Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had to restore order during the screening of Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu on Wednesday for a ministerial position after one of the senators commended her beauty.
The nominees scheduled for screening included Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and Suwaiba Said Ahmad, Ph.D.
When it was Ojukwu’s turn, she presented her credentials and highlighted her achievements before Akpabio opened the floor for questions.
Senator Osita Ngwu who represents Enugu West in the 10th National Assembly, expressed interest in speaking and began by complimenting Ojukwu’s appearance, prompting reactions from fellow senators.
“Mr. President, the beautiful nominee before us today is…,” Ngwu said, but Akpabio quickly interrupted, stating, “Stick to the resume. She didn’t include ‘beautiful’ in her CV.” This remark drew laughter from the assembly.
Meanwhile, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu called for more commitment to the peace and unity of the country during her screening..
A former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, she said: “I am here because I believe that if we are able to come together sincerely, to commit to serving this nation, focusing on ensuring that we have peace, then the sky is the limit for this country”.
She highlighted the importance of diplomatic and cultural engagement as key to national growth.
She explained that during her tenure as ambassador, she represented the country on various international platforms, notably building a bridge between Nigeria and Spain.
Ojukwu who is designate Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said that her work earned her the prestigious title of Africa’s Most Outstanding Ambassador.
She said that the combined efforts of cultural, governmental and diplomatic organisations could drive transformative change.
Ojukwu, while responding to questions from the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, expressed concern on the state of Nigerian embassies across the globe.
“As a former 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.
“With the recruiting and training of officers, we conducted a massive preservation of works, not just the mission building itself, giving Nigeria a name that is truly deserving of a designation of outstanding.
“The Nigerian Embassy in Madrid that you see today is the product of my time in that country.
“Today, the Nigerian Embassy in Spain is magnificent. The building was not only that, the residence of the ambassador was also given a facelift”
