The United States Government on Sunday enjoined young Nigerians that had or were currently studying in the US to strive to replicate developments in America in Nigeria.
The retiring Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate-General in Lagos, Ms Darcy Zotter, said that Nigerians should begin to replicate America back home.
Zotter said in an Exit Interview that Nigerians who had studied or were to study in the US should begin to apply their acquired knowledge in the development of Nigeria.
“My advice to these young Nigerians is that whatever knowledge they have acquired from the US, they should know that they can now begin to replicate the United States in Nigeria.
“It is expected that after your studies, you begin to use every knowledge that you have acquired in contributing to the development of your communities and the entire Nigeria,’’ she said.
Zotter said that another set of 250 Nigerian student-members of the Lagos EducationUSA Centre had just been offered scholarships for the 2018/2019 academic year.
The retiring Public Affairs Officer said that her tenure in Nigeria had changed the wrong impression and fears her family members initially had about Nigeria and Nigerians.
Zotter, who found Nigerian-styled native attires more fashionable, advised Nigerians to always be prepared to positively present Nigerian wears, as well as tell Americans good things about Nigeria.
“My advice to you all Nigerians going to study in the US, is that you know that you are going to, first, represent Nigeria.
“You have got to promote Nigeria in the US. Wear your Nigerian clothes, talk positively about Nigeria and tell Americans interesting things about your country, Nigeria,’’ she said.
Zotter, a former school teacher, joined the US Foreign Service in 1993, following a challenge from an official of the service daring her to enrol for the entrance examination.
She has worked with the US Foreign Service in Washington DC as a Political Officer, after which she was first posted to the US Embassy in Beijing, China, before being assigned to Lagos, as Public Affairs Officer of the Consulate-General of the US.
She is retiring after 25 years of service.
