Buhari praises US diasporans for producing leading members of Biden's government

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has commended Nigerians living in the US for the exemplary roles they are playing in their different areas of endeavour which has led to them receiving cabinet appointments.

Speaking to a small group of Nigerians in New York who visited him over the weekend while in the US for the United Nations General Assembly summit, President Buhari said that they have made the country proud. At the moment, there are three very high ranking Nigerians in the US government with Adewale Adeyemo serving as the deputy treasury secretary. Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo serving as an associate White House counsel and Osaremen Okolo being a member of the presidential Covid-19 response team.

President Buhari said: "It is gratifying for me to note that many Nigerians in the US have continued to excel in their careers leading to some being appointed into the cabinet of His Excellency President Joe Biden. Similarly, many have been elected/appointed into various responsible and competitive positions in the United States of America.

"I congratulate those who have brought honours and pride to our country. I thank and commend them for their respective successes as I equally urge them to demonstrate the highest sense of responsibilities in order that they continue to remain reference points of excellence as they serve human kind in this country.

“As always, I wish to emphasise the absolute necessity for each and every one of you to continue to remain law-abiding as you live in the United States of America and comport yourselves in such exemplary manners that should earn you the privilege of reference as good ambassadors of Nigeria. In order to earn yourselves collective self-respect within the communities you live in, you must live with one another peacefully and continue to do so without sub-divisions amongst yourselves. As you may know, as a people, we shall always be stronger together.”

He added that his administration created the Nigeria Diaspora Commission to serve as a bridge between them and the country. President Buhari said that the government will continue to act in their interests whenever the need arises, citing recent evacuations in Libya, South Africa and recently in Ukraine.

In addition, President Buhari commended diasporans for their remittances which stood at $20bn in 202, which is four times Nigeria's foreign direct investment over the same period. President Buhari then reiterated his administration’s commitment to free, fair and transparent elections in 2023 as this is the only way Nigeria can continue to set the right example for the rest of Africa.