Jamaica, Nigeria relationship flourishing

THE CLOUDS threatened to rain on the parade. Drops fell on to the lawns of the Nigerian High Commission along St Andrew’s Waterloo Road, and on to the head and shoulders of some patrons. Tents had been erected in the event that the weather got inclement. It did not, and the Nigeria Culture Day on Saturday, May 13 manifested without any major glitch.

It was indeed a display of Nigeria’s rich culture of food, fashion, music and dance, in observance of the anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relationships between that west African country and Jamaica, where many west Africans were taken to be enslaved on Spanish and British-owned plantations. The signing took place on April 29, 1953.

And 53 years later, Dr Maureen Tamuno, Nigerian high commissioner to Jamaica, said the relationship has been “flourishing at the bilateral and multilateral levels”. She was one of the speakers at the event organised by the Nigerian High Commission and the Association of Nigerians in Jamaica, led by its president, Theophilus Okorie Eze.

“At the bilateral level, our two countries were recently enhanced through the hosting of the Fourth Session of Nigeria-Jamaica Joint Commission in Nigeria in February 2022. That historic occasion led to the signing of memorandums of understanding and agreements in areas of mutual interest,” Dr Tamuno revealed.

In addition, as a follow-up to the proposal for the purchase of vehicles from Innoson Motors in Nigeria by the Jamaican Government, Nigeria Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama and the Jamaican high commissioner in Nigeria, Esmond Reid, visited Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing plant in Nnewi, Anambra State in February “and efforts are ongoing to bring into fruition the arrangement”.

She also said, “Concerted efforts are being deployed to the revitalisation of the Technical Manpower Assistance Agreement under the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme between Nigeria and Jamaica.

“As you may wish to recall, under the TAC programme, Nigeria had provided professionals such as doctors, nurses and teachers to Jamaica. Indeed, some of these volunteers later decided to take up permanent appointments in Jamaica with some of them rising to the position of professor in Jamaican universities today. Many of the nurses have also stayed back, and are today working in hospitals throughout the island.”

Other signs of the consolidation of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Jamaica was the representation of President Muhammadu Buhari by Onyeama at the celebrations of Jamaica’s 60th year of Independence; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith leading the Jamaican delegation to the fourth session of Nigeria-Jamaica Joint Commission; the visit of state minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Leslie Campbell’s visit to Nigeria as a special guest and speaker at the Global African Diaspora Symposium.

“It is pertinent to state that these high-level visits are important, and we need more of them by the leaders of both countries in order to further solidify and expand the existing relations between the two countries,” Dr Tamuno remarked.

And, according to Eze, the culture day is used “to strengthen the framework of unionism between the Association of Nigerians in Jamaica and Jamaica citizens. This association since inception has done tremendous work in fostering relationships among Nigerians and Jamaicans. It has also assisted and contributed to Jamaican communities in so many ways. The association has shown brotherly and sisterly love and care to the Jamaica community by visiting so many less-privileged homes, (and) governmental and non-governmental establishments alike,” he stated.

There were also medical outreach programmes, in association with major pharmaceutical distributors in Denham Town, at Hanover Street, and at the Central Masjid (Mosque) at 24 South Camp Road. “Therefore, the funds that the association may generate from this event will go into the association’s yearly community charity endeavours,” Eze shared.

In a “goodwill” message, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Ambassador Sheila Monteith, representing Johnson Smith, said the event is “a showcase of the Nigerian culture”. She talked about the historical connection between Nigeria and Jamaica, and some of the ways in which both countries are strengthening the ties that bind them to each other.

“This relationship has also been strengthened with the over 350 Jamaicans who now call Nigeria home … an integral part of the diaspora with whom the Government of Jamaica is working to engage in support of nation-building. Today’s event is a significant reminder of the close undeniable bond between Jamaica and Nigeria and the unquestionable reach of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, made manifest by your food and creative expressions, including dance, drama, visual arts, and literature,” Monteith told the gathering.

Other dignitaries in attendance were Minister of Culture, Entertainment, Gender and Sports Olivia Grange; Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Pearnel Charles, Jr; Speaker of the House of Representative Marisa Dalrymple Philibert; Panamanian Ambassador to Jamaica Dr Lasford Douglas; and India High Commissioner to Jamaica Rungsung Masakui.