CROSSROADS November 2018 | Page 3

AMBASSADOR’S NOTES W elcome to another edition of Crossroads. This one is truly special because in it you will see “NaijaGEMs,” the winners of a contest to photograph Nigeria’s natural and architectural treasures. These pictures bring to life Nigeria’s spectacular beauty, and they show the exceptional artistry of the Nigerian photographers who made them. I have been truly fortunate to see first-hand many of these wonders. Each time, my reaction was simple: Wow! W. Stuart Symington U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria CROSSROADS is published quarterly by the Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Nigeria EDITORIAL TEAM Aruna Amirthanayagam (Counselor for Public Affairs) Russell Brooks (Public Affairs Officer, Lagos) Glenn Guimond (Press Attaché) Olaoluwa Aworinde (Editor & photographer) Address all correspondence to: The Editor, Crossroads Magazine Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central Business Area, Abuja, Nigeria Tel: (09) 461-4000. Fax: 09-461-4305 LAGOS OFFICE: U.S. Consulate General, Public Affairs 2, Walter Carington Crescent, Lagos Tel.: +234-703-150-4867/2444 E-mail: [email protected] Website: nigeria.usembassy.gov Follow us on: You are about to embark on a virtual visual tour of selected treasures of Nigeria. I hope you will enjoy your ‘travel,’ and I ask you one thing in return. Please join those who are dedicated to sharing with all Nigerians the masterpieces found in nature and made by Nigerians. Please join, too, the efforts of those who seek to preserve them for all future generations. Finally, please join me in thanking the photographers and in saying of NaijaGEMs: Wow! In This Issue... How it all went down Vol. 22 No. 3 Pg 5 Top 10 Pg 12 King Kongs Pg 6 Top 20 The Winning Photo Pg 8 Pg 16 The Judges Pg 18 The Runners Up The Exhibition Pg 10 Pg 2, 19 CROSSROADS | November 2018 Special Edition 3