Elder statesman and President of Osisioma Foundation, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has said that the membership of Lady Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu in President Bola Tinubu’s federal cabinet has many significations for Igbo.
Mrs. Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who was among the seven new cabinet ministers sworn into office by President Tinubu, is now the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
In a statement made available to journalists, Monday, Obidigbo disagreed with those who suggested that the widow of the late Igbo leader, Dim Emeka Ojukwu, should have rejected the appointment.
He contended that although the former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain does not belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has continued to marginalise Igbo in federal appointments, Mrs. Ojukwu parades impeccable credentials needed for nation building.
On concerns raised by those who expressed reservations over the appointment, Obidigbo said that as the wife of a man who stood as the beacon of Biafra, the Minister should know that any attempt to use her to douse secessionist agitations or protest against Igbo marginalisation will fail.
According to the Osisioma Foundation boss, “Lady Bianca Ojukwu’s appointment was strictly on merit and based on her strength of character, superb comportment and broad experience in international diplomacy.”
While arguing that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs would bring her wealth of experience and worldwide contacts to bear on her current assignment, Obidigbo declared: “It is clear that hers is actually a call to serve.
“I fully support her acceptance of the appointment despite the fact that the current APC Federal Government has continued from where General Muhammadu Buhari stopped to mistreat Igbo.
“Lady Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s ministerial appointment has a lot of significance both for the Igbo and Nigeria at large. Her appointment shows that Igbo have quality personnel that could help to turn around Nigeria’s current deplorable situation.
“As the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, that modest position is a rebuke to successive political leadership in Anambra State that feel reluctant to unleash the potentials of women for socio-economic development based on flimsy cultural considerations.
“Finally, I am confident that the Minister of State’s appointment would help to add her views to discussions about the circumstances that propel secessionist agitation among Igbo youth.
“Mrs. Ojukwu’s current position will put her in prime spot to also share perspectives on how to reach a common ground on the prolonged dubious incarceration of the leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the international community.
“However, if she discovers that her appointment was specifically to sabotage Igbo unity and interest, she should remember whose daughter and wife she is and respectfully bow out to retain her dignity and immense clout.”
While congratulating the Minister of State on her appointment and eventual swearing in to office, Obidigbo noted that dousing the insecurity and agitations within the Southeast geopolitical zone should feature prominently in the ongoing peace building efforts.
“However, I wish to also remind my friend, President Tinubu, to take another look at the skewed ministerial appointment which has left Southeast with less than it deserves in the stature and designation of officials from the zone.
“It is appalling and a blatant show of disdain that out of a huge list of 48 ministers, the Southeast could only be allotted just two Ministries- Science and Technology and Works. Having selected three women from the zone into his cabinet, President Tinubu should have considered one of them as substantive senior minister,” the elder statesman stated.
