By Peter Agba Kalu
I came across a viral post on X by Demola Olarewaju, the Special Assistant on Digital Media Strategy to the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. In his post, he criticized President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs during his midterm cabinet reshuffle.
Olarewaju argued that Bianca would not help Tinubu secure votes from the Southeast in 2027 due to her lack of electoral influence. He characterized her appointment as a political maneuver aimed at softening the ground for Tinubu’s future electoral strategies.
Perhaps attempting to enlighten the Igbos about our daughter, mother, and wife, Olarewaju described the late Eze Gburuburu’s wife as “a ‘nobody’ in the political landscape of the Southeast.” He concluded that Bianca is unlikely to sway any voters and instead serves merely as a pawn in a broader plan to provide the APC and INEC with an excuse for potential electoral rigging.
Amidst six appointments made by President Tinubu, Olarewaju chose to focus exclusively on Bianca, referring to her as a ‘nobody.’ That’s acceptable, but he is in no position to instruct the Igbos about who Bianca is. I doubt there is a single Igbo person who would dismiss Eze Nwanyi Nde Igbo as “nobody.” However, my primary concern is to clarify a crucial issue raised by his post, particularly regarding the political landscape in Igbo land.
I want to make it abundantly clear from the outset that Iyom Bianca Ojukwu’s appointment is entirely apolitical. Her singular focus is to provide selfless service to our motherland, and anything beyond that should be disregarded. The APC political players in Igbo land should continue their political rivalries with the PDP in their struggle for control over the region, but they must allow her to concentrate on her responsibilities.
During her tenure as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Bianca left an indelible mark on the country’s international image, achieving what many deemed impossible. She successfully intervened to facilitate the issuance of a “Police Certificate,” a crucial security clearance document that the Spanish government had previously refused to issue to Nigerians. The Igbos, who often travel within Nigeria and benefited from this initiative, are not the same ones who would claim that Bianca has no political significance.
We are all aware that President Tinubu inherited a nation with a severely tarnished international reputation. Nigerians have faced scrutiny at various international airports, where simply holding a green passport often labels them as suspicious. They are not judged based on their affiliation with APGA, PDP, or APC. The country required a non-political figure with a respected global standing to restore its credibility. By recognizing Bianca’s qualities and approaching her, despite her affiliation with APGA, President Tinubu demonstrates that he is looking beyond partisan politics in his quest to address the humiliating challenges faced by Nigerians of all backgrounds abroad.
Recently, a video made the rounds about Nigerian women imprisoned in Mali, some for four to five years, forgotten and suffering in silence.
Nigerian prisoners are scattered across various countries: Libya, Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and numerous others. From South Africa to the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Thailand, India, Brazil, Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and beyond, countless Nigerians find themselves behind bars, many in conditions dehumanizing and unjust. Some may have committed offenses, while many others are innocent victims trapped by circumstance due to their nationality.
This raises critical questions: Why are our embassies not stepping in? Why are we leaving our fellow citizens to languish as if they were orphaned? Families are in despair, wives are heartbroken, children are dropping out of school, and mothers are left grappling with grief, contemplating who will bury them. The anguish of sorrow has soaked the pillows of many families who have wept and wept, all because their innocent loved ones have become voiceless casualties, ensnared simply for being Nigerian and cast into detention overseas.
These are some of the reasons why many people have begun to curse the day they were born as Nigerians. Beyond the bad leadership and the struggling economy that Buhari handed over to Tinubu, these issues have significantly fueled the calls for separation that are fracturing this nation.
According to various reports and government sources, there are over 200 Nigerian prisoners in the United States, as reported by the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C. This figure excludes Nigerian-American citizens. In the United Kingdom, approximately 1,000 Nigerian nationals are imprisoned. In 2020, the Nigerian government reported that over 500 Nigerians were incarcerated in China; today, that number has risen to over 1,000. Thailand also has a significant number of Nigerian prisoners, and in India, more than 1,300 Nigerian nationals are held in custody. My friend in the Philippines has informed me of hundreds of Nigerians imprisoned there as well.
Regrettably, this list is not exhaustive, as Nigerian nationals may be imprisoned in other countries. We have ambassadors in these nations, paid to represent Nigeria. Why are they silent while innocent Nigerians are being treated as less than human on the streets?
In light of this troubling scenario, Bianca’s appointment is a call to service. Her acceptance reflects the heart of a mother who, hearing the agonizing cries of her children, chooses to make sacrifices and confront the challenges head-on to wipe away their tears.
This is the conversation we should be having about her appointment, rather than reducing it to a rivalry between South-East APC and PDP politics. Bianca bears no ill will towards either side, and the political players in the South-East are well aware of this.
You might argue that she accepted the position in the Tinubu administration because many of those facing these challenges are Igbos, who tend to be most mobile. I would ask: are Igbos not Nigerians?
If they are, why should Nigeria abandon them to suffer abroad? If Nigeria refuses to treat Igbos as one of its own, then it should allow them to pursue their own path.
However, this is not just an Igbo issue; it is a Nigerian issue. Nigerians are among the most traveled people in Africa. Bianca is here to serve all Nigerians, and anyone concerned with the welfare of our people should not reduce her appointment to mere politics. I even came across a post where some individuals, completely unaware of the ministry of foreign affairs, suggested she accepted the position merely to enrich herself. I laughed and encouraged them to embrace their ignorance. I will address that misconception and others in due time.
By the end of her tenure, many Nigerian families will be on their knees, thanking God for Nee Onoh, Iyom Ojukwu’s presence. Feel free to engage in political debates over other appointments by Tinubu, but this one is for our collective benefit. We must come together to support this woman, who will have the courage to intervene and advocate for any Nigerian businessperson wronged abroad. Bianca will not stand by when Nigeria’s intervention is required.
