Kudos to Nigeria Embassy but…

  1. Posted on Friday 26 December 2008 - 09:33
    mysmallvoice
    Image of mysmallvoice
    Hakeem Babalola, AfricaNews contributor in Budapest, Hungary
    I have made it a ritual to keep in touch with our embassy ever since it got its website, and most especially when the website was recently given a fine face, something quite unusual in the history of Embassy of Nigeria Budapest, Hungary. Although there's need for improvement, I must confess that I find the new website accessible and friendly.
    nigeria embassy
    I should probably state why I find the new website approachable before anyone accuses me of this: "how much have they given you?" Many Nigerians, including those yeye pastors and imams I suppose, think too much in terms of material wealth instead of spiritual aesthetics. Let them fool you further if you like.

    Pardon my digression into irrelevant details o jare. As I was saying, the new website provides necessary information even though further improvement is needed as mentioned earlier. Or are you one of those folks who think that Rome or is it Abuja was built in a day! Frankly speaking, what I like most in this new website is the news section where Nigerians are informed about the activities of the embassy. Information is simply inevitable in one's life as I have constantly reminded whoever cares to listen.

    I am going to cite two quick examples. I got to know the "VIPs" who attended the 48th Independence Day October 2008 without attending the jamboree. Thanks to the newly improved website. Also, the official presentation of Letter of Credence to the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Her Excellency, AA Obileye, is being displayed on the newly improved website. For someone like me who always crave for happenings about his embassy, I have no choice than to embrace a little information I could scan.

    I am also impressed by the speed in which the embassy disseminates the information about our newly appointed ministers. Fellow Nigerians, this is what I am talking about. Gone were the days when it took the same embassy a whole year to change the name of a former House Speaker to the new one. Gone also were the days when our embassy's guest room used to be littered with Hungarian junk papers like Metro or Blikk. Alas, nothing makes me happier than seeing our representatives performing at their best.

    Technology

    Yes, this is unprecedented in the history of Embassy of Nigeria Budapest, Hungary. Perhaps this is the main reason behind my enthusiasm. For I have had cause to advice the embassy on the importance of technology in this Information Age - especially a vibrant website - in one or two of my articles as far back as July 8, 2007 when the former was published on my blog. Whether it was coincidence or not, I was and still happy that the embassy upgraded its website a few days my Open Letter to Nigeria Ambassador of Hungary was published in Nigerian news magazines.

    But of course I won't count my chicken before they are hatched. Nigerian officials could be erratic when it comes to administration. I hope the present crops of diplomats would erase this parochial thinking on our own part. Don't blame us though; it is that our minds have been damaged by your predecessors who chose to behave as local champions, and who had transported the usual civil servant (or is it civil master) attitude from home.

    And if not for the newly improved website, how would yours truly spot the above picture which I think is misleading regarding protocol. My first reaction seeing the picture was like we have had a new ambassador. I mean, for anyone other than Madam Ambassador to come before Onijala, Head of Chancery (2nd from right), during an official function, depicts two things. Either he has been demoted (May God forbid) or a new ambassador has been inaugurated.

    Someone should please enlighten me. Is it appropriate for the ambassador's spouse to be lined up, and for that matter before our official representatives? Do their children also attend official functions? Is Mr. Obileye performing official duties here? And how did he introduce himself during the function? I imagine a situation like this: "I am the ambassador's husband. I am here to accompany my wife, her Excellency, because I understand that you guys are crazy for beautiful African women."

    Jokes apart, indirectly it shows the macho aspect of Nigerian men. I mean we have had two ambassadors who are men. None of them allowed their wives to enjoy this kind of spotlight. If the Obileyes have toddlers at home, I suggest that Chief stays with them whilst Madam performs official duties. Of course, it is a different ball game when for example; the embassy is celebrating Nigeria’s independence. Enlighten me please.

Reactions

  1. Posted on Sunday 28 December 2008 23:56
    meek
    Image of meek


    1 berichten
    Lid sinds December 2008

    And how did he introduce himself during the function?

    "I imagine a situation like this: I am the ambassador's husband. I am here to accompany my wife, her Excellency, because I understand that you guys are crazy for beautiful African women"

    O'l boy, I found this funny

    More ink to your pen

Latest News

  1. OPINION: Welcome to African Green Revolution24/05For the past century and a half, Africa has tried various agricultural approaches without much success.
  2. Egyptians vote in historic election23/05Egyptians began voting freely on Wednesday for the first time to pick their president in a wide open election that pits Islamists against men who serv…
  3. Africa Day 2012 - a moment for reflection and…22/0525th May is Africa Day. For many years it has been a celebration of African unity. It dates back to 1963 when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) …
  4. South Africa's African agenda21/05The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Kgalema Mothlanthe paid a rare visit to Ghana in April at the invitation of John Dramani Mahama …
  5. Women struggle to rinse hunger, poverty stains21/05Just looking at her one clearly appreciates that she is old and frail therefore in need of support for food, clothing and shelter to live comfortably …
  6. Climate Climate change affects migratory birds…21/05Changes in the climate globally have affected the movement of both migratory and resident species of birds, Nature Uganda has said.
  7. Ghana: Foreign retailers cited for currency…18/05The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is attributing the sharp depreciation of the Ghana cedi against major currencies to the illegal activiti…
  8. Kenya: Community radio brings succour to…18/05Korogocho, a slum in northeastern Nairobi with 100,000 inhabitants, had many of the ingredients for a political explosion similar to those that rocked…
  9. Veld fires 'flame' Zimbabwe's…16/05Over the years, Zimbabwe has experienced the scourge of veld fires destroying property worth thousands of dollars.
  10. Liberia commends ECOWAS for support14/05The induction training of pioneer Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Volunteers for Liberia kicked off in Monrovia, with the Deputy Mi…
  11. Vanishing Lake Chad puts 30m lives at risk14/05As you approach the Lake Chad basin from Maiduguri, in north-eastern Nigeria, the evidence of despair is telling.
  12. Heavy rains cause havoc in Kenya14/05Heavy Rainfall continued to wreak havoc across the country leading to the suspension of relief food in some parts of the country as most roads in Turk…
  13. Zimbabwe: Growth points lie dormant14/05The Zimbabwean government mooted the concept of growth points in the 1980s as a means of decongesting cities and towns.
  14. Sierra Leone improves in infant mortality11/05Sierra Leone has improved in infant mortality cases according to Save the Children- World Motherhood index 2012 report. The West Africa country descri…
  15. Zimbabwe: Resettled farmers fail to utilize…10/05Resettled farmers in Zimbabwe are failing to utilize land due to inadequate farming inputs and lack of resources.
News archive