Govs Seek Stronger Ties with Canada, China, S’Africa

By Chuks Okocha

The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has visited the residence of the Canadian Ambassador to Nigeria, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa, where he canvassed stronger ties between the states and the three countries.

He also called on Nigerians to rise to the defence of democracy with a view to advancing the development of the country.

A statement by the NGF’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Abdulrazaque Barkindo, said Fayemi made the call yesterday in Abuja when he paid a courtesy call on the Canadian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Nicolas Simard, at his residence.

The visit was part of Fayemi’s shuttle diplomacy to representatives of the diplomatic corps in Nigeria towards engendering inter-governmental synergy between global governments at the sub-national level.

At all the three meetings, Fayemi discussed issues of bilateral importance between the countries and their governments at the sub-national level, including citizens engagements, the economic progress of the federating states, youth mobilisation and organisation and women’s empowerment.

Other issues discussed included revenue generation, the economy, education, infrastructure development, among many others.

Fayemi and Simard agreed that organisations like the NGF are the best platforms for healthy debates with the central governments on issues like restructuring, citizens’ engagement and internal and external security.

Fayemi stated that to advance development, it is always in order to engage countries of interest and their diplomatic representatives to share their understanding of events in their host countries and learn from the experiences of their past.

He told Simard that Nigeria has made “remarkable strides in gender equality with the Nigerian governors’ wives in the forefront and their husbands, the governors, as cheer-leaders.”

According to him, 27 states, including those that were hitherto considered conservative, have signed the VAP Act, as evidence of their commitment to mitigating violence against women.

Simard also told Fayemi that he has only been in Nigeria for six months, adding that there are 12,000 Nigerians in Canada.

According to him, 5,000 of them are students, stressing that there is a $12 million trade relations between the two countries.

Simard stated that there are similarities between Canada and Nigeria.

He said Canada had also experienced calls for secession that Nigeria is currently experiencing, and expressed willingness to help Nigeria in understanding how to find solutions to them.

At the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, where he spoke with the Ambassador, Mr. Cui Jian Chun, the Fayemi flayed the death-trap diplomacy that has been wrapped around the conversation in most African countries, when it comes to their relationship with China.

He assured the ambassador of the cooperation of states with the Asian nation.

Fayemi also praised the vaccine diplomacy of the Chinese while welcoming any support that will help Nigeria to develop its own vaccines to help raise the ratio of vaccinated people for Nigeria to achieve herd immunity.

At the South African Embassy, the conversation revolved around the #ENDSARS movement and the help that the South African people can render to Nigerian youths to be able to articulate their grievances in a non-violent manner towards achieving results.

Both leaders advised Nigerian youths to “organise and not agonise”.

The Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Nigeria, Thamsanqa Dennis Mseleku, discussed three key issues including xenophobia, trade and youth dialogue with Fayemi.