Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu recounted her challenging tenure as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain during her Senate screening on Wednesday.
The ministerial nominee revealed that she was compelled to live in a hotel for an entire year due to the embassy’s dilapidated state in Madrid.
Recall that president Bola Tinubu nominated Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu as the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs.
During her Senate screening on Wednesday, she elaborated on how the embassy’s deteriorating condition was inconsistent with Nigeria’s image on the global stage.
This disrepair not only affected her work but also inspired her to spearhead a comprehensive refurbishment project aimed at restoring the embassy to a standard that truly reflects Nigeria’s dignity and status abroad.
Bianca said, “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.”
She recounted that the building’s ruin was particularly embarrassing given its location.
“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,” she stated.
Speaking further, Bianca said “The Nigerian embassy in Madrid that you see today is the product of my time in that country,” she said, noting that her focus was to restore Nigeria’s image to one that “truly deserves a designation of outstanding.”
She added, “In most missions, because of no more funding, most ambassadors are constrained when it comes to carrying out refurbishments.”
This shortage of funds, she said, ”prevents embassies from showcasing Nigeria’s stature, impacting the country’s standing on the global stage.
“It is unfortunate because a lot of embassies are going through this situation, and it has, to a large extent, diminished our standing around the world,” she added.
After her response, she was thereafter asked to take a bow and go.
