A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s “subtle diplomacy” as Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala assumes the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva on Monday.
Olaosebikan, in a statement, said that Okonjo-Iweala’s emergence as WTO boss was a further confirmation of the success of the present administration’s international relations policy and the propriety President Buhari enjoys across the world.
“The president is methodically pursuing a subtle strategy and state policy aimed at getting Nigerians to be major players in global affairs and it is yielding excellent fruits.
“It is a moment to be proud of being a Nigerian. It is also a time for all of us to be more dedicated, committed to the cause of our motherland and contribute our best in whatever we are doing and wherever we find ourselves.
“As the largest black nation in the world with over 200 million people, we can effectively provide profound leadership in all spheres of life, across the globe and this is what the black world is expecting from us, Nigerians,“ he said.
Olaosebikan, a former Northern Regional Editor of Vanguard newspaper and former Chief Press Secretary to late Oyo governor, Lam Adesina, urged the president to continue giving his total support to Nigerians seeking global and continental positions and recognitions.
“This will enable our country to persist in enjoying bumper prestige worldwide,” he said.
According to him, Okonjo-Iweala assumed office with the best of credentials, preparedness, support and confidence as the 7th President of the 164 nation organization when the world was looking for a leader with ability to exercise intellectual leadership and diplomatic skills in advancing the multilateral agenda.
He said Nigeria is the first country in the universe to lead the world of trade globally and continentally, concurrently, as the WTO amazon joins Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of African Development Bank (AfDB) and Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of African Import-Export Bank (Afreximbank).
He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari personally nominated Okonjo-Iweala for the WTO job and both Adesina and Oramah also got tremendous support from the president’s decisive actions at various times.
“It is a moment to be proud of being a Nigerian. It is also a time for all of us to be more dedicated, committed to the cause of our motherland and contribute our best in whatever we are doing and wherever we find ourselves,”
said Olaosebikan, Chief Executive of Midas Communications, a global public relations firm.(NAN)
