During her Senate screening on Wednesday, ministerial nominee Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu claimed that she spent a year living in a hotel due to the poor state of the Nigerian embassy in Madrid as the country’s ambassador to Spain.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, nominated by President Bola Tinubu for the role of Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, said that the building’s ruin was particularly embarrassing given its location.
According to her, she led an extensive refurbishment to improve embassy facilities.
“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.”
“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.
“The Nigerian embassy in Madrid that you see today is the product of my time in that country.”
Speaking on the financial difficulties many Nigerian embassies face globally, she noted that limited funding often prevents ambassadors from carrying out essential maintenance.
“It is unfortunate because a lot of embassies are going through this, and it has, to a large extent, diminished our standing around the world,” she said, urging the government to prioritise embassy upkeep under the current administration.
Following her statement, the Senate asked Odumegwu-Ojukwu to “take a bow and go.” She is one of seven ministerial nominees currently undergoing screening by the Red Chamber.
