The Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) on Monday charged newly deployed volunteers to Rwanda to be worthy ambassadors of Nigeria and promote the country’s image through professional service.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency organised an orientation and homecoming programme at its headquarters in Abuja for incoming and returning volunteers.
The programme was organised by the Director-General of NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, represented by Mr Falusi Oladapo, Assistant Director I, Programmes, of the agency.
The dual programme was organised for 11 volunteers billed for deployment to Rwanda and 10 returning volunteers who had completed their assignments in the country.
Yakub expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, for their continued support.
He described NTAC as a strategic institution under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that had, in over three decades, contributed significantly to addressing manpower needs across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).
Yakub commended the returning volunteers for representing Nigeria creditably and without blemish, saying the agency was proud of their service and contributions during their assignments.
Welcoming the new volunteers, he said their selection was a privilege, as they emerged from thousands of applicants following rigorous examinations and interviews conducted by the agency.
“Out of millions of Nigerians, you were chosen. The jacket you wear is not an ordinary uniform. It is a uniform that represents a great country, Nigeria,” he said.
He charged the volunteers to serve with passion, dignity and professionalism, noting that their assignment would enable them to serve not only Nigeria but humanity.
Yakub urged them to leave their weaknesses behind and demonstrate their strengths at their respective places of assignment, while upholding the values expected of Nigerian representatives.
“You are expected to be great ambassadors of this country. You will be monitored, and we want to receive reports of excellence,” he added.
He advised the volunteers to observe proper communication channels and avoid conduct capable of bringing Nigeria’s image into disrepute, assuring them that their welfare had been prioritised.
The director-general wished the newly deployed volunteers a safe journey and a successful two-year service in Rwanda, expressing confidence in their ability to deliver effectively.
Speaking in separate interviews with NAN, returning and outgoing volunteers shared their experiences and commitments as participants in the Technical Aid Corps programme in Rwanda.
A returning volunteer, Dr Hafsat Modibbo, who served at the University of Central Africa Adventist in Rwanda, described her two-year assignment as wonderful, although initially challenging.
“It was a challenge from the beginning but we quickly adjusted and we believe we have delivered successfully,” she said.
Modibbo, founder of the Amir Kalajima Foundation and a peace ambassador, said her biggest takeaway from Rwanda was the lesson of peace and resilience following the 1994 genocide.
“As a mother, as a sister and a daughter, nobody would want to experience such. We visited the memorial sites. The concept I brought back is ‘Never Again’.
As politics is coming in Nigeria, let’s play it gently. We want to live in peace,” she said.
She said that in spite of their differences, Nigeria and Rwanda shared similarities in food and lifestyle, adding that the volunteers had imparted knowledge to students she described as “our children.”
Dr Thompson Friday, an associate professor and returning volunteer, described his stay in Rwanda as fantastic and academically rewarding, highlighting his research achievements during the assignment.
“During my stay in Rwanda, I was able to publish 60 papers in Q1 and Q2 journals. I don’t think anybody would have been able to achieve that in 30 years.
“Members of my team were also part of a research team that won a grant from the Red Cross Society,” he said.
He said the project was partially completed, adding that the host institution had promised to keep the research team engaged even after the expiration of their contract.
The volunteers collectively agreed that the NTAC scheme had continued to project Nigeria positively while strengthening South-South cooperation and fostering professional exchanges between participating countries.
For the new batch, Dr Olani Oladipo of the Federal University, Wukari, commended President Tinubu for sustaining the bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Rwanda.
“We are going there to work, promote peace and harmony, and bring our research expertise to add value. We will build on the reputation established by our predecessors,” he said.
Prof. Abubakar Kazu, a professor of accounting at the University of Ilorin, also pledged that the team would uphold Nigeria’s reputation throughout their assignments.
“We are happy to have been selected. We are committing ourselves not to bring the country to shame.
“By the time we return in two years, we hope you will have good things to say about us,” he said.
Dr Aisha Tunguzi-Eze of the Enugu State College of Education Technical thanked NTAC for finding the volunteers worthy of representing Nigeria, pledging to promote peace and discharge their duties efficiently.
“We are going to be good ambassadors. We will protect the interests of Nigerians and fill the gap in the educational sector,” she said.
She expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its support, noting that their payments had never been delayed and necessary assistance had been provided throughout their assignments.
“We appreciate the Federal Government for its support, there was never a time our payments were delayed or necessary support was not provided.
“We hope you will convey our appreciation to Mr. President and all those making this programme successful.
“It was possible for Rwanda to retain us because we did well, and that was because of the support you gave us,” she said.(NAN)
