House Applauds Nigerian Appointed as New York Police Commander

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Elated by the appointment of a Nigerian, Ms. Olufemi Obe, as the precinct Commander of the New York Police Department (NYPD), the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora yesterday congratulated her.

The committee, in a statement by its Chairperson, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa (APC, Lagos), also lauded Ogwunike sisters, Nneka and Chinyere, who are the first siblings to be drafted as number one picks into two major basketball teams in the United States.

Obe, on her part, is the first black from the sub-Saharan Africa to have occupied such position in the history of New York Police Department.

A computer scientist and public administrator trained at the City College and Government Marist College, Deputy Inspector Obe was appointed as Commander of the 28th Precinct in New York City to replace Deputy Inspector Kevin Williams.

She joined the New York City Police Department in February 1994 and rose through the ranks.

Meanwhile in their statement, the Ogwunike sisters are the second siblings drafted in the history of any American sport, next to the National Football League (NFL) Leyton brothers, making them the first to both be drafted number one picks in basketball globally, and the second siblings to both be number one picks in any major sport.

While Nneka is number one draft pick to Los Angeles Sparks, Chinyere is number one draft pick to the Connecticut Sun. Both of them are graduates of Stanford University who hail from Imo State.

The House committee while wishing them success in their various careers noted that millions of Nigerians are excelling all over the world and stressed the need for Nigeria to tap into the enormous talents and successes of Nigerians in diaspora for national development.