President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday thanked the outgoing Ambassador of Tunisia to Nigeria, His Excellency Jalel Trabelsi, for the deep love he has shown for the country, leading him to serve for ten years, at two different times.
Trabelsi first served in the past for five years as an officer, came back later to serve as Ambassador for another five years, and now describes himself as “a lover of Nigeria and her people.”
“Thank you very much for your love for our country, and the people,” President Buhari said. “You have identified with us so much, and I wish you a successful tour wherever you are posted to next. You can count on our goodwill for your country, yourself and family.”
Ambassador Trabelsi said he insisted on waiting till he had an audience with President Buhari before leaving, so that he could personally express gratitude to a man he admired, and to a people he loved.
“I’ve spent ten years in total here, and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it,” he said. “Our brotherly countries have excellent relations which date back in history, and this has been further strengthened in the past five years. We have signed many agreements, organized business forum attended by 400 groups across sectors, and generally collaborated for mutual interest. We will always support and promote Nigeria. I express deep thanks and gratitude for the support extended to me here.”