By Giwa SHILE
The Director, Nigerian Foreign Service Academy, Dr Cyprian Heen, said the academy’s commitment to producing Foreign Service officers with a mandate to always put Nigeria first.
Heen said in Lagos on Tuesday that the officers from their induction ceremonies had been taught to be selfless in the discharge of their assignments.
According to him, the orientation is to enhance Nigerian foreign policies and represent Nigerians adequately wherever they found themselves.
“We have constantly reminded our foreign student officers and foreign service officers that wherever they find themselves tomorrow, they are and should be true representatives of Nigeria.
“As Nigerian diplomats, officials or representatives, they must present themselves and reflect the entire Nigeria and themselves.
“And this has always been the standard. I am proud to say that this is one reason why Nigerian foreign ervice officers are always doing well wherever they are posted.
“We have continued to prepare our foreign service officers to be able to compete favourably with their colleagues anywhere with pride and commitment,’’ Heen said.
Heen added that with such background and orientation on the need to “put Nigeria first”, the officers were being prepared to assume ambassadorial positions for Nigeria in the future.
He explained that officers, Masters and first degree holders from different universities, who are the best, were usually admitted on merit.
The director, who said the academy did not admit students in 2017 session, disclosed that there were currently 111 new trainees in the institution. “We currently have about 111 trainees, otherwise called student officers, selected from d different states of the Federation.
“Let me proudly announce that officers recruited into the Foreign Service are always those that you can count as being among the best in Nigeria,’’ he said.
