Top Presidential Aide, Otega Ogra has issued a statement clarifying claims that Nigeria’s Booth at the ongoing Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) was unmanned and empty.
His response comes after Ex-Presidential Aspirant and Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar made the claim in a scathing post on social media.
Otega, a Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wrote;
“I feel compelled to set the record straight regarding Nigeria’s so-called booth at TICAD, which has become the subject of some unfortunate commentary.”
“The space in question is not a conventional national pavilion. It is set out as part of the designated spillover area typically used by delegates without access to the main auditorium to follow proceedings or engage informally.”
“These rooms can often be used as workspaces, quiet zones, or hubs for side meetings or as some countries have done, converted to National pavilions. They are not required to be continuously manned or styled as permanent showcases. Any Nigerian delegate can use the space at any time to work, provide support for official activity, or showcase material. That choice rests with the delegation. Several other countries also had spaces today that were either quiet or lightly used. It is neither unusual nor a sign of disengagement.”
“Now to the heart of the issue. Nigeria is not in Japan for optics. We do not need to mimic others to prove our relevance. Visibility is not the only metric. Value is.”
“While some chase optics, Nigerian officials have been working deliberately, consistently, and with focus.”
•HM Pate is working to finalise a landmark health sector agreement with Japanese partners. @muhammadpate
•HM Power is also working on a major energy partnership to be discussed in my later post. @BayoAdelabu
•Bank of Industry (BOI) and Bank of Agriculture (BOA) are there and are deep in investment negotiations
•HM Foreign Affairs is leading ministerial level engagements as well as aligning National plans on behalf of the country. @YusufTuggar
•Mr President @officialabat is also meeting with Japanese investors, the Nigerian diaspora business community, development partners, and fellow heads of government on the sidelines.
The work is being done. Quietly. Strategically. With impact.
“So again, what purpose is served by using a such visuals to imply national failure especially when based on incomplete information? Even if unintended, this kind of knee-jerk commentary, framed as patriotism, can be damaging.”
“It undermines real progress and reinforces a cycle of misrepresentation. Visibility should not be confused for value, or applause mistaken for achievement.”
“Nigeria’s space was not unmanned in the sense being implied. And we are under no obligation to adopt the performative routines of others.”
“In diplomacy, presence is not always performance and substance will always outweigh spectacle. What may appear as silence is most times, deliberate engagement.”
“In line with the structure of TICAD, Nigeria’s assigned space will be more actively used on Day 2 and Day 3, which are thematically focused on Economy and Society. It will also function as an open national stand, accessible to all delegates for engagement.”
“I do hope we can actually focus on outcomes, not optics in the best interest of our country.”