By Kolawole Ojebisi
A Ministerial nominee, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has spoken on how her previous experience as a Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain would stand her in good stead if confirmed for her new position.
Flaunting her experience and expertise before the Senate during her screening, Ojukwu recounted how she surmonted a very challenging experience and turned things around for the benefits of the country as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain during her tour of duty in that country.
The widow of the late Biafran warlord, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, stressed that the dilapidated state of the Nigerian Ambassador’s residence in Madrid forced her to live in a hotel for a year.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu nominated Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu as the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs.
In that regard, while speaking at the Red Chamber on Wednesday, Bianca seized the opportunity to paint the picture of what the Nigerian embassy in Spain looked like when she served as an ambassador to that European country.
She noted that the embassy’s deteriorated condition did not align with Nigeria’s image abroad and how it motivated her to lead an extensive refurbishment project.
Bianca said, “I would like to say that my past records speak for me. As an ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, I spent an entire year in one hotel room because when I got to Spain, the mission building was in such an appalling condition.”
She recounted that the building’s ruin was particularly embarrassing given its location.
“The embassy was located very close to the upscale estate of Galagao, where people would pass by on their way to various events and matches.
“It was disheartening that this decadent structure represented Nigeria in such a prestigious area,” she stated.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that she took immediate steps to address the issues, organising significant repairs and preservation efforts to overhaul not only the mission building but also the ambassador’s residence and other Nigerian-owned properties in Spain.
“The Nigerian embassy in Madrid that you see today is the product of my time in that country,” she said, noting that her focus was to restore Nigeria’s image to one that “truly deserves a designation of outstanding.”
She also highlighted the ongoing challenges Nigerian embassies face worldwide due to limited funding, which often constrains ambassadors in performing much-needed maintenance.
She added, “In most missions, because of no more funding, most ambassadors are constrained when it comes to carrying out refurbishments.
This shortage of funds, she said, ”prevents embassies from showcasing Nigeria’s stature, impacting the country’s standing on the global stage.”
“It is unfortunate because a lot of embassies are going through this situation, and it has, to a large extent, diminished our standing around the world,” she added.
Emphasising the importance of respectable diplomatic representations, Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged the Nigerian government to prioritize embassy maintenance under the current administration.
She cited the nation’s foreign policy objectives of promoting democracy, development, and the Nigerian diaspora as critical areas that require that embassies have dignified facilities.
“This is something that the government, under this president, should look into,” she said, pointing out that embassies often host international delegations, study tours, and exchanges, making respectable surroundings crucial.
“It is imperative that when you are in those exchanges, you meet your patrons and colleagues in environments that reflect Nigeria’s true standing,” she said, concluding her remarks with a plea for urgent intervention.
After her response, she was thereafter asked to take a bow and go.
