The Nigerian Ambassador in Austria, Ms Maria Oyeyinka Laose has called on Nigeria universities to increase the existing level of partnership with their Austrian counterparts.
The Ambassador made the call on Wednesday 20th of February, 2013 while receiving two visiting Nigerians Professors from the University of Maiduguri, who paid her a courtesy in her office in Vienna. The visiting Nigerian professors Shettima Umara Bulakarima and Andrew Haruna were accompanied by Professor Norbert Cyffer of the African Scientific Institute, University of Vienna and a representative of the Austria Nigeria Friendship Society, Mr. Clemence Itamah.
Welcoming her visitors, Ambassador Maria Laose expressed her joy for their visit, describing it as an opportunity to discuss ways of consolidating existing collaborative projects between Nigerian universities and their Austrian counterparts in the area of education, cultural heritage and linguistics exchange program, and in which the University of Maiduguri was playing a leading role in Nigeria.
Emphasizing the importance of cultural cooperation as a tool of endearing people of one country to that of another, she praised the efforts of the academicians for ensuring the continuity of the exchange programs organized in the past between the University of Maiduguri in the Northern Nigeria and some other universities in Europe including Austria.
She particularly commended Professor Norbert Cyffer of the African Scientific Institute for his tenacity in sustaining his first collaborated work in Northern Nigeria which he had started in 1969 as visiting professors of the University of Maiduguri.
In conclusion, Ambassador Laose urged the academicians to widen the scope of their academic activities to include cultural programs that will serve to further strengthen the existing cultural relations between Nigerian and Austrian universities. For instance, they should consider adding intellectual and academic substance into the oncoming Nigerian Cultural festival planned by the National Association of Nigerian Community (NANCA) in June, 2013 to showcase Nigeria?s cultural heritage in Austria.
Responding, Professor Norbert Cyffer, one time visiting professor in Nigeria and now Head of the African Scientific Institute, University of Vienna, described his experiences as a lecturer in Nigeria as very positive and expressed his satisfaction that the level of cooperation in the area of linguistics between his university and Nigeria Universities has continued to grow. This growth, according to him, is evident in the visit of professors Shettima Umara Bulakarima and Andrew Haruna, as well as in the grant given to a young Nigerian to write his thesis on linguistics.
The visiting professor thanked Ambassador Laose for receiving them and promised to explore more ways to ensure greater collaboration with Austrian universities particularly in the areas that will further promote Nigeria?s cultural heritage. They also expressed their willingness to work together with NANCA in finding out areas they could contribute to the planned Nigerian Cultural Festival in Vienna.
President of the Austria Nigeria Friendship Society Mr. Clemence Itamah promised on behalf of his association to initiate more development projects among Nigerians and their Austrian counterparts for the betterment of both parties.