Ten Nigerian Technical Aids Volunteers Receive Meritorious Service Award in Sierra Leone

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Nigerian technical aid volunteers continue to make waves in Africa where there is high demand for their service as the government of Sierra Leone gave out meritorious service awards to the last set of Nigerian volunteers to the West African country.

Just recently, Liberian government wanted an extension to the two-year service of volunteers to the country.

The volunteers to Sierra Leone who returned to Nigeria on Tuesday were described by their host government as the best ever volunteers to have served in that West African country.

The 10 volunteers: Mr. Abdullahi Hashimu Ulaira, Mr. Umar Farouq Baba, Mr. Jakada Ayuba Bulus, Mr. Dachollom Emmanuel Chong, Mr. Izuka Iloabuchi Nnaemeka, Mr. Adamu Isyaka Omame, Ms. Bosindo Buluembelemere, Mrs. Uchendu Varsity David, Mr. Madalla Aliyu and Ms. Omorere Deborah Eunice, cut across various professions.

They were posted out under the Technical Aid Corps programme in December 2021 for a two-year non-renewable volunteer service.

Receiving the volunteers on Wednesday, the Director General of Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (DTAC), Hon. Buba Yusuf Yakub, described them as worthy ambassadors who made Nigeria proud by their deeds.

He said: “In Sierra Leone you were not there on your own capacity but you were there as Nigeria. Whatever you do in Sierra Leone, you were seen as Nigeria. So the people will judge Nigeria through what you have done.

“Thank God that you have been judged well to the extent of receiving an award as the best set of volunteers that have ever served in that country and I am proud to say that we are very proud of you and I am sure that President Bola Tinubu who has a “4 D” foreign policy instruments, which I am sure you have covered about two or three of it during your volunteering services will be very proud of you as worthy, patriotic Nigerians that have been sent on assignment and have come back with a trophy.

“So we are going to celebrate that. I assure you that what you have done will not go in vain. You will be surely rewarded. We are going to celebrate your achievements and you will be rewarded for that.”

Yakub who presented certificates to the volunteers, stressed that Nigeria will continue to deploy volunteers as part of the soft power diplomacy as it has brought about so many benefits to the country.”

One of the volunteers, Ms. Omorere, a nurse, who specialises in mental health and also nurse educator shared her experience, describing it as a pleasant one.

She said: “It’s been a very pleasant experience. We arrived there, and we were well received. We were given good reception and accommodated properly. And we the volunteers actually did our best. We gave our best to the country.

“We did a lot up to the extent they recommended and they even insisted we stay back.

“So I want to also use this opportunity to say thank you to the to Mr. President, to the Director General, Technical Aid Corp and to all the resource persons that assisted us during our stay in Sierra Leone, and returned to the country.”

Meanwhile, one of the Nigerian volunteer who chaired Sierra Leone’s COVID Programme, Dr. Ebenezer Adejayan died during the exercise.

The DTAC DG disclosed this during a reception for the ten returning volunteers from Sierra Leone following the completion of their assignment.

Yakub said the late Adejayan was so exceptional that the government of Sierra Leone had to engage him at the height of the COVID outbreak.

The late medical doctor, according to Yakub, became a household name in Sierra Leone.

The DG who observed a minute’s silence for the departed medical doctor, said, “He was one of our excellent volunteers, who served in Sierra Leone during the COVID. Because of his excellent performance, the government of Sierra Leone appointed him as the Chairman of the COVID programme. He did very well but unfortunately we lost him.”

The DG clarified that he did not die of COVID, explaining that: “He did not die as a result of COVID. He finished his assignment very well during the COVID period.”

He also added: “He was one of the best. He was an excellent ambassador that represented his country well, so may his soul rest in peace.”

The late Adejanya has since been buried in his home town in Ondo State.