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Bianca Ojukwu gets The Most Outstanding African
Ambassador Award
By Uchendu Onuoha / Special
Correspondent, Spain
Once a winner always a winner, and a star cannot be
shielded from its lights. Ambassador Bianca Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu is like the
Northern star whose light remains constant from her position in the firmament.
Bianca’s star and winning streaks continues to follow her wherever she goes.
Initially, her appointment as a non-career diplomat was received
with mixed feelings in some certain quarters. But according to Shakespeare,
“the fault, dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are
underlings.” Today, the stone, which the builders rejected has become the
corner stone of the house. Bianca Ojukwu like a Trojan went to Spain, saw and
conquered. And her accomplishments have proved that one does not need to
acquire all the qualifications in the world before you become a successful and
good leader.
On October 17, 2014, she was honoured with the prestigious award
of, African Most Outstanding Ambassador in the Diaspora 2014, in The
Netherlands by the Voice of Achievers.
The Voice Magazine Annual Award ceremony is one of the most
prestigious and highly rated awards in Europe used to recognise and honour
African achievers and friends of Africa who have distinguished themselves in
their areas of calling for the advancement of their countries, Africa and humanity
at large.
This year’s event, which was held at Hotel Almere, in the city
of Almere in The Netherlands, was used to give various awards to deserving
Africans and Nigerians. Among them were Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Chief Peter
Obi, former governor of Anambra State, who received award as Personality of the
year 2014, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Nigeria, Dr. Abdullahi
Dikko, the Comptroller General of Customs in Nigeria, Chief Joop Berkhout, and
Chairman/CEO. Spectrum Books, among others.
Among former recipients of the award are President Olusegun
Obasanjo, Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, Sierra Leone President,
Ernest Bai Koroma among others.
Ambassador Ojukwu whose presence dominates and arrests her
environment wherever she enters, was the cynosure of all eyes as all guests
were falling heads over heels to catch a glimpse of her and have snap
shots. The award was presented to her by her counterpart, the Nigerian
Ambassador to the Netherlands, Dr. N.N.Akanbi. Speaking during the occasion,
Ojukwu thanked the organisers of the event and those who recommended her for
the award. She dedicated the award to the staff of the Nigerian Embassy, Spain
whom she said that without their collaboration and support, she may not have
attained that height.
She also thanked the Federation of Nigerian Community Spain
(FNCS) and all Nigerian citizens in Spain for their support. Accompanying her
to receive the award was what could be described as the “operation swift” crack
squad of the embassy whom she humorously name tagged. Among them were, The Head
of Chancery, Safiu Olukayode Olaniyan, she described him as the pillar of
chancery and facilitator of the renovation of the embassy and chancery
buildings, Head of Consul, L.D.G. Boko, Consul Nze Nnamdi, coordinator and
investigator of the embassy’s rescue operations, Joshua Luka (accountant) she
tagged him the CBN of the embassy, Adekemu Ajayi, the mother of rescued
Nigerian children, a known face at the airport and who could be mistaken as a
child trafficker, as she is always carrying two or three Nigerian children
rescued from adoption while accompanying them to Nigeria to their families.
Others include, Ruth Dauda, who is on attachment and Wendy Van
Der Veen, a Dutch woman and founder of the Black and White Association, a
good friend of the embassy.
Answering questions from our special correspondent on how
she feels and what the award means to her? Ambassador Ojukwu said that she
feels happy and encouraged as this goes a long way to show that her pursuit and
implementation of the citizens diplomacy as was directed as a priority area of
attention to all missions by the President while commissioning them as
ambassadors is yielding fruits. She stated that the Nigerian Embassy would
continue to protect the rights and welfare of all Nigerian citizens in Spain
and in the Diaspora.
She asserted that the embassy is of the people, by the people
and for the people. And that it remains a sanctuary for all Nigerian citizens
in Spain.
She
also used the occasion to commend the government for the efforts it made to
contain Ebola in Nigeria and called on all Nigerians to join hands with the
government to make Nigeria great and a better country for all.
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