Salute Nigeria Initiative, under the leadership of Ambassador Chielo Ojirika and Sir Mike Okiro
Have concluded plans to put Nigeria on the world map with a forthcoming expo tagged Nigerian-Global Investment and Cultural Exhibitions, NGICE, in Berlin, Germany.
The leadership of the expo expressed that the current reforms programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is all that Nigeria needs to take her rightful position as the giant of Africa. Ojirika, the founder, also stressed that the reforms by Tinubu’s administration should be embraced by all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliation and help to propagate them.
With the theme, ‘Unlocking Nigeria’s Investment Potentials for Industrial Revolution,’ and a sub theme, ‘Cultural Exports: Key Opportunities for Foreign Direct Investment,’ Orijika said the planning for the expo started in 2023 after German ex-Chancellor, Olaf Scholz’s two-day working visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
“It was as a result of the German Chancellors’ visit and our belief in President Tinubu’s reforms that we got the idea of NGICE as our own contribution towards making Nigeria great again,” Ojirika said.
He further stated that the idea of taking the expo abroad is to show Europeans the good things Nigeria has in abundance. “We needed to prove that Nigeria is not about kidnapping, drug, or yahoo fraud. We needed to show the world that a lot of good things are available here in Nigeria. It is like the saying, ‘if Mohammed cannot go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Mohammed’.
“That is exactly what we want to do with NGICE. To show Europeans and the world that we have potential in the mining sector where our Minister, Dr. Dele Alake, is doing great. That our potential in the blue economy is second to none. That our musicians, actors, footballers, authors are world beaters any day. These are what we want to showcase to the world in Germany during the month-long event,” Ojirika further said.
Ojirika, who is known in the music world as Chiboy, the Black Courage, and shuttles between Germany and Nigeria, said that he has lived long enough in Europe to discover that there is nothing so special about the western world that made them industrialised countries except that they have good leaders and law abiding followers that pay their taxes and obey the law.
“Leaders like Tinubu that can see tomorrow today, thinking and acting leaders that make difficult decisions is just the difference. We have hardworking and technically gifted people in this country that can change our fortune. We have them in all parts of this country and thank God the present government is discovering them,” he said further.
On the choice of Germany as the host country, Orjirika said,” First of all, remember the importance of Nigerian-German economic and bilateral relationship, And again recall that I lived for so many years in that country and have seen what made them great after the world war. It is an orderly country, well industrialised with lots of investors that will readily cash in on the opportunities to invest here, which we will showcase during the expo. I have no fear about that.”
Orjirika and Sir Mike Okiro have visited the Secretary to Federal Government (SGF), George Akume, who had thrown his weight behind the project and provided the team with administrative support that has made it possible for them to reach serving ministers.
Other ministers the NGICE team has met in the course of their visitation includes the former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tugger, met former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Dora Uzoka Anete, Barr, Hanattu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Ambassador Annette Gunter, German Ambassador to Nigeria, current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, former Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Art Culture Tourism and Creative Economy, Dr Mukhtar Yawale Muhammed, now Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Jubrin Baba Ndace, Chairman National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko and most recently, Dr Warrens Bekearedebo Augusta, Permanent Secretary Political and Economic Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation OSGF, and the Executive Governor of Bornu State, HE Governor Babagana Zulum.
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