By Francis Ugwu
Mr Ben Llewelyn-Jones, the departing British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, said on Wednesday night he would miss the high energy, confidence, self-belief, and culture of Nigerians.
This was said by Llewelyn-Jones during the British High Commission’s farewell reception for him in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Llewelyn-Jones is leaving Nigeria after three years of foreign duty service in the country.
He said the rich diversity, music, and culture of Nigerians should be replicated in the rest of the world, as important lessons could be learnt from them.
“Over the past years, I had the opportunity to visit over 10 states in the country, and I came across thousands of Nigerians, and the constant trait about everyone is the high energy amongst them.
“The interesting thing about them is how they approach things, the food they have, the culture, the music and I really enjoyed their diversity.
“Personally, my favourite dish is Jollof rice and chicken, and even though I’m not great with spices, I have still tried other delicacies, and I like plantains also.
“In all of these, what I would really miss is the energy of the people in Nigeria, and I think that is something that’s really hard to replicate in any part of the world,” he said.
The departing envoy revealed that he learnt to speak pidgin English over the course of his stay, noting that he, however, was not fluent in it.
He noted that bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom governments remained strengthened through various partnerships and interventions from both parties.
He said that over the years, the commission had empowered women to get access to the digital space and skills.
He disclosed that both male and female entrepreneurs had been connected to investors to pitch ideas for the growth of businesses.
“Over the years, we have been trying to help women and girls access the digital space, digital skills and be part of the digital economy.
“We believe more women and girls need to be able to access and work in the digital space, and we have connected female and male tech entrepreneurs with investors.
“This would enable them to prepare to pitch their ideas, find the right connections, and ensure that the tech industry in the country reaches its full potential, as Nigeria has some really cutting-edge technology,” he said.
According to Llewelyn-Jones, the UK government lends its support to victims of sexual violence through various programmes.
He encouraged victims to speak out on the issue, noting that the menace was a global issue that needed urgent attention.
“We have been working with victims of sexual violence and assaults, as we have raised funds for some centres for these cases in Lagos.
“The most important message to get across is about prevention and to ensure that people who need help and support can have access to these services.
“We try to make sure that people across Nigeria are able to speak out and prevent those kinds of acts from happening,” he said.
