“We have one hundred and sixty million people. If two million are on the streets, then that means one hundred and fifty-eight million are in their homes.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, dismissing the recent protests in Nigeria as being of no consequence as “it was not half as bad as the media portrayed it”. She spoke to Vera Ezimora, one of the Nigerians in Maryland, USA who was present at the World Bank and IMF protests recently.
Ms. Onwuliri had met some Nigerians at the Agama Kitchen International Restaurant in Bladensburg, Maryland a suburb of Washington for a “Town Hall Meeting.”
While I’m not putting a hard-working Nigerian who runs Agama Kitchen International Restaurant down by the way, would a so-called “Town Meeting” to be held by Nigeria’s Information Minister for a huge megalopolis like the Baltimore-Washington area that is home to – perhaps over a hundred thousand Nigerians or even more – have been better held at a larger, better and more befitting location, say, the University of Maryland or the Marriot at Greenbelt or any of many possible locations that abound in Prince George’s County, if that’s the location that the Professor wanted.
And to have Nigeria’s Foreign Minister hold a “Town Meeting” that was not widely known to most Nigerians in the area at a particularly turbulent time for the country and in a location that can sit not many people makes one wonder what kind of report Madam Professor turned in AS WELL AS the cost of the trip to Nigerian government.
In telling Nigeria’s story – true and distorted versions – Nigeria’s top government officials always seem to be adept at putting the country’s ugly face forward – for reasons best known to them.
Just a thought. Thanks, Ms. Ezimora and thanks as always to SR.
Those who attended got to feast on Heineken, goat meat … Read the full report at http://saharareporters.com/article/my-meeting-professor-viola-onwuliri-minister-foreign-affairs.
Vera Ezimora, in Sahara Reporters, January 19, 2012 – 18:32
TOLA ADENLE.