Ololade Adeyanju/
“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, says the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr Femi Adesina.
According to Adesina, Buhari said that he was quite pleased with the intellectual and professional achievements of the Netherlands-based Nigerians. 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.”
President Buhari began the three-day visit to The Netherlands on Sunday.
While there, he will participate in activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague.
He has held talks with the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte and CEOs of Dutch companies in Nigeria today.
Here are some photographs of the President’s activities in The Hague, since his arrival. Photos: State House.
