SPEECHES

Charge d’Affairs
Robert E. Gribbin
Embassy of the United States

Remarks
Courtesy Call on the Emir of Gombe
His Royal Highness, Alhaji Shehu Usman Abubakar

September 20, 2007

• Your Royal Highness, Assalamu Alaikum.  (Ah-sah-lahm-u Ah-lay-koom)
  (Peace be upon you) 

On behalf of my colleagues from the US Embassy:

I thank you must sincerely for granting us audience in your palace this afternoon.  I am delighted to visit your magnificent city, and to meet with you and your community.

Gombe being one of the flag states under the old Sokoto Caliphate has an important and rich culture in Nigeria.  Your city has a reputation for commerce and scholarship.

I have come here to listen to the people of Gombe State and to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Gombe State. 

This morning, I was joined by His Excellency Governor Muhammad Danjuma Goje at the donation of sets of books to eight schools in the state, and I hope to take a driving visit round the Gombe State University, which though new, is fast acquiring a reputation of being potentially an international center of learning in the North East sub region. 

Your Highness, while here in palace, I want to tell the entire Muslim community in Nigeria through you, that:

 America wishes you a Ramadan Kareem

America treasures your friendship.

 America honors your faith.

Islam is a religion that brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people around the world.

This includes millions of American Muslims and Nigerians. 
An important part of America moral’s fiber is tolerance.

 We Americans believe that no one - no one should be treated differently because of the color of their skin, where they were born, or what they believe. 

We Americans reject all forms of religious intolerance.

Thank you