A team from U.S Consulate General paid a visit to Lead City University, Ibadan, on Tuesday 15th February 2022. The Team was led by an experienced American Diplomat Deputy Head Public Affairs Office .
Mrs Jennifer Foltz had an interactive session with the students in the department of Politics and International Relations. She speaks on President Biden's foreign policies, aids,visa,grants and educational opportunities available to students .
The team was received by the management of the University. The VC,Prof Remi Adeyemo specially welcomed them to Lead City University the first private university in Ibadan land.
She was impressed and excited with the serene environment and the infrastructural development in the University.
This was the welcome address of the Vice Chancellor of Lead City University
A Welcome Address by the Vice – Chancellor Prof. Kabiru Aderemi Adeyemo at a Special Interactive Session with the United States Consulate General , Lead City University, Ibadan on Tuesday 15th February, 2022.
Registrar
Other Principal Officers of the University
Jennifer Foltz, (America Diplomat, Deputy Head, Public Affairs Unit of the United States Consulate General)
Mr. Clemson Ayegbusi
Other Members of the US Consulate
Dean of Faculties,
Prof, Amodu (HOD Politics and International Relations
Invited Guests from other Institutions
Our Esteemed Students
Gentlemen of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is great pleasure to welcome you to the beautiful campus of our great institution, Lead City University Ibadan. The Department of Politics and International Relations has organized this special interactive session. The department is blessed with distinguished scholars, rich faculty members and Diplomats like Prof, Alaba Ogunsanwo, who has been ambassador to 3 countries and Prof. Tunji Kolapo, a former ambassador to Ghana and a renowned Professor of International Relations and Diplomacy, Prof. Jide Owoeye.
Today's special Interactive session is historic and important in many ways. This is great opportunity for our undergraduate students to meet, interact and engage an experienced American diplomat on U.S government public diplomacy policies and programs, U.S. institutions, foreign policy objectives, education, culture, values, aids visas and so on. I welcome Jennifer Foltz, America Diplomat, Deputy Head, Public Affairs Unit of the United States Consulate General and her team to our campus. She will be discussing with us today on Foreign Policies, Aids, Visa and advocacy, among others. I listened to you this morning at Fresh Fm and I appreciate your pragmatic efforts in discussing some burning issues in Nigeria.
Without preempt the speaker, The United States established diplomatic relations with Nigeria in 1960, following Nigeria’s independence from the United Kingdom. From 1966-1999 Nigeria experienced a series of military coups, excluding the short-lived second republic between 1979-1983. The 30-month long civil war, which ended in January 1970, resulted in 1-3 million casualties. Following the 1999 inauguration of a civilian president, the U.S.-Nigerian relationship began to improve, which foster cooperation on foreign policy and regional peacekeeping.
A country’s foreign policy includes all of the policies it develops to pursue its national interests as it interacts with other countries. A country’s foreign policy consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its own goals through relations with other countries. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries.
In recent times, due to the deepening level of globalization and transnational activities, states also have to interact with non-state actors. The aforementioned interaction is evaluated and monitored in an attempt to maximize benefits of multilateral international cooperation. Since the national interests are paramount, foreign policies are designed by the government through high-level decision making processes. National interest accomplishments can occur as a result of peaceful cooperation with other nations or through exploitation.
The U.S. foreign policy is far-reaching because the United States is the global superpower and world leader. It operates in a world beset by famine, poverty, disease, and catastrophes both natural (tsunamis, earthquakes) and man-made (climate change, pollution of the seas and skies, and release of radioactive materials from nuclear plants). Parts of the world are plagued by genocide, regional and ethnic strife, and refugees. Terrorism, conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the nuclear weapons programs of Iran and North Korea, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and instability and challenges to autocratic rulers in the Middle East are only the most obvious of the foreign policy issues that affect the United States. Others issues include economic upheavals, AIDS in Africa.
In Nigeria, the United States seeks to help improve the economic stability, security, and well-being of Nigerians by strengthening democratic institutions, improving transparency and accountability, and professionalizing security forces. U.S. assistance also aims to reinforce local and national systems; build institutional capacity in the provision of health and education services; and support improvements in agricultural productivity, job expansion in the rural sector, and increased supplies of clean energy. A partnership among the U.S., the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and international organizations to focus on improved governance, non-oil economic growth, and human development ensures closer coordination of donor activities, more effective support, and greater impact for ordinary citizens.
I would like to thank our distinguished guests for this visit to Lead City University, Ibadan in spite of their tight schedule of responsibilities. Permit me also to appreciate the Prof. Alaba Ogunsanwo for facilitating this important visit, and the HOD of Politics and International Relation. With all humility and responsibility, I request our guests to please spare time to look through our facilities and infrastructure; our guests will be impressed and appreciate the serene environment of the University which makes the University environment conducive for effective learning. I once again welcome you to this event and wish you a most enriching experience.
On behalf of the Governing Council, The Senate, members of staff and students of Lead City University Ibadan, I welcome you all.
Thank you
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