From Uche Usim, Abuja
The Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland, Mrs Ijeoma Obiezu and the Irish government have applauded Nigerian software developers and first class graduates of various Irish universities for their unrivaled technology skill set and resounding academic performance, especially those that bagged first class honours in their various fields of study.
Among them were five young Nigerians who developed an App (QRX) used for medical prescription management, who were also honoured by the Irish government. Also extolled was another Nigerian, Oyinloye Abidemi, who emerged the overall best graduating student of an Irish University, Griffith College Ireland, with a Graduating Point Average (GPA) of over 80%.
While the Irish government celebrated the feats in the local media, the ambassador, Mrs Obiezu recently hosted the young achievers in Dublin and used the occasion to charge them to remain good ambassadors of the country, especially as the nation grapples with various developmental challenges.
Obiezu assured them of the embassy’s support as her doors remain open to assist those ready to work hard to hoist the nation’s success flag on a foreign soil.
She said: “I want to personally appreciate these worthy Nigerian ambassadors in Ireland who have worked so hard to distinguish themselves in their various fields of endeavour. I call them ambassadors because they are a positive representation of Nigeria and I want to encourage them not to rest on their oars. One of them is the best student in his University, Griffith College Ireland,
by name Oyinloye Abidemi. He bagged MSc. Procurement and Supply Chain Management with a GPA that is above 80 per cent.
“We also have those that developed an App for medical prescription management. These are great Nigerians that we need to celebrate. That is why I’m calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to join me in congratulating these great ambassadors of Nigeria. This sort of engagement will be a regular one to encourage Nigerians to always excel. We put this meeting on zoom to have more people connected to it and I can tell you they were all happy”, the ambassador stated.
On her plans and programmes to cement the Nigerian-Irish bilateral relations, Mrs Obiezu noted that a strategic blueprint has been articulated in that regard, adding that both nations have so many things to benefit from each other if the diplomatic ties were oiled.
“I have been here for about seven months. I have settled in and I’m up and running. My assignment is enormous but we have designed a success plan to realise set goals. We want to deepen the Nigeria-Ireland relationship on many fronts. Next year, I’m planning a trade and investment summit here in Ireland that will attract the federal government, ministers, state governments, private sector players and other members of the business ecosystem. We intend to have many MoUs signed like in aviation where there is a pending BASA deal. If that is achieved, we will have direct flights between Nigeria and Ireland. We are also looking into agriculture, education, inter-parliamentary relationship, among others.
“We will be working with ministers, senators, state governments, private sector players etc”, she explained.
Also speaking at the event, the best graduating student of Griffith College Ireland, Oyinloye Abidemi, said it was electrifying and fulfilling to receive an academic excellence award from the Nigerian ambassador.
“It was a dream come true for me. I had been hoping that someone would recognize my exceptional efforts one day. When I was published on the Irish National Newspaper as the best graduating student, I thought that was enough; not until the Ambassador of Nigeria to Ireland and Iceland, Her Excellency, Mrs Ijeoma Chinonyerem Obiezu invited me and other Nigerian students who graduated with first class honours from Irish Universities for recognitions for our academic excellence.
“I and other students really felt proud of this good gesture by the ambassador. To the best of my knowledge, no ambassador has ever done this in Ireland, and I believe that this would be a precedent that is worthy of emulation by her successors. “She promised that this would be a continuous exercise on a yearly basis which indeed is good news for current Nigerian students in Ireland and prospective Nigerians who are planning to study abroad, precisely in Ireland”, he said.