During a recent Senate session in Nigeria, an unusual moment occurred when Senate President Godswill Akpabio had to step in to maintain focus during the ministerial screening of Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
Ojukwu, who is a former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain and a nominee for the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs position, was one of several candidates undergoing screening for government roles.
When it was her turn to present, she showcased her credentials and discussed her experience, yet the session took an unexpected turn as a senator chose to compliment her appearance.
Senator Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West in the 10th National Assembly, expressed his admiration for Ojukwu’s looks as he began his comments.
“Mr. President, the beautiful nominee before us today is…,” Ngwu remarked, sparking reactions from other members of the assembly.
However, Senate President Akpabio was quick to intervene, reminding Ngwu to keep the focus on Ojukwu’s qualifications, saying, “Stick to the resume. She didn’t include ‘beautiful’ in her CV.” This light-hearted response led to laughter across the room but redirected the conversation back to the professional assessment.
Throughout her screening, Ojukwu emphasized the significance of peace and unity for Nigeria’s progress. She elaborated on how her diplomatic experience could aid Nigeria, stressing that strong cultural and diplomatic relationships are essential to fostering national growth.
“As a former 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.
“With the recruiting and training of officers, we conducted a massive preservation of works, not just the mission building itself, giving Nigeria a name that is truly deserving of a designation of outstanding.
“The Nigerian Embassy in Madrid that you see today is the product of my time in that country.
“Today, the Nigerian Embassy in Spain is magnificent. The building was not only that, the residence of the ambassador was also given a facelift”
