Bianca was screened and confirmed as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs by the Senate on Wednesday.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, cautioned one of his colleagues, Senator Osita Ngwu, for complimenting Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s beauty during a ministerial screening on the floor of the upper legislative chamber.
On Wednesday, October 30, 2024, the Senate screened and subsequently confirmed the appointment of Odumegwu-Ojukwu and six other ministerial nominees sent by President Bola Tinubu.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, a former beauty queen, appeared before the lawmakers in a colourful gown to be screened for the post of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
She had read her credentials before the red chamber and was subsequently quizzed by the lawmakers.
When Akpabio opened the floor for questions, Ngwu, the Senator representing Enugu West District in the 10th National Assembly, started by showering Bianca praises over her beauty to which he was quickly rebuked by the Senate President.
“Mr President, the beautiful nominee standing before us,” the lawmaker said.
“Restrict yourself to the resume. Forget this word beautiful,” she didn’t put in the CV that she is beautiful,” Akpabio interjected jocularly.
The ensuing conversation between the Senate President and Ngwu caused a ripple of laughter among Senators before the latter proceeded to laud the nominee’s profile and competence.
For his part, Enyinnaya Abaribe, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Senator representing Abia South District, noted that Odumegwu-Ojukwu's competence and ability to deliver were never in doubt.
He also praised Tinubu for nominating the “mother” of PGA as a minister. “Bringing an APGA person to be a minister has already started a unity government and national integration,” Abaribe said.
Bianca recalls experience in Spain
For her part, the minister recalled her experience as Nigeria's ambassador to Spain, detailing how she was forced to live in a hotel for a year due to the deplorable state of the Nigerian embassy in the European country.
The former beauty queen narrated how she met the embassy in a dilapidated state, which didn't align with Nigeria's image abroad and how the experience motivated her to champion an extensive refurbishment project.
“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 said.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed that the building's condition was particularly embarrassing given its proximity to the iconic Santiago Bernabeu, the home ground of Real Madrid football club.
“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 added.