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Event celebrates contribution of Nigerian community to UK
Monday, 08 February 2010 14:01 | 
Miliband: “We have many reasons to be grateful for the contribution of Nigerian Community in Britain”
A special event was recently held in London to celebrate the strong ties between Britain and Nigeria, and the significant contribution of Nigerian community to UK society.
The celebration which was held on 20th January, was a collaboration between the FCO, the Nigerian High Commission in London and two major Diaspora organisations, CANUK and NIDOE. The occasion was all the more significant as it falls in 2010, Nigeria’s golden jubilee year.
Foreign Office Minister for Africa, Baroness Glenys Kinnock and Nigerian Foreign Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe were joined by more than 100 members of the UK based Nigerian Diaspora at a central London location.
Highlights of the evening included a video welcome message from Foreign Secretary David Miliband and the unveiling of a film, made by the FCO, exploring the work of three prominent members of the Nigerian community in the UK.
In the introduction to the film, Foreign Secretary Miliband praises Nigerians for having “shown enterprise, great determination and often inspiration from the worlds of business to the worlds of sports.”
He affirms that “the links between Britain and Nigeria are very strong in deed.”
Mr. Miliband says: “There are links through people, not least through the Nigerian Community in Britain which makes such an important contribution to our communities. Those links are economic links, because we know the value of trade and economic development between Britain and Nigeria. And of course those links are political as well.”
Mr. Miliband says that they have had successive meetings with Chief Maduekwe to talk about the common challenges the two countries face, about Nigeria’s place in Africa’s development, and about how the two countries can work together.
“I know that the Nigerian Community in Britain in all of its diversity, has a lot to contribute to the future of our country, but I also know that you keep a very close eye and very close links with developments in Nigeria. We are all concerned to see the economic, social, security and political development in Nigeria, in a more stable path. We are all committed to playing our part in making that happen. I know that we have many reasons to be grateful for the contribution of Nigerian Community in Britain,” he says.
Invitees also had the opportunity to ask questions to Baroness Kinnock and Foreign Minister Maduekwe.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bob Dewar was also in attendance, as well as his counterpart, Dr Tafida, Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK.
Before the event Mr. Dewar said: “There’s no difference between domestic and foreign policy in this globalised age. That’s shown especially clearly with the Nigerian Diaspora who are part of the fabric of British society but are also hugely important in bringing positive change home to Nigeria.”