise West Bank. That the people of Gaza should not be subjected to Israeli siege. 

    “We want the ceasefire and also to ensure that there is no one Israeli or Palestinian hostage. 

    “We hope that all the hostages that is Israelis and Palestinians go back to their homes tonight . It is very important and in this particular issue we need all to take it in a collective manner and not to talk about just the Israeli hostages. There are more than 7,000 Palestinians in the Israeli Jails. More than 300 children.

    “More 2,600 from last escalation. All of them should be set freed.” 

    When asked if there can be peace given the stand of Hamas and Israeli, the envoy responded: “There cannot he peace as long as Israel has nuclear weapon, there cannot be peace as long as they continue to occupy us. “

  • Lai Mohammed, envoy for agency’s cultural event

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Ethiopia, Olusegun Akinsanya, will next week chair an event on cultural appreciation.

    The event, which will be hosted by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), will hold in Lagos.

    The media aide to NICO’s Acting Executive Secretary, Caleb Nor, announced this in a statement.

    He said: “The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), a corporation of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in furtherance of its mandate of effecting a sense of cultural direction among the citizenry, is again set to organise a public lecture with the theme: Culture As An Effective Tool for Foreign Relations.

    “The lecture, scheduled to hold at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, on May 14 at 11 a.m, will be delivered by a senior research fellow at NIIA, Dr. Sharkdam Wapmuk…

    “The NICO quarterly public lecture series was conceptualised as a vibrant quarterly programme to serve as a platform for intellectual discourse on culture; sensitise Nigerians to the strategic importance of culture in the promotion and sustenance of good governance and our nascent democracy; effect a sense of cultural direction in the citizenry to better appreciate the need for Nigerians to embrace our culture, cherish its inherent values and accord it a pride of place in all aspects of our development agenda.”

     

     

  • Nigerian prof, envoy, 155 others die in Ethiopian Airlines crash

    A Nigerian professor based in Canada, Pius Adesanmi, and former UN and AU Deputy Joint Special Representative in Darfur, Sudan, Ambassador Abiodun Bashua of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were among the 157 persons on board an Ethiopian Airlines plane which crashed yesterday.

    Adesanmi, who was popular on twitter for his consistent interventions on the state of the nation, was teaching at the Carlton University in Canada.

    He was a dual citizen of Nigeria and Canada.

    Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tewolde Gebremariam told reporters that among the passengers were seven Britons, seven French, eight Italians and 18 Canadians.

    Also on board were 32 Kenyans, nine Ethiopians, eight Americans and eight Chinese.

    The nationalities of the other passengers were yet-to-be disclosed as at the time of filing this report.

    President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed profound shock at the crash on behalf of the government and the people of Nigeria, extending his condolences to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, the people of Ethiopia, Kenya, Canada, China and all other nations who lost citizens to the disaster.

    The President also commiserated with the families of the victims and prayed God Almighty to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest.

    Reacting to the accident in Daura, Katsina State, the President said: “Such large scale loss of human lives in a single incident is shocking beyond words. I am profoundly touched by this devastating report of air accident involving one of the world’s most successful and efficient airlines, given its remarkable safety record. This couldn’t have come at a worse time for Ethiopian Airlines.”

    President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, Garba Shehu, said:  ”Like every other African leader, I am proud of the fact that Ethiopian Airlines represents one of Africa’s success stories.”

    The President hoped that the tragic accident will not have a negative effect on Ethiopian Airlines’ passion for excellence.

    There were 147 passengers and eight crew members on board the ill-fated Addis Ababa-Kenya bound flight.

    Officials were said to have retrieved the wreckage of the plane and confirmed the deaths.

    The Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 plane on a routine flight to Nairobi, Kenya from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, crashed shortly after take-off.

    “The Office of the PM, on behalf of the Government and people of Ethiopia, would like to express its deepest condolences to the families of those that have lost their loved ones on Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 on regular scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya this morning,” the message on the government’s Twitter handle read.

    An Ethiopian Airlines spokesman said the crash occurred at 8:44am local time.

     

  • U.S. has no presidential candidate, says envoy

    UNITED States (U.S.) Consul-General Ambassador John Bay yesterday said that his home country has interest only in free, fair and credible elections.

    Bay, who restated the commitment of the U.S. to violence-free electoral process, insisted that the U.S. was not supporting any candidate in the February 16 presidential election.

    A statement by the Special Adviser to Bayelsa State the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the envoy to have made the comment while paying a courtesy call on Governor Seriake Dickson at the Government House, Yenagoa on Wednesday.

    He noted that his delegation was on a tour to the Southern states in the country to interface with civil society organisiations, traditional rulers and other political stakeholders on the need for peaceful conduct before, during and after the elections.

    He quoted the envoy as saying: “The U.S. does not have a candidate in this election. We are looking for a free, fair, credible and peaceful process, a process that allows the choice of the Nigerian citizens to come through.

    “So, we are going to spend some time with the governor and chat about different things we might be able to do to better the situation and anything we can do to help before leaving here for Port Harcourt tomorrow.”

    Read also: Man jailed for betting on credit

    Dickson commended the commitment of the international community to peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in the country.

    He reiterated his call on the political class to respect the will of the people and make efforts that would renew their confidence in the unity and peaceful coexistence of the different ethnic nationalities.

    Describing Nigeria as a critical member of the international community, the governor cautioned politicians to be wary of utterances and conducts that could throw the country into avoidable crisis which could truncate the nation’s democracy.

    He said: “We want to thank the U.S. Mission in Nigeria for your services, contributions and for the building of peace as well as promotion of our nation’s democracy. We also want to thank you for always thinking of us and caring about what is going on here in the Niger Delta.

    “I have read about the statements made by your Mission and other international partners concerning the forthcoming general elections. For me and our state, we welcome these interventions. We believe that our country is and should be a responsible member of the international community.

    “As practicing politicians, all of us should conduct the politics and affairs of our country in such a way as to respect the due processes of the law, and the elections so that in the end, what we do and say should continue to promote peace and stability in various communities across the country.

    “Nigeria is a critical member of the world community. It is the largest and most populous black nation in the world. So, what goes on in Nigeria should rightly be of interest to the rest of the world; and the world is right by not standing by to watch things go bad in Nigeria.”

  • U.S. has no preferred candidate in Nigeria’s elections, says envoy

    UNITED States (U.S.) has not endorsed any candidate in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria, its Consul General, John Braide, has said.

    He stated this yesterday at a ‘Vote not Fight’ sensitisation campaign and peace concert ahead of this year’s polls, which was organised by Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    Braide described Nigerians as lucky people and advised the electorate to use their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to elect credible leaders on February 16 and March 2, appealing for peaceful and credible exercise.

    He declared: “We are not here (in Nigeria) to support any candidate.  We are here to support free, fair, credible and transparent election in Nigeria. Election is not war”.

    Also speaking, Police Commissioner in River State Usman Belel advised Nigerian youths to ignore the destructive overtures of gullible politicians to use them to cause crisis during the polls.

    Belel noted that more than 70 per cent of Nigerian voters are youths, advising:  “Do not destroy your tomorrow today”.

    But, to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Obot Effanga, the commission is ready to conduct transparent elections.

    He assured that the election would be peaceful and urged residents and the state’s electorate to cooperate with INEC.

    “We want to change the narrative in Rivers State.  We want to have election that would be as peaceful as river. We are ready to conduct peaceful elections in Rivers State.

    Similarly, popular musician Innocent Uja Idibia (aka 2Baba) called on Nigerians, particularly the Rivers people, to shun political violence.

    Idibia, at the concert, which his group, 2Baba Foundation, was among the organisers of the event, urged the electorate to vote and go home and avoid hate speech.

    He described vote-buying as a vicious act that could truncate free, fair and credible electoral process.

  • Envoy: why U.S. is supporting Nigeria entrepreneurs

    The United States (U.S.) government yesterday said it is supporting entrepreneurs in Nigeria and other African countries because it beleives the youths hold the future of the continent.

    Its Consul-General, John Bray, who spoke at the Conference for Emerging Entrepreneurs in Lagos, said the U.S beleives that the young people in the country represent the future of the country and the continent.

    Represented by the Public Affairs Officer, Russell Brooks, the U.S. envoy said the government beleives that Nigeria’s young people are its greatest resource.

    “They can produce a more prosperous future for Nigeria, one less dependent on a single commodity, instead one capable of inventing new products and services that will be attractive to markets around the world, producing the growth, jobs, and incomes that will enable Nigeria to take its rightful place among the leading nations of the world.

    “Yes, we believe in you and by aiding Field of Skills and Dreams, and other local organisations, we are demonstrating our confidence in what Nigerians can accomplish.”

    He said returning to what participants, as an individuals, need to know and do in order to succeed in their businesses, “please remember this quote from Dave Thomas, the founder of the American fast-food chain called Wendy’s. He said: “What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.”

    He thanked the team at Field of Skills and Dreams for organising this two-day conference, adding that they did an incredible job in pulling the event together. This conference, he said, brought together 105 young, talented, ambitious young people who are looking to make their mark in the world of business.

    To aid them, Field of Skills and Dreams has assembled an outstanding group of mentors; these mentors, men and women who have accomplished great things in their business careers are taking time out of their busy schedules to share some of their wisdom and experience with young people. “They are excellent role models for these budding entrepreneurs and, again, we thank them for their contribution,” he said.

  • Fayemi”ll trounce Fayose in Ekiti – Envoy

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to Togo, Bar. Olusola Iji, at the weekend said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the governorship election in Ekiti State. The former chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) in Ondo State who spoke in Akure, the state capital, said there will be no barrier against its flag bearer,Dr Kayode Fayemi, to become the next governor after Fayose. According to him, Fayemi is favoured in many ways to return to the seat he vacated in 2014.

    Iji said Ekiti apart from being a bastion of knowledge,it is an homogeneous state that craves for everything that is excellent. The diplomat said his assignment in Lome is to interface between the governments of Nigeria and Togo while seeing to the wellbeing of Nigerians in the host country. According to him, his first duty on resumption was to tour all the regions including the prisons to meet with Nigerians.

    Iji, a legal practitioner and chieftain of the APC, said “Our people were so happy for this because in many places visited,  they either admitted that they have not experienced such visitation before or have not witnessed such over a long period of time. “We have also been active on other fronts playing a leading role in the diplomatic Community. As I am speaking to you, I am the President of African Group of Ambassadors and Heads of Diplomatic Missions and my relationship with the president and the government of the republic has been very cordial”.

     

  • Us demands credible poll as envoy visits Fayose

    The government of the United States of America has demanded the  conduct of a credible, transparent, free and fair governorship election in Ekiti State on July 14.

    The Political/Economic Chief, US Consulate in Lagos, Mr. Osman Tat, disclosed this during a visit to Governor Ayo Fayose at the Government House, Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

    The diplomat said America was interested in the Ekiti governorship poll, hence it will closely monitor events before, during and after the exercise.

    He explained that the US government’s interest in the governorship election was hinged on the fact that Ekiti is controlled by an opposition party, rather than the party that controls the centre in Nigeria.

    The envoy said the US is monitoring the situation in Ekiti to ensure that there is no form of violence and intimidation of voters at the election.

    He stressed that the conduct of the election should set a higher standard in the organisation of elections in the country.

    Tat said: “We are here for the monitoring of events leading to the conduct of the governorship election in the state.

    “We are here to see the governor, to assess the situation of things and to dialogue with him on preparations for the election. America is interested in the election.

    “We are to monitor purposely to ensure free, fair, transparent election. We are to ensure that there is no violence or intimidation of voters during the election.

    “We are monitoring the situation to ensure that the election is credible. Ekiti is controlled by the opposition party and that is why the US is interested in the election.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • 195 Nigerians in Moroccan prisons – Envoy

    The Nigerian Ambassador to Morocco,Mr. Baba Garba says 195 Nigerians are currently serving  prison terms  in Morocco for drug related crimes.

    Garba  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  in Rabat, Morocco, that many  Nigerians transit Morocco from Latin America,carrying drugs.

    “We have the menace of Nigerians that come from Latin America, transiting Morocco that are carriers of drugs,” he said.

    “We have a number of them in prisons purely for drugs; I send the figures officially to government, there are 195 of them in prisons.

    “We have a bi-national commission and we are proposing end of June or the first week of July because of the Ramadan.

    “It is at this forum we will talk to our Moroccan counterparts about a prisoner transfer agreement but at this point we do not have such agreement.”

    The envoy, however, said there were excellent relations both countries adding that the outcome of the visit of the Moroccan king to Nigeria in 2016 had boosted  bilateral relations.

    “Since 2017 up on till now, we have not had farmers complain about shortage of fertiliser in NIgeria; this is one of the gains.”

    He also said  an average of 50 students from Nigeria are on  scholarship  given by by the Moroccan Government.

    He said no fewer than 3000 Nigerians live in the Magreb country.

  • Ekwueme dedicated his life to promoting Nigeria‘s interest, says envoy

    Ekwueme dedicated his life to promoting Nigeria‘s interest, says envoy

    Nigeria‘s High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Ahmed Musa Ibeto, has said that former Vice President, the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, dedicated his life to promote the interest of Nigeria.

    Ibeto made the assertion in a special tribute to Ekwueme, who died on November 19 last year..

    The envoy said  the former vice president was a politician par excellence.

    “Chief Alex Ekwueme was indeed a great icon and national figure, who strived at all, times to dedicate his life to the promotion of Nigeria’s interest.

    He was a politician par excellence in deeds and character, who built his political career on integrity and selfless service to his fatherland,” he said.

    Ibeto said  as the first-elected Vice President of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983, Ekwueme brought life into the mainstream of the nation‘s politics and recorded remarkable achievements in building a prosperous Nigeria.

    “ He was such an intelligent, humane and humble man, who was full of life even at his age,” he said.

    The envoy said that the former vice president was an erudite scholar who bagged degrees in different fields such as Architecture, Urban Planning, Sociology, History, Philosophy and Law from several Universities.

    “ Such a feat can only be attained by a man with very high clout and burning passion for knowledge, like Late Alex Ekwueme, Ibeto said.

    The high commissioner said that on the international scene, Ekwueme was well recognised.

    “He was a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Elders.

    He also headed several Observer Missions on election monitoring in several African countries and was a recipient of national awards of other African countries apart from Nigeria.

    Until his demise, he was a stabilizing factor in Nigerian politics and continued to participate actively in the Nigerian project,” he said.

    The envoy said that Ekwueme was endeared to many of his admirers for his intellectual prowess, principle of one Nigeria, integrity and hard work.

    According to him, the former vice president will be remembered for his contributions to nation-building, a functional and effective governance structure for Nigeria.

    “ The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and many of his admirers will indeed miss this great national icon,” Ibeto said.