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Tag: Bianca Ojukwu

  • Nigerians must go ‘wahala’: Bianca Ojukwu meets with Ghana’s Foreign minister

    Nigerians must go ‘wahala’: Bianca Ojukwu meets with Ghana’s Foreign minister

    Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, has met with Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Ablakwa, to tackle the recent wave of protests targeting Nigerians living in Ghana.

    In a statement shared on her official social media account on Thursday, Ojukwu disclosed that the meeting focused on concerns arising from the demonstrations, where some Ghanaian citizens accused Nigerians of contributing to rising crime levels.

    “Meeting with the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Hon. Samuel Ablakwa, to address the situation of Nigeria-Ghana citizens’ relations in the aftermath of protests against Nigerians living in Ghana,” she wrote.

    She added, “The Minister assured that the lives, properties and businesses of Nigeria and Nigerians living in Ghana are safe and protected, and that there is certainly no threat of mass deportations of our nationals residing in Ghana.”

    Ojukwu’s meeting with the Ghanaian Foreign Minister comes just a day after she revealed, also via an Instagram post, that she had arrived in Accra at 9:30 p.m. and was received at the Kotoka International Airport by the Inspector-General of Police of Ghana.

    READ ALSO: [Ghana Protests] FG Calls For Calm, Faults ‘Blanket’ Generalisation Of Nigerians

    She noted that the Federal Government of Nigeria is exploring all avenues to bring a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, which stems from widespread protests in Ghana against Nigerian nationals following repeated incidents of criminal activities blamed on foreign residents.

    The protests, which were captured in a viral video, showed demonstrators calling on Ghanaian authorities to expel Nigerians over alleged misconduct.

    In response, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on Tuesday urged calm and condemned the generalisation of Nigerians as criminals. NiDCOM Chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the accusations as unfair and misleading.

    “Nigerians are not criminals. They are good ambassadors wherever they find themselves, while those bad ones should be fished out to face necessary sanctions,” Dabiri-Erewa stated in a release issued by the agency’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

    She appealed to both Nigerians and Ghanaians to avoid inflammatory remarks that could escalate tensions, stressing that there was no verified evidence of attacks on Nigerian-owned shops or properties in Ghana.

    “There is no evidence to that, and we must at all cost try to prevent any reprisal attacks,” she said.

    Dabiri-Erewa also reassured the Nigerian community in Ghana that the relevant authorities were actively addressing the matter. “We urge our citizens not to be provoked or resort to violence,” she added.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, Senator Aniekan Bassey, described the protests as “deeply disturbing and contrary to the spirit of African brotherhood.”

    In a statement issued on Tuesday, Senator Bassey — also a member of the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament — called for sustained diplomatic engagement and regional cooperation.

  • Bianca Ojukwu reveals what really happened during Peter Obi’s encounter with Tinubu in Rome

    Bianca Ojukwu reveals what really happened during Peter Obi’s encounter with Tinubu in Rome

    Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has offered clarity on the much-discussed meeting between former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Vatican.

    In a Facebook post titled “The Inside Story: How It All Went Down in Rome,” published on May 22, 2025, Bianca recounted the events during the installation mass of Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter’s Basilica. According to her, after spotting Obi and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi already seated, she went over to greet them. The pair then chose to accompany her to pay their respects to the President.

    “The President welcomed them warmly and with good humor. After the brief exchange, they both returned to their seats. Thankfully, this time there was no ‘Scusi’ moment like during Pope Francis’ funeral mass, where a priest had to call politicians to order. Everything went smoothly and respectfully,” she wrote.

    Bianca criticized the overblown reaction on social media, saying the simple gesture of greeting the President—an elder and national leader—had been unnecessarily politicized and misinterpreted.

    “I was honestly surprised by the uproar. A polite greeting, deeply rooted in African tradition, has been twisted into political drama. Many just wanted to create a mountain out of a molehill. Let’s all calm down,” she urged.

    Bianca praised the Vatican event as a unifying experience and emphasized the symbolic importance of a Muslim president attending a significant Catholic mass—a moment she said showcased religious harmony and coexistence.

    She also spoke admiringly of President Tinubu’s composure and endurance throughout the hours-long mass under the hot sun, noting that he refused offers of a sunshade and remained engaged throughout the ceremony. After the mass, Tinubu took time to interact warmly with Nigerian priests and seminarians, posing for selfies and greeting everyone who approached him.

    Bianca humorously noted that Tinubu’s stylish appearance in a Western suit made a strong impression, as many Nigerians are more accustomed to seeing him in traditional attire.

    Reflecting on the overall experience, she shared a personal anecdote about someone fainting from the heat during the mass and praised Seyi Tinubu for rushing to help with water before emergency services arrived—contrasting the quiet compassion of the moment with the trend of recording distress situations for social media.

    She concluded her post by highlighting the dignity and discipline of the Nigerian delegation, the spiritual weight of the occasion, and her own excitement at capturing key moments with her phone camera.

    “Vatican ’25 has been a profound experience. I feel truly blessed to have witnessed such a historic moment,” she wrote, signing off with a nod to the famous music video credit: “Ms B shot it!”

  • How I became homeless after participating in ‘most beautiful girl in Nigeria’ pageant – Bianca Ojukwu

    How I became homeless after participating in ‘most beautiful girl in Nigeria’ pageant – Bianca Ojukwu

    Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has recounted how she was homeless for one month after participating in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria’ pageantry.

    The minister while speaking at the Nigerian Women’s Day on the sidelines of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations headquarters in New York, disclosed that she could not go back home after the pageantry because her father was furious with her.

    Ojukwu also spoke about how she almost abandoned her law programme at the University of Nigeria,(UNN) when she started making money as a beauty queen.

    She stated that she did not allow her privileged background to distract her as a young lady.

    Ojukwu said, “I started off really as a young girl wanting to see the world. I remember sitting in the common room with other young girls always in those days, we would be watching top of the box, the music videos, Miss World, Miss Universe, and always quite impressed with the exotic backdrops more than anything. I just wanted to travel and see the world, and what was the best way of doing that, if not going into a pageant? So, I started my journey of going first into a certain pageant, which I won but as a student I couldn’t take the offer that came which included a one-year modelling contract in Tokyo. Of course, my parents didn’t know. They didn’t send me to school to go and take part in a pageant, so, I had to give that up. Until when I now took part in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, which rendered me homeless for one month because naturally African fathers, my father was livid with rage. But I guess after I had won other pageantries like Miss Africa, Miss Intercontinental and so forth, he had to come to terms with it.

    “But the point I’m making is this, one of the hardest things is, when you start earning money quite early, the biggest temptation would be to leave school. By the time I was earning my own money, I was a law student living in the hostel with about six other students with no water, nothing, and then, going back to school to finish my education as a lawyer was quite challenging. But that was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. I think young women need to understand the power of education,” she advised

    The minister, whose father was a governor in Nigeria, recounted that she moved into advocacy from pageantry, having founded a nongovernmental organisation called Hope House Trust.

  • Bianca Ojukwu reacts to viral video of former Anambra first lady, Ebele Obiano clashing with passenger on US flight

    Bianca Ojukwu reacts to viral video of former Anambra first lady, Ebele Obiano clashing with passenger on US flight

    The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has reacted to a video of former First Lady of Anambra State, Ebele Obiano, having an altercation with a fellow passenger on the airplane.

    TheNewsGurus reports that a viral footage captured the moment Ebelechukwu was having a heated argument with a passenger who appears to be a Caucasian male.

    It is uncertain what led to the heated argument, but Ebele was seen lambasting the passenger and insisting she was not leaving the way.

    Reacting, the minister via Instagram said: “Again??? All aircraft flying out of Houston should be mandated to operate mini pharmacies where somebody can buy Biancemycin tablets because some people can never change.”

    TNG recalls that Bianca Ojukwu during the inauguration of Charles Soludo as the sixth elected governor of Anambra State slapped Ebelechukwu, the wife of former Governor Willie Obiano.

    The scuffle between the two women drew the attention of security agents and some guests who rushed in to separate them.

    The incident temporarily disrupted activities at the ceremony.

  • Again, Tinubu’s minister, Bianca Ojukwu bags 10th chieftaincy title (video)

    Again, Tinubu’s minister, Bianca Ojukwu bags 10th chieftaincy title (video)

    The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu has been conferred with chieftaincy title,  in her home community.

    TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) understands that this will be the 10th chieftaincy title held by the wife of the late Odumegwu Ojukwu.

    The widow of Biafra leader was honored on Saturday by Igwe Kenneth Orizu of Nnewi ancient kingdom.

    The minister via her Instagram page, posted the video on Sunday revealing the traditional title to be “Aka Ekpuchi Onwa”.

    She wrote: “On 28th December 2024 my 10th traditional title was conferred upon me by His Royal Highness, Igwe Kenneth Orizu of Nnewi Ancient Kingdom.

    “And it is ‘AKA EKPUCHI ONWA’. No human hands can cover or obscure the illumination or brightness of the moon.

    “Only God has the final say in our destiny. It may be delayed, but never denied. So it is written, So may it always be, Amen.”

    Watch video below;

     

  • Tinubu’s Minister, Bianca Ojukwu appeals for Nnamdi Kanu’s release

    Tinubu’s Minister, Bianca Ojukwu appeals for Nnamdi Kanu’s release

    The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, has appealed to the Federal Government to release the Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. Kanu, who has been in the DSS custody since 2021, is being tried for alleged treason.

    The wife of the late Odumegwu Ojukwu made the call in a speech at the 13th Memorial Anniversary of her husband, held on Tuesday in Owerri, with the theme, “Unifying the Igbo Race”

    She advised the people of the South-East to look inwards and appraise the Igbo race that made them who they are. The former Miss Intercontinental title holder admonished them to be their brother’s keeper and love one another.

    “In the olden days, we have Igbo unions in places like Kano, Lagos and Kaduna, among others, where the people discuss matters affecting them and how they are going to be in unity and assist one another.

    “Today, we are celebrating Chief Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu our uncommon man, a man who stood for peace and equality for every person,” she said.

    She expressed dissatisfaction that the peaceful atmosphere, which Igboland was known for no longer  obtained in the region.

    “There are so many killings, unrest and kidnappings going on today in the region, which is not how it used to be,” Ojukwu said.

    She regretted that, presently, many people from the region could not go home again to bury their dead or give their children out to marriage due to the  spate of unrest and insecurity.

    She urged the people perpetrating this evil act in the region to desist from it and embrace peace. She argued that some of the perpetrators were from the region and urged them to allow peace to reign.

    She condemned the act of killing people in the region “in the name of sit-at-home directive from non-state actors”. She further expressed regret that this was not what her husband stood for.

    “Many people from the South-East have left the region for other cities, like Lagos and other places, due to the spate of insecurity in the area.

    “I was saddened when I went to America and one Igbo person met me and told me that they are making donations in America to buy burial ground to bury their dead relations as insecurity in the region doesn’t allow them to come home to bury their dead ones or give their children in marriage,” she said.

    Ojukwu said that the release of Kanu would help to ensure total restoration of peace in Igboland. According to her, if Kanu  is released, it will fasttrack development in the region.

    In a speech, the organiser of the event, Chief Raph Uwazuruike, urged the Federal Government to release Kanu.

    Uwazuruike, who is the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, opined that Kanu’s release would help the region to experience peace again.

    He said that the memorial service was to commorate Ikemba’s legacies, adding that “all the good things he stood for would not be forgotten”.

    The Guest Speaker at the event, Prof. Protus Uzorma, said that the late Igbo leader “solidified the Igboland and made it to be a peaceful place until his death”.

    Uzorma called on all Igbo to unite, adding that with peace in the region development would be assured.

    He described the evil currently happening in the region as a new phenomenon, which was not part of the things the Igbo were known for.

    He said that Igbo people were peaceful, loving, enterprising and assisting one another before the killings, unrest and kidnappings erupted in the region. He urged those behind the ugly situation to stop forthwith in order for peace to reign.

  • Screening: Bianca Ojukwu tells Senate “our embassies are dilipadated, portrays bad image for Nig

    Screening: Bianca Ojukwu tells Senate “our embassies are dilipadated, portrays bad image for Nig

    Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, nominated by President Bola Tinubu as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, narrated her experiences as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain during her Senate screening.

    She revealed the challenges she faced, including living in a hotel for a year due to the poor condition of the Nigerian embassy in Madrid.

    Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concern that the embassy’s dilapidated state did not reflect Nigeria’s image abroad.

    She began an extensive refurbishment project aimed at restoring both the embassy and the ambassador’s residence.

    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.

    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.

    Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that she took immediate steps to address the issues, organising significant repairs and preservation efforts to overhaul not only the mission building but also the ambassador’s residence and other Nigerian-owned properties in Spain.

    “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 also highlighted the ongoing challenges Nigerian embassies face worldwide due to limited funding, which often constrains ambassadors in performing much-needed maintenance.

    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.

    Emphasising the importance of respectable diplomatic representations, Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged the Nigerian government to prioritize embassy maintenance under the current administration.

    She cited the nation’s foreign policy objectives of promoting democracy, development, and the Nigerian diaspora as critical areas that require embassies with dignified facilities.

    “This is something that the government, under this president, should look into,” she said, pointing out that embassies often host international delegations, study tours, and exchanges, making respectable surroundings crucial.

    “It is imperative that when you are in those exchanges, you meet your patrons and colleagues in environments that reflect Nigeria’s true standing,” she said, concluding her remarks with a plea for urgent intervention.

    After her response, she was thereafter asked to take a bow and go.

    Bianca is one of the seven ministerial nominees currently being screened by the Red Chamber.

  • Just in: Bianca Ojukwu, Jumoke, six others make Tinubu’s fresh ministerial list

    Just in: Bianca Ojukwu, Jumoke, six others make Tinubu’s fresh ministerial list

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate implementation of eight far-reaching actions to reinvigorate the Administration’s capacity for optimal efficiency pursuant of his commitment to deliver on his promises to Nigerians.

    The eight actions approved by Mr. President include:
    1. The renaming of the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development to Ministry
    of Regional Development to oversee the activities of all the Regional Development Commissions. The Regional Development Commissions to be under the supervision of the new Ministry are; the Niger Delta Development Commission, the South East Development
    Commission, the North East Development and the North West Development Commission.

    2. The immediate winding up of the Ministry of Sports Development and the transfer of its functions to the National Sports Commission in order to develop a vibrant sports economy;

    3. The merger of the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to become Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy;
    4. The re-assignment of ten (10) ministers to new ministerial portfolios;
    5. The discharge of five (5) Ministers.
    6. The nomination of seven (7) new ministers for onward transmission
    to Senate for confirmation;
    7. The appointment of Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports
    Commission;
    8. The appointment of Sunday Akin Dare as Special Adviser to the
    President on Public Communication and Orientation working from the
    Ministry of Information and National Orientation

    LIST OF MINISTERS REASSIGNED TO NEW PORTFOLIOS ARE AS
    FOLLOWS:

  • What you need to know about Bianca Ojukwu, the new Minister of state, foreign affairs

    What you need to know about Bianca Ojukwu, the new Minister of state, foreign affairs

    President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday during the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, appointed seven new ministers to his cabinet for onward transmission to the Senate for confirmation.

    Among the new ministers is Bianca Odinakachukwu Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the widow of former Biafra president Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

    The President, also sacked five ministers in his cabinet

    Below are important things to know about Bianca Ojukwu:

    Bianca Odinakachukwu Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu was born 5 August 1968 and the widow of former Biafra warlord, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

    She has three children with her late husband Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

    Bianca is a multiple international pageant titleholder, having won Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Miss Africa, and Miss Intercontinental.

    Bianca was formerly a presidential advisor and once Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana and Spain.

    She is the sixth child of former Governor of the old Anambra State, Christian Onoh

    Former president Goodluck Jonathan, In 2011 appointed her as the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs.

    In 2016, Bianca received a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy.

  • Ojukwu clarifies ‘Anambra mass grave’

    Ojukwu clarifies ‘Anambra mass grave’

    Amb. Bianca Ojukwu on Thursday in Awka refuted a report that a mass grave with 322 corpses had been found in Anambra.

    A Nov. 7 report in some sections of the media quoted a Nov. 6 post on the Facebook page of Ojukwu, Secretary to the Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC), as the source of the story.

    “The former Nigerian ambassador to Spain did not disclose the exact area the grave site is located.

    “She said, however, that the discovery of the grave site was made through testimonies by witnesses who appeared before the ATJPC,’’ the report stated.

    In her reaction on Thursday, however, Ojukwu described the report as misleading.

    She explained that a suspected mass grave was discovered and sealed off for forensic investigation, but the number of persons buried there was not yet ascertained.

    She stated that 322 persons were verified killed or dead as a result of violence within Anambra in the course of the Commission’s sittings, as testified by witnesses who appeared before it.

    She added that many persons remained unaccounted for while 18 persons were identified as missing or having disappeared.

    “The attention of the ATJPC has been drawn to certain misleading news reports pertaining to the mass grave site in Anambra following the second phase of public hearings which took place from October to November.

    “Three hundred-and-thirty-two bodies were not recovered from the grave site as has been erroneously reported by some sections of the media.

    “This figure represents the number of persons verified as killed or dead as a result of violence within Anambra.

    “The number of bodies contained within this site is yet to be ascertained, and can only be known after a painstaking process of forensic investigation, hence the site has been sealed off,’’ Ojukwu stated.

    She added that the ATJPC urged all those whose relatives; loved ones or friends were missing to file a report with the newly-established Bureau of Missing Persons domiciled within the Ministry of Justice.