The Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (DTAC) recognized and celebrated 18 volunteers who had served in Uganda and represented Nigeria exceptionally well on Monday. These volunteers returned to Nigeria on Sunday after two years of service in Uganda. Dr Buba Yakub, the Director-General of DTAC, commended the volunteers for their service to Nigeria and their host community in Uganda. He praised their efforts in bridging the educational gap in the region where they served.
Yakub expressed his gratitude and highlighted that the volunteers’ willingness to serve was a testament to Nigeria’s contribution to Africa and humanity. He acknowledged the volunteers’ spirit of oneness and their continued investment in their service to Nigeria and ACP countries as a whole. He thanked them on behalf of the people of Uganda and Africa and the spirit of one Africa and African solidarity. He also acknowledged Nigeria’s role as a big brother in Africa and appreciated the volunteers’ willingness to make the dream come true.
The technical aid scheme was initiated by Nigeria 35 years ago as part of soft power diplomacy, and it has reached over 35 countries within these 35 years. It has impacted the lives of thousands of people in Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific countries. Yakub mentioned that wherever the black man is, Nigeria has sent out volunteers, and their efforts have had a multiplier effect. For instance, the present Minister of State Education in Uganda was a student of TAC and was taught by some TAC volunteers years ago. He emphasized that what Nigeria is doing as a country is something that no country in Africa and the world is doing.
The Director of Administration, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed congratulated the volunteers for completing their tour of duty without any bad reports. Prof. Terhemen-Aboiyar Tehemen, who responded on behalf of the volunteers, said that the directorate made their stay comfortable in Uganda. Though they initially faced challenges integrating, their stay was worthwhile, fruitful, and beneficial to both the countries and the volunteers.
Furthermore, they represented Nigeria effectively in Uganda, and their seasoned academics and well-trained volunteers made diligent contributions to teaching, research, and community development. Many of them successfully supervised undergraduate and master’s programs, even Ph. Ds to a certain extent. During their debriefing, some volunteers shared their impact on the educational sector of Uganda. They did not want to brag, but they all contributed tremendously.
