Nigerians in Uganda told to respect Ugandan laws

By Henry Sekanjako

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Uganda Cornelius Oluwateru has asked the Nigerian community living in Uganda to respect the country’s lawful orders in order to avoid tarnishing Nigeria’s name by involving themselves in illegal activities.

In his speech during the posting of over 70 Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Nigerian educationist volunteers to Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU), the envoy said all Nigerians in Uganda were ambassadors of Nigeria and so needed to keep up the West African country’s status and mission.

“You must abide and respect the laws of your host country. You must therefore desist from actions and activities that will tarnish the image of your country,” stated Oluwateru in a speech read on his behalf by Walter Ajogbo, the acting ambassador.

In 2012, Police in Jinja arrested three men said to be Nigerian nationals for allegedly defrauding a cashier working with Kakira Sugar Limited of sh35m.

Oluwateru commended Uganda for what he termed as excellent bilateral relations between Nigeria and Uganda which dates back to 1962 and has  continued to blossom over the years.

He noted that both Uganda and Nigeria held similar views on major political, economic and social issues of international concern.

The two countries, located on either end of the continent, have in the past signed a number of bilateral technical, scientific, cultural, educational, air services and investment promotion agreements.

“These cordial relations have been reciprocated by high profile visits between the top political, economic and religious leadership of both countries,” said the ambassador, adding that “they have also seen movements of our peoples to and fro our two countries for trade, investment and religious purposes”.

Meanwhile, the vice rector of Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) Prof. Abdul Mpata received volunteer lecturers from Nigeria at the residence of the Nigeria’s Ambassador in Nakasero.

Prof. Mpata pointed out that the university had set up a faculty of science as one of the measures to contribute to the country’s health care by producing quality health practitioners.

“The medical school to be named Habib Medical School will be set up at the university’s Kampala campus and it will be hosted by Kibuli hospital with a capacity of 200 beds,” he said.

The vice rector commended Nigeria for the volunteers who he said were creative and competent.

The leader of the Nigerian volunteers to Uganda, Oluwasegu Ibidapo, said his team comprised of the best experts in various fields with some being lawyers, medical practitioners, clinical psychologists, teachers in specific fields with the least of them having a Master’s degree.

The volunteers will be based at IUIU for the next two years.

The Nigerian government established the TAC scheme to streamline Nigeria’s technical aid policy and assist states in Africa to benefit from Nigeria’s experts in various fields of human endeavor.