Interview:
Nigeria, Trinidad & Tobago enjoy robust relationship –High Commissioner, De Landro

In an interview session with Supremacy Magazine Editors, led by the Publisher, Princess Abigail Amalaha, Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Wendell V.C. De Landro expresses delight over the robust relationship between his country and Nigeria, while expressing hope of further improvement.


Your Excellency, can we have an insight into your diplomatic duty as the Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner in Nigeria?
As the Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner to Nigeria my tour of duty commenced on April 19, 2018 and I presented my Letters of Credence to H. E. President Muhammadu Buhari on the 13th of September 2018. I am therefore just one year in my official capacity. I must also add that I had the pleasure of working and living in Nigeria (Port Harcourt) prior, during the period 2006 -2010 when I worked for Shell International. I mentioned this only to make the point that Nigeria is not a new experience for me. What is new is the official position I am now honoured to serve in. First of all, the staff at the Mission have been very supportive and they have made my resettlement in Abuja smooth and seamless for which I am truly grateful. The Diplomatic Community has been equally welcoming and generous with their time in receiving me. As a Chemical/Petroleum engineer by profession, and the fact that energy is a priority for both our countries, it has been one of my priorities since arriving in Abuja. The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) has been particularly welcoming in affording me the opportunity to attend lectures in Lagos and most recently address that body at its recent (Abuja) International Gas Conference, held from 14th-16th October 2018. I look forward to engaging more fruitfully with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as we seek to deepen our bilateral engagement.

Would you say you have achieved some of your key diplomatic objectives in Nigeria to date?
In responding to such a question, I must firstly acknowledge the tremendous work and effort already expended by my predecessors in forging and maintaining the very cordial relations that have existed and continue to exist between our two countries over the last 46 years since Trinidad and Tobago first had a physical presence in this country. Moving forward, I have been handed the baton in full flight and am prepared to continue that long tradition of service in the name of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago. With regard to my own objectives, I would say that the arc of my tenure as High Commissioner has only just begun, but I am heartened by the existing foundation that has been laid and the fact that as sovereign countries we share a common ancestral tree that will bind us forever. I am in my brothers’ house, so to speak. I also am aware that while bureaucracies within which we are called to operate have their own procedures and consequent time lines, I am indeed hopeful that our mutual interests are sustained.

During the presentation of his letter of credence last year, the Nigerian High Commissioner-designate to Trinidad and Tobago, Alhaji Jika Ardo Hassan, was assured by Hon. Dennis Moses your Minister of Foreign Affairs that the existing bilateral relationship between the two countries would be strengthened. Can you give us an idea of the level of improvement since then?
Well, your question requires an answer from two perspectives, from the Nigerian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago to whom such a statement was initially made and from me. Since I would not presume to speak on behalf of my counterpart in Trinidad and Tobago I will briefly point to Trinidad and Tobago’s own efforts. For example, prior to my arrival in April 2018, the High Commission was without a substantive High Commissioner for two and a half years. As you might be aware too, the Nigerian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago was also without a substantive Head of Mission for a correspondingly long period as well. In both instances, such developments are indeed concrete and positive developments which have since occurred. Following that time Trinidad and Tobago received a contingent of 23 officers from the Nigerian National Defence College during the period 19th-26th May 2018 who were part of a World Study Tour with college credits awarded for participation. The delegation visited the length and breadth of the country and visited all institutions relative to their specific areas of interest. In the area of culture, the Mission had sponsored a booth at the 11th Edition of the International Arts and Crafts (INAC) Expo during the period 17th-24th November 2018 and its efforts at promoting Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival and national instrument - the steelpan - garnered the Mission 1st Position in the Best Participating Country Category. Other high level official visits are also being planned for 2019. Against that background, I am satisfied at this point that the Mission is playing its part in strengthening those long standing bilateral bonds. Other than the areas of energy and defence, I am of the view that opportunities also exist in the creative industry, education, tourism, food and beverage sectors.

What is the bilateral trade status between Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria and how can it be enhanced?
Trinidad and Tobago experienced a favourable balance of trade with Nigeria for many years up to the end of 2016. Thereafter, there was a sharp decline in exports to Nigeria with a marked increase in imports. I have been told that present exports to Nigeria include liquefied butane, tower cranes and machinery parts. Previously, exports have included jet fuel, gas, oils, and Angostura Aromatic Bitters in large quantities, but these exports have declined in some instances. I believe our trading relations can be enhanced tremendously by revisiting that which has served us well in the past. Listening to the needs of the people and building from the bottom up. At the people level, greater attention must be paid in respecting and celebrating those aspects which we share in common and let such guide us in forging our bilateral relations e.g. in the areas of music, sports, fashion, native cuisines, at the political level our membership in the Commonwealth of Nations, and our shared respect for democratic norms and traditions just to name a few. They must be seen as strengths, and allocating much needed resources and efforts into further advancing these relations are the building blocks needed to develop the relationship further. Through such an approach, when we eventually meet at the top, we meet with purpose and clarity, aware of the shared goals and objectives to be attained. For example, having in place a signed Bilateral Services Agreement (BASA) that will more easily facilitate travel between our two countries and regions has long been a recognised and expressed need by all concerned yet it remains elusive. But what I offer here is but one such approach, recognising that at the same time there may be many roads to pursue in realising the same objective. I am therefore always available and open to receiving new ideas on how we can better cooperate and serve the needs of our peoples.

How has CARICOM helped in advancing the bilateral relationship between the Caribbean nations and Africans?
One must bear in mind that 20 countries comprise the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of which 15 are full members and five are Associate Members with the Secretariat located in the member state of Georgetown, Guyana. As a body, CARICOM has been a unifying, developmental force in the region of which we are proud and committed members much akin to your own Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The Caribbean and Africa have longstanding relations within the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of Countries forum which was formed in 1975. Through the ACP, officials at all levels have worked towards a coordinated position on achieving sustainable development in member states in respective countries and negotiating with the European Union as well as solidarity among our peoples. Furthermore, officials from the CARICOM Secretariat and the African Union met last year to discuss, among other things, formalisation of an institutional relationship between the two organsiations. We in the Caribbean are keenly aware that the African Union sees the African Diaspora as a key player in the development of the continent, and Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM are part of that Diaspora.

May you give us insights of how many Nigerians are resident in Trinidad and Tobago and their challenges, if any?
Unfortunately, I do not have those national statistics at hand but what I can say is that on average, for the last three years, the Immigration Division in Port of Spain has approved approximately 300 Nigerian single entry visas annually to Trinidad and Tobago. So for a small country, we do see our fair share of Nigerian visitors. As regards Nigerian migrants to Trinidad and Tobago, some Nigerians, particularly the young professionals, have secured employment, while others, inclusive of some medical doctors and university lecturers, whom I have personally met, have married and remained as citizens and contributed positively to the development of the country of which we are all proud.

Cultural interaction plays a major role in bilateral relations. What role has your country’s rich cultural heritage played in the Trinidad and Tobago-Nigeria partnership? Culture is indeed an important and an escapable pillar of all societies, it is the unifying force that not only unites a people; it serves also to identify them. Culture is also a bridge to other societies as it transcends barriers, builds friendships, facilitates dialogue and opens the door to shared experiences. I like to think of Trinidad and Tobago/Nigeria relationship as being on a path that still has a long way to go in fully realizing the true potential of that cultural partnership. But the initial signs are indeed encouraging. For example, I have been told that Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival has been the prototype and inspiration for the Cross River state annual Calabar Carnival. We are indeed very proud of the role our small nation’s premier cultural celebration has played in the growth and development of that state’s annual Carnival production. I have also been told by my colleagues and fellow nationals how surprising and particularly gratifying it has been to hear the music of Trinidad and Tobago and those of the other Caribbean Islands being played at functions at the Nigerian Foreign Ministry and at other diplomatic receptions in and around Abuja. Music is indeed universal in its appeal and given the available technology of today, the globalization of music and musical appreciation from all corners of the globe is already fully in train. Therefore, it goes without saying that another area of attention that I will be focusing on during the period of my tenure will be in the further promotion of Trinidad and Tobago’s culture and the associated creative industries.

Can you share with us the cultural/religious similarities between your country and Nigeria? More so, that Shango and Orisha traditional religions derived from the Yoruba culture of Nigeria is also being practiced in your country?
Trinidad and Tobago is an ethnically diverse, melting pot of peoples drawn from all corners of the world, all of whom have settled in the country and contributed to its overall development with culture and religion being no exception. In 2004, Archbishop Desmond Tutu famously described Trinidad and Tobago as “the rainbow nation,” referencing of course the racial diversity and mixtures of peoples he witnessed while on his visit to Trinidad and Tobago. It is therefore not surprising that our country’s political and historical antecedents drawn primarily from its colonial past, eventually brought into being a nation of peoples whose ancestors in part can be traced majorly back to the African continent and in particular to Ghana and Nigeria all of whom today constitute approximately 50% of our population.

There is no question that Trinidad and Tobago is a multi-religious nation too. According to the 2011 Census, the largest religious groups in the country are the Protestant Christians (33.4%), Roman Catholics (21.5%), Hindus (18.1%) and Muslims (5%). Existing alongside, these “traditional” faiths are the two Afro-Caribbean syncretic faiths, the Shouter or Spiritual Baptists constituting 5.7% and the Orisha faith (formerly called Shangos) constituting 0.1% and which are also said to be among the two fastest growing religious groups in the country. It is noteworthy to mention also that in January 1996, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago declared March 30th a national holiday and such is referred to as Spiritual Baptist (Shouter) Liberation Day. In addition to which my country is proud to claim, that it was the first country in the world to declare Emancipation Day a public holiday in 1985. This observance is spearheaded by the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago and is celebrated every 1st August to commemorate the day in 1834 when chattel slavery was officially abolished. Our connection therefore to the African continent, its peoples, and its history is strong and enduring. That recognition of a shared history and common ancestry is the backdrop of our presence here in Nigeria and the continent as a whole.

If you were not a diplomat, which other profession would you have chosen?
I am always a bit wary of engaging in speculation. Suffice it to say, I am a trained and certified Chemical Engineer with a minor in Petroleum Engineering, having worked as a Petroleum Engineer for most of my previous career/life.

Which is your favourite Nigerian dish or delicacies?
Easy,…Nkwobi and Banga Soup. It brings to mind the flavours of the Trinidad and Tobago cuisine.