Nigeria’s envoy in Japan congratulates Buhari, others on their country’s independence day

The Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Ambassador Abubakar Moriki Husaini, congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians in Japan on the occasion of Nigeria’s independence.

According to a statement provided  by the Embassy of Nigeria in Tokyo, Japan, the occasion marks the 61st anniversary of Nigeria-Japan diplomatic relations.

“On the occasion of Nigeria’s 61st Independence Anniversary, I would like to congratulate His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, the Government and People of Nigeria, and Nigerians in Japan.”

“I arrived in Tokyo with my family on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, as Nigeria’s new Ambassador to Japan.” Today, October 1, 2021, is Nigeria’s National Day, commemorating the day the country gained independence from its colonial masters. It’s worth noting that today is also the 61st anniversary of Nigeria-Japan diplomatic relations.

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The day is also significant for me because it marks 100 (one hundred) days of my stewardship as the new Head of Mission in the Embassy in Japan. These one hundred days have been eventful for me, despite the constraints imposed by the commendable efforts of Host authorities to combat the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.”

“I presented the Copie d’Usage of my Letter of Credence to the ViceMinister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, July 12th, 2021,” he said. The subsequent presentation of my Letter of Credence to His Majesty Naruhito Emperor of Japan at the Imperial Palace on Friday, August 27th, 2021 marked the official start of my representational duties in Japan.

During my tenure, I assured His Majesty Naruhito of my determination to strengthen and deepen the existing cordial relations between our two countries. I specifically assured him that I would work to strengthen friendly relations between our two countries in areas such as trade, economics, investments, culture, security, and so on.”

He went on, It is also worth noting that in the last hundred days, I have met with the leaders of the Nigerian Union in Japan (NUJ), the Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (NCCIJ), and the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO). In addition to the briefings I received from officers at the Embassy when I arrived, and my interactions with these organizations, I am pleased to note that the majority of Nigerians residing in Japan are positively projecting the image of Nigeria in the Host country. This has strengthened my resolve to take an active interest in the well-being of Nigerians in Japan. Interestingly, one hundred and forty (140) passports were issued during this time period, and I received no negative feedback from Nigerians who visited the Embassy for passports and consular services.

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“The positive image of Nigeria in Japan was further consolidated by Team Nigeria’s brilliant performance at the recently concluded Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which took place from the middle of July to early September, 2021.” The team was led by the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Honourable Sunday Dare, as well as Mr. Nebolisa Anako, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Engr. Habu Gumel, President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC). I met with each of the athletes during their camp in Kisarazu City to greet/welcome them, attend to their well-being, address their challenges, and encourage them to perform admirably at the games.

Finally, they made us proud. Athletics, Rowing, Swimming, Basketball (Male & Female), Table Tennis (Male & Female), Taekwondo, Badminton, Wrestling, Canoeing, and Powerlifting were among the ten Olympic sports in which Nigeria competed. We took home two medals from the Games, one silver and one bronze. Following this, the Embassy hosted a reception for the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, Ministry officials, NOC officials, athletes, and Olympian medalists. Following that, Nigeria sent twenty-two Paralympians to the Paralympic Games, competing in four sports: Para Table Tennis, Para Powerlifting, Para Athletics, and Para Rowing. Nigeria finished with ten medals, including four gold, one silver, and five bronze.

Regardless of the above-mentioned good news, there is no denying that I took office at a critical juncture in which the coronavirus pandemic had hampered socioeconomic activities and hampered the smooth operation of official engagements. The Embassy has taken a number of steps to ensure compliance with the Covid-19 protocols established by the host government.

” I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Japan for facilitating the vaccination of Embassy officers and staff, as well as for their perseverance in the fight against the dreaded virus.”

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One important conclusion I have reached based on my interactions with government officials in Tokyo during this period of my stewardship is that Japan is keenly interested in strengthening bilateral relations with Nigeria by paying more attention to issues that affect our two countries with greater vigour and enthusiasm. I am pleased to report that this period has ushered in a new era in Nigeria-Japan relations.

The Embassy is also firmly committed to this. In this regard, it is my pleasure to report that Nigeria backed Japan’s candidate, Mr. Metoki Masahiko, who was elected as Director-General of the International Postal Union (IPU) on August 25, 2021, following a successful election process.

We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to improving existing bilateral relations in all aspects and in the spirit of reciprocity.

Our visa application policy is liberal enough to attract the business community from Japan to Nigeria. The number of visa applications processed by the Embassy has increased in the last hundred days. During that time, 61 biometric visas were issued. This demonstrates the Japanese business community’s renewed interest in engaging in trade and investment in Nigeria, despite the pandemic.

To express my commitment to strengthening diplomatic, economic, and trade relations with Japan, I met with top government officials and very senior officials from some of the country’s most important organizations. During the meetings, strategic decisions were made. The officials I met with included the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; the Director General of African Affairs in the Host Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Chief Executive Officer of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO); and many more are on the way, including Toyota Tsusho and Honda’s Chairman.

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“In addition, I attended the NEC Corporation Seminar and met with the Chief Executive Officer of NS JEMICON Company Limited, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and top executives from ITOCHU Corporation and Albanex Company Limited.” This month, I plan to pay a visit to the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). On behalf of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Power and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, the Embassy participated in the opening of two bids in JICA (NCDC). Indeed, I believe that we will begin to see the fruitful results of our engagements with all of these and other Japanese organizations in due course.”

“It is also worth noting that within the last hundred days, I have paid homage to the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and the Ambassador of San Marino in Japan; the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and the Ambassador of Eritrea in Japan; the Dean of the ECOWAS Group and the Ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire; and the nine Ambassadors from ECOWAS countries accredited to Japan, in order to register my presence in Japan and seek their cooperation during my tenure.” I had appeared in some Japanese and Nigerian media outlets.

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), other electronic and print media in Nigeria, as well as the NIKKEI incorporated Newspaper and “The Japan Times,” are among them. “My response to the various media interviews I granted them explains the clear path I intend to tread to take Nigeria-Japan relations to a new level during my tenure,” he said.

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“In conclusion, I would like to take advantage of our country’s 61st Independence Anniversary to reassure Nigerians living in Japan that the Embassy will continue to prioritize issues concerning their welfare.” I would rely on their support to achieve the goals I have set for myself as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Japan at this time. I also thank the Government and People of Japan, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and all those who sent messages of goodwill to our Embassy on the occasion of Nigeria’s 61st Independence Anniversary.”