Latest news with #BiancaOdumegwuOjukwu
Zawya
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Mahama Calms Nigerians' Fears: No Mass Deportations, ‘Storm in a Teacup' Over Viral Video
President John Dramani Mahama has moved to calm fears among Nigerian nationals residing in Ghana and their government, assuring a special envoy dispatched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that there will be no mass deportations. During a courtesy call from Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who is Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, President Mahama assured that Ghana has no intention of resorting to mass expulsions, emphasising the shared history and inter-dependence of the two countries. He reaffirmed Ghana's commitment to ECOWAS protocols, dismissing any anxieties in Nigeria over any potential mass deportation of its citizens from Ghana following the emergence of a viral video. Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu conveyed the 'anxieties' of the Nigerian people and government, citing the viral video, widespread apprehension of mass deportations, and fears of shops belonging to Nigerian traders being burned. The concerns, she noted, have led to emergency sessions in Nigeria's National Assembly and traditional rulers instructing relatives in Ghana to return home. President Mahama acknowledged the historical relations between Ghana and Nigeria, describing them as 'siblings of the same parents, and so our destinies are joined together.' He invoked past unfortunate incidents of mass deportations in both countries—Ghana in the 1960s and Nigeria in the 1980s—, stating, 'I think that that is a part of our past, and it's an unfortunate past that we want to put behind us, and I believe that none of our two countries should mass deport our citizens ever again.' 'We are members of the ECOWAS, and we have the ECOWAS protocol that allows our citizens to travel freely between our countries.' He also clarified that, although there have been isolated incidents and some individuals involved in criminal activity, such cases are addressed through proper legal procedures, not through collective punishment or mass expulsion. He stated that foreign residents in Ghana who engage in criminal activities shall be held individually liable and sanctioned. President Mahama traced the recent tensions to the resurfacing of a 2013 video featuring an 'Igbo king' discussing land acquisition for a kingdom, which was widely misinterpreted as a recent development. He dismissed this as 'a bit of a storm in a teacup,' assuring the Nigerian delegation that Ghanaian law governs the establishment of traditional councils, making such external claims impossible. Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu commended President Mahama for de-escalating a potentially volatile situation, noting that the initial fears of widespread unrest upon their arrival in Accra proved unfounded. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.
Zawya
30-05-2025
- General
- Zawya
Afri Diplomat to host ‘The Summit of Women in Global Diplomacy' in Abuja
The Pan-African magazine that spotlights the diplomatic missions of African nations within Africa and diaspora, Afri Diplomat ( has concluded plans to host women of African descent in global diplomacy at Fraser Suites Abuja, on the 5th of July, 2025. The summit which is an advancement of its 'Women In Diplomacy' edition recently released with 'Power List 50 Women In Global Diplomacy', will be held under the theme 'Deepening Inclusive Diplomacy'. The event will serve as conversational convergence and platform for formal recognition of purposely and meritoriously selected honorees of 'Power List 50 Women of African Descent In Global Diplomacy'. Some of the honorees of Nigerian extract include Amb. Judith Seffi Attah; first female permanent secretary of the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs, lifetime envoy of UNESCO and first Minister of Women Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Foreign Affairs for States, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; DG of World Trade Organization, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Dr. Amina J Mohammed; Deputy Secretary General of United Nations, Ms. Adefunke Adeyemi; Secretary General of African Civil Aviation Commission, Zuriel Oduwole; Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. Some of the women of African descent from other parts of Africa, on the Power List are Ms. Dagmawit Moges Bekele; Former Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa, Minister of Transportation and current DG of African Union Peace Fund (Ethiopian), H.E. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey(Ghanaian); former Minister of Foreign Affairs Ghana and current Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, H.E. Mia Motley; Prime Minister of Barbados, Lerato M. Mataboge (South African); African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure&Energy, Dr. Marit Kitaw; Interim Director of AU's African Minerals Development Centre, H.E. President Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah; Former Foreign Minister and First Female President of Namibia, H.E. Epsy Campbell Barr; First Black VP of Costa Rica&UN IDFPAD Chairperson, Dr. Condolezza Rice; First Female National Security Adviser&First African American Secretary of State, Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi; Deputy Chairperson of African Union, Kamina Johnson Smith; First Female Foreign Minister of Jamaica etc. The event is expected to be headlined by H.E. Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, The Minister of Foreign Affairs for States and H.E. Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the Honorable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. According to organizers, the summit will recognize and celebrate the difference women make in the field of diplomacy. It will be advocacy platform for stressing the need for inclusion of more women in key decision making positions. 'To put things in perspective and without having to travel far, there are more than a hundred foreign ambassadors on foreign missions to Nigeria, but only 8 of them are women. This goes to show the need for some gender balancing act in the world of diplomacy. This is why we are doing this', Sòókò Deji Ajomale-McWord, Editor-In-Chief said while explaining the rationale behind the event. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afri Diplomat. About Afri Diplomat: Afri Diplomat is a 3-year old multimedia that amplifies the diplomatic missions of African nations and their diaspora. It is published by Diplomacy Publishing&Events, organizers of The Diplomatic Games Week and The Trade Relations Cup/The Trade Commissioners' Summit&Exhibition. Afri Diplomat is accredited by Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs while The Diplomatic Games Week has the endorsement of the ministry.
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Nigeria give time first batch of deportees from Trump US go land and oda details about di process
Di Nigeria goment don announce say di first batch of Nigerians wey di US goment don deport, go arrive Nigeria dis Monday, 17. February 2025. Dis na according to Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for one post wey she make on social media. Ojukwu say she meet wit di United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr, and she highlight di concern of di Nigeria goment about di decision of President Donald Trump to deport many Nigerians back to di kontri. "As at now, na about 201 Nigerians currently dey detained for US immigration centres, and about 85 (of dem don dey) cleared for deportation. Di figure dey expected to rise sharply," Madam Ojukwu tok. For her discussion wit di US ambassador, Ojukwu tok say she maintain say "dis deportations, particularly for individuals wey no get history of violent crime, no suppose dey traumatic or sudden and say di individuals need to dey given enough time to handle dia assets rather dan say dem go just bundle dem enta planes and repatriate dem". "Di forced removals of our citizens from US soil must dey in compliance wit internationally prescribed guidelines and established protocols in dis regard and a more humane process supposed dey followed," Ojukwu tok. She tok say di ambassador give am im word say "di repatriations go dey done wit dignity and respect for human rights". At least, ova 3,000 Nigerians wey no get legal documents to stay for America dey face risk of deportation, according to one document wey Fox News get from di United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE). Fox News bin report on Tuesday 28 January, 2025 say di Nigerian immigrants don dey ICE non-detained docket wit final orders of removal since November, 2024. Reports say Nigeria na di second highest number of citizens wey dey scheduled for deportation for Africa, followed by Somalia, Ghana, Senegal, among odas. We dey update dis tori.
