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…We’ll inaugurate booth soon – Ministry
By Chinelo Obogo
Nigerians have taken to social media to blast the Federal Government over its empty booth at the ongoing 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), which commenced on Wednesday, August 20 and would end on Friday August 22.
The backlash ensued after an X user, who is also a participant at the event, Idris Bello, posted Nigeria’s stand at the conference, saying: “I hate to show negative things about Nigeria but it is sad that Nigeria is the only unmanned booth at TICAD9 in Japan. Upon all the folks who probably got estacodes for coming to Japan. Only God knows how many Japanese folks have asked me about the unmanned booth seeing my dressing. So ashamed I have now designated myself as honorary consul and taken over the booth to engage visitors.”
Another Nigerian, Dr. Ola Brown, who was at the event, also posted, saying: “Had an interesting time manning the Nigeria booth today with Idris. Unfortunately, the booth was left unstaffed by the Nigerian public sector team but we still had engaging conversations with academics, private business owners and NGOs who asked great questions.
“Eswatini had a fully manned and decorated booth. Civil servants were dressed in their traditional wear, humbly trying to engage investors as well. Even Cape Verde, whose entire GDP is less than that of a bank, had a fully staffed and decorated booth. Lesotho, with a smaller economy than Oshogbo, was fully staffed.”
Responding to the backlash, the official X handle of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted, saying: “Contrary to a tweet made by a participant at TICAD, the Nigerian booth has not yet been opened. The booth will officially be inaugurated on Thursday, August 21, after which it will become fully operational and serve the delegates of TICAD.”
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Reacting to the development, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, posted on his X handle, saying Nigeria’s empty booth at TICAD9 is a ‘show of shame.’
He said: “Just like ongoing show of shame at the empty Nigerian booth in far away Japan, two years into this administration, we are probably waiting for an official inauguration or preferably an “unveiling” of Renewed Hope before Nigerians can experience good governance.”
An X user, Oladeinde Olawoyin, responded to the FG, saying: “How do you open your booth on day two of a three-day conference when everyone else already did? Yet another sign of anyhowness given how much we desperately need to promote trade/investment opportunities at this critical juncture in our growth trajectory.” Another X user, @jaytee_er, said: “The Nigerian government will make you look like a fool if you don’t have evidence to back your facts. The TICAD9 event runs from August 20 to 22. The exhibition hall B, which hosts the Nigerian booth AL28, is currently having a programme with Nigeria on the list. So, why will you tell people that the Nigeria booth will be inaugurated one whole day after the event has started, especially when the exhibition hall in question is in active use?”
Another user, Agbeja Ifedapo, said: “TICAD spans 23 hours across three days and the booth is inactive for over 40 percent of the total time. For an international exhibition, that is hard to justify.”
Hours after the tweet by Mr. Idris, he then said: “Seems someone has seen all the tweets and an embassy official showed up now at 6:32 p.m., that he was ordered to show up here and the Charge d’Affaires is on her way here too as it has gotten to her that no one is here.”
President Bola Tinubu on Friday departed Abuja for a two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil for TICAD9. The President was accompanied on the trip by government officials including ministers and special advisers. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga had said: “In Japan, President Tinubu will attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in the city of Yokohama from August 20 to 22. In addition to attending plenary sessions on themes linked to the conference, the Nigerian President will hold bilateral meetings and meet the chief executive officers of some Japanese companies with investments in Nigeria.”
