Onoh defends Bianca Ojukwu’s Ethiopia prison visit

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…Responds to Ojudu’s Criticism

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By Denis Agbo
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.

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A video circulating online showed the Minister interacting in a cheerful manner with the inmates, an action Ojudu questioned in a public statement.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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He said the Minister’s interaction with the inmates was not a celebration of criminality but a demonstration of empathy and advocacy. He noted that some of the prisoners had spent years in custody and witnessed deaths, and that relief at the prospect of returning home was a natural human response.

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“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.

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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.

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He disagreed with Ojudu’s concerns about the message to law-abiding citizens and victims of crime, pointing out that governments worldwide, including the United States, United Kingdom, and EU nations, routinely facilitate prisoner transfers.

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“Effective diplomacy is results-oriented. Ambassador Ojukwu delivered a tangible outcome: repatriation for over 100 Nigerians,” Onoh said.

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He added that the action aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda and its 4-D foreign policy, which emphasizes citizen diplomacy.

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Onoh also referenced the legacy of the late Chief C.C. Onoh, Bianca’s father and former Governor of old Anambra State, who he said often interacted directly with citizens, a trait he described as an example of humility in public service.

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“Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the Tinubu administration deserve commendation for prioritising Nigerian lives. Nigeria is moving forward,” Onoh stated.

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