Nigerians celebrated their country’s 52^nd anniversary in Yaounde on Monday October 1.

The government of Nigeria has expressed its appreciation for Cameroon’s support in the fight against Boko Haram militancy. Speaking at a reception at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel on Monday October 1 to mark her country’s 52^nd independence anniversary, the new Nigerian High Commissioner to Cameroon, Ambassador Hadiza Mustapha, lauded the support of President Paul Biya, adding that Cameroonians and Nigerians were basically the same people living in two different countries.

The similarities between the two countries, the High Commissioner pointed out, were greater than the differences. While Cameroon’s economic emergence has 2035 as target, that of Nigeria aims at 2020, she said. In addition to being leaders in their respective sub-regions, both Cameroon and Nigeria look forward to boosting ties by sharing Nigeria’s experience in telecommunications while Cameroon can supply electric energy to the teeming Nigerian population at cheaper cost.

The High Commissioner said this year’s independence celebrations were low-key because of the numerous challenges the country faces – challenges that have made some people skeptical of Nigeria’s future. Though the challenges are enormous, there are equally good opportunities for tackling them through better governance and a stable polity, she noted. She explained that President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda was aimed at making life better for the people, amongst others, through infrastructure development and reforms in oil and gas.

A special team was appointed to manage the President’s Transformation Agenda, with the results already evident. Nigeria, the diplomat announced, this year recorded a 7.5 per cent growth in Gross Domestic Product in the non-oil sector and has now become the number one investment destination in Africa.

The high point of the event was the cutting of the anniversary cake. Amongst Cameroonian dignitaries at the function were the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali, the Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary and Finance Minister, Alamine Ousmane Mey. Others were Essimi Menye of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abena Ondoa née Obama Marie-Thérese of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Gregoire Owona of Labour and Social Security, and the Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations in charge of Cooperation with the Islamic World, Adoum Gargoum.