President Goodluck Jonathan has handed out letters of credence to the newly appointed 93 ambassadors, charging them to protect Nigeria’s interest.

The President who noted that the ambassadors were assuming office at a critical period in Nigeria’s developmental history, reminded them that they were representatives of the country and not  that of states or ethnic groups; adding that what should be prominent to them should be the unity of the country and also to promote and encourage interaction among Nigerians abroad.

Eighty six of the ambassadors were posted out of the country while the remaining seven who fell under the category of In-Situ will remain in Nigeria.

Of the 86 posted out, 62 are ambassadors while 24 are Deputy Heads of Mission. Among the ambassadors are 11 women 10 of which are Heads of Mission, and one Deputy Head of Mission.

Prominent among the ambassadors were, former Minister and PDP stalwart, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, former Deputy Governors,  Taofeek Arapaja of Oyo and Cornelius Oluwateru  of Ondo.

Also on the list is a veteran journalist and former General Manager of NTA, Ibadan, Chief Akinyemi Farounbi.

The list of the female envoys includes former Minister of Aviation, Fidelia Njeze, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Mrs. Hadiza Mustapha, Mrs. Victoria Onipede, Mrs. Katherine Okon and Mrs Chigozie Obi-Nnadozie.

Others are Mrs Matilda Kwashi, Mrs Katyen Jackden, Mrs Nonye Okpara, Sifawu Momoh and Mrs. Martine Gereng-Sen.

The seven ambassadors in-situ include the State House Chief of Protocol (SCOP) Mr. Olutola Onijala, the Presidential Liaison Officer (PLO) Alh. Abubakar Waziri and Alh. Abdulkadir Musa.

Other ambassadors in-situ were, Ridhwan Mustapha, Ozoemenam Nwobu, Sunday Omoigiade and Harrison Solaja.

In his address, President Jonathan expressed his delight in the elaborate induction programme given the ambassadors and their spouses which has grounded for their role ahead. He said they were eminently qualified to represent the country having had interactions with most of them at different fora.

Charging the new ambassadors, Jonathan said, “You are posted to your designation to represent the president and not your state or your ethnicity, and project Nigeria as united and indivisible nation. You must encourage Nigerians abroad to have a solid union."

He urged them to see economic diplomacy as the core of the nation's foreign policy, with priority given to the promotion of democracy, rule of law and stability in Africa and other developed nations. Also of to them the president said they must protect Nigerians and their interest in their country of accreditation.

The President also said his decision to give prominence to career officers in the appointment of ambassadors was aside to incentivize the career officers was to enhance commitment to professional excellence.

"Today, we live in an international environment that is characterized by rapid change, intense competition, and driven by knowledge and technology. It is an exciting world in which only the best succeed. In such an environment, only a dynamic, confident and proactive Foreign Service can effectively and efficiently serve Nigeria’s interests.

"As Nigeria’s window to the outside world, our diplomatic service must necessarily raise its standards to match the best globally, both in the quality of service delivery and the professionalism of its staff. To build and sustain a corps of staff that can excel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must accord priority to recruiting the best and ensuring the regular training of its diplomatic agents.

"I believe that the objective of raising standards can also be achieved if senior Foreign Service Officers are given challenges that prove their worth. They should be sufficiently equipped to act as veritable change agents, and lead in positively driving Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives abroad. My decision to give prominence to career officers in the current appointments was informed, in part, by the imperative to incentive the career officers and enhance commitment to professional excellence".

"As you prepare to depart to your countries of accreditation, you must always bear in mind that our foreign policy must reflect the aspirations and priorities of a democratic Nigeria. Economic Diplomacy and Africa remain at the centre of our foreign policy agenda. In this respect, your responsibility to attract investments into the country and open up markets for our local goods and services cannot be over emphasized.

"Defending the interests of Nigerians living and operating lawfully in your countries of accreditation must be seen as a primary assignment. Protecting their interest through greater and more efficient consular support is also a priority to which you must remain fully committed. Increasingly, the Diaspora is shaping the growth and development of nations. Ours should not be different. We have a vibrant Diaspora that you need to constantly engage with so that it can effectively support and make contributions to national development, especially in the areas of finance, ICT and Intellectual Property.

"In my inaugural address on 29 May 2011, I stated that Nigeria, in partnership with the African Union, will lead the process for democracy and development in Africa. To promote this objective, I charge Nigerian Missions abroad to give the highest priority to our vision of promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

"Our efforts to secure democracy and ensure stability in West Africa and in other places across Africa are ample evidence of our unwavering commitment to these values. As our principal representatives, I urge you to pursue this mandate with renewed vigour.

"In today’s increasingly inter-connected and interdependent world, you must also pursue multilateral diplomacy and build beneficial bilateral partnerships with your host countries. In all cases, these relationships must be anchored on mutual respect and mutual responsiveness. This, I believe, underlines the reciprocity principle that the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs noted in his earlier remarks.

"Finally, Nigeria’s foreign policy must continue to espouse our commitment to regional and pan-African integration and unity. We must continue to work within ECOWAS, AU, the Commonwealth, and the United Nations, to build a safer, more secure, just and equitable world. You are the torchbearers of our vision and purposes as we engage the world. Go out and serve the nation with dedication and pride".

Earlier in his remark, Foreign Minister, Ambassador Genga Ashiru, described the appointment of new ambassadors as an expression of intent by government to inject vigor and dynamism to the nation's foreign policy.

He also noted that all the newly appointed ambassadors have undergone all the rites and norms and are ready to be initiated into the diplomatic group. The essence was to prepare them for the task head, and to familiarize them with their mandates and responsibilities including strategy in the dynamic world of modern diplomacy.

According to him the programme covered many issues including security and how our ambassadors will get to take Nigeria's interests and properties under their watch. A similar programme was organized for the spouses of ambassadors since they compliment the work of their partners.

"From my interaction with the new ambassadors and their spouses, I get a sense that our induction Programme was most beneficial and that they are now ready to hit the ground running".

Ashiru also said the success recorded in foreign policy was as a result of the President's supports.

Ojo Maduekwe who responded on behalf of the new ambassadors, said "since foreign policies is an expression of domestic environment. Our current challenges should not deter us from serving. We will begin to present opinions before we leave. This country has a future. We will be the little Jonathan wherever we are. We will meet a more secured, more save and more prosperous nation by the time we come back.”