Diplomacy
President Jonathan attends Gabon’s 50th Independence Anniversary
Aug 16, 2010, 11:22
| | President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan returned to Abuja from Libreville on Tuesday August 17, after participating in the 50th Independence anniversary celebrations of Gabon, on the invitation of President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
At 8.00pm Monday August 16 evening, President Jonathan joined other invited African Heads of State and Government at a gala dinner hosted by President Bongo at the Presidential Villa in Libreville, as part of activities marking the celebrations.
On Tuesday, President Jonathan attended the 50th Independence anniversary ceremony at the Parade Ground in Libreville, characterized mainly by military parades, award presentations and callisthenic displays.
Thereafter, the President addressed the Nigerian community in Gabon by 2pm at the residence of the Nigerian Ambassador, in Libreville.
Nigeria has over 150, 000 of its citizens, which is about one-tenth of Gabon’s 1.7m population, living in that country. They are mostly Igbo, Ilaje and Ijaw traders who dominate Gabon’s commerce, and its fishing industry.
According to Ambassador Samuel Aiyedona, Nigeria’s envoy to Gabon, the entrepreneurship of Ijaw and Ilaje fishermen alone contributes over 600,000 tons of fish to Gabon’s fishing industry annually.
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