Former Southeast spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Josef Onoh, has responded to Babafemi Ojudu's criticism of Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, over her recent visit to Nigerian inmates in an Ethiopian prison.
Onoh's Response to Ojudu's Criticism
A video circulating online showed the minister interacting in a cheerful manner with the inmates, an action Ojudu questioned in a public statement. Onoh, who chairs the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, said Ojudu's remarks overshadowed what he described as a diplomatic achievement.
In a statement issued to journalists on Monday, Onoh said the minister's engagement with the inmates should be viewed as part of citizen-centred diplomacy. "It was with disappointment that I read Ojudu's comments concerning the diplomatic engagement of Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, during her visit to Ethiopian prisons," Onoh said.
Diplomatic Achievement: Prisoner Transfer Agreement
Onoh argued that the signing of the bilateral Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and Ethiopia was a significant act of statecraft that previous administrations had not secured until the Tinubu administration. He said the minister's interaction with the inmates was not a celebration of criminality but a demonstration of empathy and advocacy, noting that some of the prisoners had spent years in custody and witnessed deaths, making relief at the prospect of returning home a natural human response.
"Nigerian prisoners, some of whom had languished for years and witnessed deaths in custody, were finally seeing a path home. Joy, relief, and cultural expression in that context are natural human responses," Onoh said.
Rehabilitation and Consular Protection
Onoh acknowledged that prisons serve the purposes of punishment and rehabilitation, but stressed that the inmates remain Nigerian citizens entitled to consular protection. He said the minister's presence and the agreement support rehabilitation by bringing the prisoners closer to their families and legal processes at home.
He disagreed with Ojudu's concerns about the message it sends to law-abiding citizens and victims of crime, noting that governments worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and European Union nations, routinely facilitate prisoner transfers. "Effective diplomacy is results-oriented. Ambassador Ojukwu delivered a tangible outcome: repatriation for over 100 Nigerians," Onoh said.
Alignment with Tinubu's Foreign Policy
He added that the action aligns with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda and its 4-D foreign policy, which emphasises citizen diplomacy. Onoh also referenced the legacy of the late Chief C.C. Onoh, Bianca's father and former governor of old Anambra State, whom he said often interacted directly with citizens, describing it as an example of humility in public service.
"Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the Tinubu administration deserve commendation for prioritising Nigerian lives. Nigeria is moving forward," Onoh stated.
