Amb. Okoyen hosts visiting Nigerian Defence College delegation; Says tour deepened relations with Cuba  

The Ambassador of Nigeria to Cuba, Benaoyagha Okoyen, has commended the 31st Course participants of the Nigerian Defence College (NDC), Abuja, who recently ended a study tour of Cuba and expressed satisfaction with the quality of engagement displayed by the delegation during their visit to the Caribbean country.

Ambassador Okoyen, according to a statement by the Embassy of Nigeria, Havana, Cuba, gave the commendation during a dinner reception in honour of the delegation on Friday, April 28, 2023.

The reception, which held at the Ambassador’s residence in Havana, was attended by Embassy officials, Nigerian Medical Students in Cuba and other visiting Nigerian-American dignitaries, including Dr. Oluyemi Badero, a Cardiologist and Nephrologist and the President of the Nigerian American Business Forum (NABF), Dr Kenneth Shohola.

At the reception, which provided opportunity for the NDC delegation to interact with the Embassy officials, the Nigerian Medical Students in Cuba, as well as other guests in attendance, Ambassador Okoyen emphasized the importance of the tour and noted that it has deepened the relationship between Nigeria and Cuba, especially in the health, Defence and security sectors.

The Deputy Commandant of the NDC, Major General Lawrence Ayaegbunem Fejokwu, who visited Cuba mainly to supervise the course participants, expressed gratitude on behalf of the College and course participants to Ambassador Okoyen and his team for the reception and their warm hospitality.

He described the visit as being very successful and commended Ambassador Benaoyagha Okoyen for the excellent organization which made the tour flawless. He also commended the high quality of the maintenance culture on display at the residence of the Ambassador.

Earlier on arrival in Cuba, on April 24, 2023, the course participants, led by Brig General Oluwafemi Daniel Williams, had paid a courtesy visit on Ambassador Okoyen and unfolded the critical nature of the visit, their expectations and the programme of activities. They also received extensive briefing from Ambassador Okoyen on the relationship between Nigeria and Cuba.

The Team leader informed the Envoy that Cuba was chosen as one of the destinations for this year’s study tour due to its expertise and strength in the health care sector. Commodore Sunday Adoyi Yahaya, the team Coordinator, in his introduction, stated that the course participants were made up of senior military officers, including some foreign course participants from Liberia, Benin and Gambia as well as other government officials.

The 31st course participants of the NDC on the trip to Cuba engaged in various activities, including visits to military installations, academic presentations/discussion sessions with experts in the health sector, among others and departed for Zimbabwe on April 29, 2023, in continuation of the study tour.