A YOUNG Nigerian is among a selected few U.S. military servicemen who were sworn in yesterday as U.S. citizens by President Barack Obama as the country celebrated its Independence Day while also honouring the commitment of the immigrants to America’s national security.

A White House statement released yesterday morning said Oluwatosin K. Akinduro, was born in Lagos, but graduated from a high school in Houston, Texas, where there is a considerable population of Nigerian immigrants.

According to the White House statement, “he joined the Army National Guard in search of new opportunities and a new challenge to lead by example.”

The U.S. government often offers citizenship status to immigrants in the U.S. who joined the nation’s military service as a way of honouring their service and highlighting their dedication to the defence of the nation.

At the “naturalisation ceremony for active duty service members,” Obama picked out a few of the new citizens for mention, including Akinduro.

“We salute a young man from Nigeria who came here as a child,” Obama said.

Obama quoted Akinduro as saying: “I left Nigeria with the dream that we all have a destiny in life and we are all born with the resources to make a difference.”

Obama went on: “We are confident he will make a difference. We congratulate Oluwatosin Akinduro.”

Commenting on the event, which he does yearly as president, Obama noted that “I have to tell you, just personally, this is one of my favourite things to do.”

According to him, this is because “it brings me great joy and inspiration because it reminds us that we are a country that is bound together not simply by ethnicity or bloodlines, but by fidelity to a set of ideas. And as members of our military, you raised your hand and took an oath of service. It is an honour for me to serve as your Commander-in-Chief. Today, you raised your hand and have taken an oath of citizenship. And I could not be prouder to be among the first to greet you as “my fellow Americans.”

The White House statement added that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director, Alejandro Mayorkas, presented the countries of the candidates for naturalisation since all the active duty military servicemen like Nigeria’s Akinduro were all immigrants to the U.S.

Also, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, delivered the oath of allegiance and the audience was composed of the service members and their families.

In all there were about 20 of such immigrants from different countries who have joined the U.S. military and were sworn-in as citizens in a yearly event conducted specially by the U.S. President at the White House.

Other naturalisation ceremonies go on regularly, but the U.S. specially honours those from the military for special focus with the active involvement of the U.S. President.

However, all new U.S. citizens always receive a letter(s) from the sitting president after their naturalisation.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91367:obama-honours-nigerian-on-us-independence-day&catid=1:national&Itemid=559#comments

Hmmmmm
Tosin so you cannot make a difference here in Nigeria abi?

I congratulate you Akinduro, if its your dream i believe you can become a congress man someday. Cheers!

ifihearam: Hmmmmm
Tosin so you cannot make a difference here in Nigeria abi?

You have a problem with is life pattern? You can decide to go there too o.

congrats Tosin

some dey abroad dey repair nigeria, while some dey nigeria dey scatter the country

ifihearam: Hmmmmm
Tosin so you cannot make a difference here in Nigeria abi?

to make a difference, where? Naija?guy u don high ooo

Shame on him, so he can't fulfill his destiny in naija, hw many americans are in the nigerian army?...#smh#

na dis guy go first bomb Nigeria if war begins. On my way to the US, the best Nation in the World.

another slave boy fighting in the white man's army and for white imperialism. onye ara

Tosin was my classmate in high school in bariga..he went to usa in 1999 and join the military later..but he don forget us now..anyway sha..best of luck

See guys dey claim relationship oooo

timmy1999: Tosin was my classmate in high school in bariga..he went to usa in 1999 and join the military later..but he don forget us now..anyway sha..best of luck

timmy1999: Tosin was my classmate in high school in bariga..he went to usa in 1999 and join the military later..but he don forget us now..anyway sha..best of luck

story story

Nice one

dear Tosin, thanks 4 partly patching d torn arse of this Tribalised skunk called Nigeria. More grease 2 ur bow joints.

@timmy 1999..now you dey form familiarity @timmy 1999..now you dey form familiarity

timmy1999: Tosin was my classmate in high school in bariga..he went to usa in 1999 and join the military later..but he don forget us now..anyway sha..best of luck

He did not forget you. Experiences and distance factor-in on our individual lives.


Frawzey.

kinectik: another slave boy fighting in the white man's army and for white imperialism. onye ara

SMH for you

How nice to live in an achievement oriented environment.
Big Congrats Tosin, ur definitely making a difference.

I salute his courage

Thats what he looks like ....Shun Sir

ifihearam: Hmmmmm
Tosin so you cannot make a difference here in Nigeria abi?

NDA admission don't come easy

timmy1999: Tosin was my classmate in high school in bariga..he went to usa in 1999 and join the military later..but he don forget us now..anyway sha..best of luck

Eyah sorry oh double υя hustling.

timmy1999: Tosin was my classmate in high school in bariga..he went to usa in 1999 and join the military later..but he don forget us now..anyway sha..best of luck

Eyah sorry oh double υя hustling.

Nice one, Its always good to here our country Nigeria mentioned in a good light! and the people that take it there I salute!

kinectik: another slave boy fighting in the white man's army and for white imperialism. onye ara

As long as there is night and day, id.iots shall never cease to abound..

Did he graduate from covenant uni? he looks like he bought a firstclass degree in there.

Goodluck, bro. At least you are in a country that knows your worth.

timmy1999: Tosin was my classmate in high school in bariga..he went to usa in 1999 and join the military later..but he don forget us now..anyway sha..best of luck

are yu serious?. . Do yu mean CMS grammer school in bariga?. .

C me see wahala, hundreds of nigerian are joinin d military everyday here in d state, just because of citizenship, 2weeks after u join, u will become a citizen but d repercurssion is dat ur next assignment will be in iraq..I will rather wait 3yrs and get my citizenship dan joining d military...mtchew

Keep representing well o dude

joejeezy: Shame on him, so he can't fulfill his destiny in naija, hw many americans are in the nigerian army?...#smh#

Gbam!