- The Ambassador of UAE said he already sees himself as a Nigerian
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate resolution of issues affecting relations with the Emirates Airline, and the issuance of visas to Nigerians should be resolved.
In a statement by Aguri Ngelale, Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Tinubu made this known when the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirate, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, visited Villa on Thursday.
Tinubu assured that he stands prepared to “personally” intervene on the matter.
“We are a family in UAE; we only live in separate rooms but in the same house. We should look at the issues as family problems and resolve them amicably. As you know, in every family, there are peculiarities. You can have an erring son or daughter, but we must work together. We need to agree on core aviation and immigration issues,” he stated.
On his part, the Ambassador of UAE said he already sees himself as a “Nigerian” considering the historical antecedents of the country, its long-standing leadership role in Africa, and its reputation for hospitality to strangers.
“Since I arrived in the country, I have been working on 24 agreements. We are getting somewhere. These are small issues, all within a family, and they will be resolved. I am grateful to be here in Nigeria. I am also very grateful to meet His Excellency President Tinubu, a great leader in Nigeria and Africa. Please accept me as a Nigerian and consider me a member of your team,” he appealed.
It would be recalled that Emirate Airlines suspended flights to Nigeria over trapped funds.