NIGERIA NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION- THE MAIN EVENT OF DIPLOMATIC LIFE IN BUCHAREST

Nigeria celebrates 50^th Independence Anniversary.

Today, Nigeria celebrates her 50^th Independence Anniversary as she remembers the sacrifice of the founding fathers of the nation, as well as our own responsibility to present and future generations.

Nigeria is a multi-cultural and multi-religious society with a population of about 150 million and over 350 spoken languages and dialects. There is therefore unity in diversity, and the freedom to live practice one’s creed freely and anywhere are upheld in the constitution. The Government and people are firmly committed to holding free, fair and credible elections during the next cycle of local, state and national elections. In this regard all the necessary steps to ensure the success of the process has been taken care of.

      The Nigerian Government is also working to strengthen the institutional structures for combating corruption, financial crimes, and other vices like human and drug trafficking. The reform of the financial sector to make it more accountable and transparent continues. This is to ensure that Nigeria enjoys political stability, social harmony and economic growth. To this end, Nigeria as the largest market in Africa, welcomes serious investors from Romania and elsewhere, as the investment climate continues to improve and gives very good returns, especially in power, oil and gas, mining, agriculture and finance sectors.  

President of Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr.Goodluck Ebele Jonathan                                                            

Nigeria emerged from colonialism in 1960 into a whole new world of independence and sovereignty, to take on the task of nation-building, and to play the international role that destiny had conferred on it. And although it has not been easy-going, the achievements so far outweigh whatever demerits against it. The country continues to tackle its myriad problems with sincerity of purpose and all the seriousness they deserved.

At the international scene, it had participated in numerous UN peacekeeping missions, as well as in similar regional endeavours like the ECOMOG that successfully brought peace to Liberia and Sierra Leone. In its capacity as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigeria is pleased to report that substantial progress has been made in bringing peace and stability to countries in the Community that were until recently embroiled in political crises. Nigeria has and will continue to be an active participant in the work of the United Nations, striving therein to promote national, regional and global objectives.

       Like other developing countries, Nigeria has had its own fair share of challenges like the problems of restive youth, which it must overcome. On the positive side, Nigeria has recorded remarkable progress in the provision of universal basic education and is also in the process of harmonizing baseline data that would assist in the proper monitoring and evaluation of all MDG projects.

      Nigeria greatly values its long and cordial bilateral relations with Romania and strives to find avenues for taking these relations to greater heights. Romanian scholarships given to Nigerian students over the years, including those on self sponsorship, have enabled them to make meaningful contributions to the various sectors of the Nigerian society like industry, academics, medicine and others. Conversely, Romanians are employed in the various sectors of Nigerian industry as skilled managers and engineers.

          Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria, long live Romania, and long live Nigeria Romania relations.

 

Mba Ama Mba

Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Romania.

       1^st October, 2010