Jonathan to Ring the Bell at New York Stock Exchange President Goodluck Jonathan, who flew into New York, United States today, will on Monday take his administration’s drive for greater foreign investment in Nigeria to the prestigious New York Stock Exchange, where he will ring the closing bell for the day’s business.The President is expected to perform this function before delivering Nigeria’s statement to the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which will be broadcast live by the Nigerian Television Authority on Tuesday. Jonathan is leading the Nigerian delegation that will participate in the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which is expected to focus on identifying parameters for the post-2015 global development agenda. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan is expected to meet with President Barack Obama of the United States in New York, before joining other world leaders for high-level discussions on ways and means of building on the progress made thus far towards achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs) that were agreed in 2000.The President and his delegation will participate in other high-level events focusing on women, youth and civil society, human rights and the rule of law, as well as the use of information communications technology for development. Nigeria will also contribute to the thematic debates on the role of partnerships, how stable and peaceful societies can contribute to development, and the role of potable water, sanitation and sustainable energy in the post-2015 global development agenda. Meanwhile, it has been estimated that there are over one million Nigerian-Americans living in the United States of America, with twice that number that have distinguished themselves in their various fields of learning. Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Ade Adefuye, disclosed this to THISDAY in an exclusive interview that will be published Sunday. According to Adefuye, America is home to over one million Nigeria-Americans, while twice that number lived and work in various parts of the country, contributing constructively to the socio-economic development of that nation.“We do take pride in the description of Nigerians as “the most literate set of immigrants in America. There is no single recognised profession in the US that Nigerians have not distinguished themselves. Nigerians are law abiding,” Adefuye said adding that the image of the ugly Nigerian has disappeared.” He noted that, “most Nigerians in the US are bold, brave, bright and beautiful.”THSDAY gathered that the Nigerian community in New York has lined up a number of receptions for President Jonathan who is accompanied by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, representatives of the governors’ forum, representatives of the National Assembly and several ministers. They are also expected to confer with the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon and hold bilateral talks with other heads of state and government.One of such receptions would be an award night where some distinguished Nigerians in the Diaspora would receive awards in various categories under the auspices of the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans (CANAN).According to Executive Secretary of the association, Mr. Laolu Akande, ten winners of CANAN’s award this year would be honoured at the Marriot Hotel, Laguardia New York, and the President is expected to be the special guest. The awardees include Judge Bunmi Awoniyi, the first Nigerian to become a Superior Court Judge in California and possibly the highest-ranking Nigerian-American holding the judgeship of a state high court anywhere in the United States. Also to be honoured during the ceremony includes Dr. Augustine Esogbue, the first African to become a member of NASA’s Safety Advisory Board. Based in Atlanta, Esogbue will be honoured alongside young Emmanuel Ohuabunwa, the Nigerian student who became the first black man to emerge as the best graduating student in John Hopkins with a 3.98 GPA. He is currently an MD candidate in Yale. Others are Ola Akinboboye, the New York based award-winning nuclear cardiologist who is also the leader of black cardiologists in the US and Professor Toyin Falola, by far among the most decorated Nigerian scholar in the US, who is a history teacher at the University of Texas, Houston and Chief Usua Amanam, the California-based Nigerian business owner who built the first private refinery in Nigeria as well as Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, the New York based Nigerian diplomat who served the United Nations in some of the toughest diplomatic spots in the world, including Darfur.The President and his delegation are expected to leave New York for Abuja on Wednesday.
Posted on: Sat, 21 Sep 2013 04:54:19 +0000
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