The United States Government has reiterated its commitment to expanding its engagement, educational outreach and empowerment of Nigerians through its network of American Spaces in Nigeria.
The American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, gave the assurance, on Monday, during the opening of the reimagined American Corner, in Ibadan, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Oyo State government officials, U.S. Government exchange alumni, American Fulbright scholars, teachers and students.
The U.S. Consulate said it has refreshed and reconfigured the center, in collaboration with the Initiative for Information Arts and Culture Development (IACD)in Nigeria, Jericho, Ibadan, which hosts the American Corner, in order to better serve local communities in Oyo State.
The American Corner features a state-of-the-art digital conferencing facility, modern furniture, internet connectivity, a large open space for events, a seminar room, and a secretariat for the Oyo State Chapter of the U.S. Government Exchange Alumni Association.
Ambassador Leonard expressed delight that ‘‘the revitalised American Corner would offer opportunities to residents of Ibadan and beyond to discover the United States as they prepare for their future.”
She explained that ”the American Corner would continue to serve as a venue for young people to develop their ideas, as well as their leadership and entrepreneurship skills through programmes and workshops designed for them, often led by the United States government exchange alumni and encouraged them to take advantage of all the space has to offer.”
Leonard stated; “American Corner is a place to make many things happen. Here we have windows on digital exchanges that people can do. We have information on education advising. All throughout Nigeria, we are helping Nigerian students understand the various opportunities available to them in the educational sector, we are also helping a great deal of them find scholarship in that regards.”
The Ambassador disclosed that some of the programmes the U.S. has for youth empowerment are: Young Africa Leaders and Africa Women Empowerment Entrepreneurship Programme, where it helps young people to discover themselves, what they want to do, how they can own leadership skills, how they can further their education and entrepreneurship skills.
The President of IACD, Dr Kolade Mosuro, thanked the U.S. Ambassador and the American government for coming to the aid of the facility and redesigning it to better serve the people for productivity, assuring that it would make reading and using the facility more attractive and fun.
Mosuro noted: “To run a nation you need all hands on board, so the facilities here are good for the youths as well as the senior citizens. We have a place where people can come to and through the facilities here, people can orbit into the higher space and they will achieve greater. With a place like this, you can be sure many more men and women will become better citizens.”
According to the Consulate, the EducationUSA Advising Center, hosted at the American Corner would offer accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive information about educational institutions in the United States, as well as guidance to prospective students on how best to access the opportunities.
In addition, staff at the American Corner would host specific programmes to highlight aspects of American culture, through movie screenings, book discussion clubs, digital video conferences, speaker events on a wide range of topics, as well as STEM learning activities such as robotics and drone technology.
Visitors to the American Corner include students, teachers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists, civic organisations, government officials, and community leaders, in addition to many others. The facility is one of the 18 American Spaces in Nigeria.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
