Adedokun Waliyu 
President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s spokesman in the southeast, Dr Josef Onoh has countered the Award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Adichie’s letter to President Joe Biden of the United States of America, telling Adichie that she was a bad loser.
Onoh said that Adichie’s letter in bad faith was a result of the colossal failure of her choice of presidential candidate and native relation, Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, in the February 25 presidential election.
The famous writer had written to the American President, chiding him for congratulating Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu, while she argued that the election was flawed.
But Onoh said that Adichie’s dilemma emanated from her ignorance of the rules of international diplomacy, and self-serving interest while attempting to use any medium, no matter how irrelevant to promote her brand.
Onoh said that Adichie failed to understand that the United States of America has a strategy to prevent conflict and promote stability as a policy which has contained partnership with countries and regional groupings.
“This represents an important milestone and next step in the realization of the goals of the landmark Global Fragility Act, which continues to enjoy strong bipartisan Congressional support for innovative efforts to foster a more peaceful and stable world,” Onoh educated Adichie.
The spokesman said he did not expect Chimamanda Adichie in her international clout-chasing acceptance ego trip, to have taken time to understand the complexity surrounding international diplomacy, which in light of the horrific events unfolding in Ukraine and other parts of the world, the United States has continuously reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen global resiliency and democratic renewal, and promote peaceful, self-reliant nations that become US economic and security partners.
“These partner countries under their Strategy include but are not limited to Haiti, Libya, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, and a grouping of Coastal West African countries like Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo, etc. Each collaboration presents a unique opportunity to leverage lessons learned from decades of U.S. involvement overseas, to enhance the way the U.S. Government engages in challenging environments, and to jointly build resilience against political, economic, and natural shocks.
“It’s a fact that the US Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability outlines a ten-year, whole-of-government effort to foster peace and long-term stability through integrated diplomacy, development, and security-sector engagement. The Strategy builds upon and strengthens the work done to implement the U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security, which has given migrants like Chimamanda Adichie the platform to excel and today demonstrate the liberty to write the US President over the loss of her preferred Presidential candidate in the just concluded 2023 Nigeria elections, while attempting to hide under the guise of an activist fighting for a self-perceived collective right rather than accept the reality before her that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the president-elect and incoming president of Nigeria.”
Onoh recalled that the United States in the full implementation of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act, and the ongoing efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism, for which Nigeria is not an exception, has continued to leverage and advance other priorities such as to promote democracy, good governance and respect for human rights; advance gender equality; counter corruption and reduce the risks of the climate crisis.
He noted that the Strategy’s flexible approach was designed to take into account and address the underlying causes of violence and instability before conflicts and crises can break out or deteriorate, adding that the strategy seeks to tailor the US shared approach to the unique circumstances of each local and regional context, and elevate local voices to jointly seek on-the-ground solutions to prevent conflict.
“Sadly, the elevated local voice parading under an international umbrella of Chimamanda Adichie, a full supporter of his kinsman and Labour Party presidential candidate who is the third runner up in the presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, is rather used to attack the US president and international diplomacy simply out of frustration that majority of Nigerians has chosen peace over anarchy and which clearly the Obidients cult following has continued to promote since their candidate lost in the presidential polls.”
Onoh said that he still wonders when Chimamanda Adichie became interested in Nigeria’s affairs when in 2022 she jettisoned and rejected the Nigeria government’s magnanimity of a National Honour on her, but chose to cast aspiration on the country that made her whatever she claims to be now.
“I wish to point out to Chimamanda Adichie that the United States will continue to take a long-term view, working closely with like-minded and committed local partners but not the type of partner her current outburst and contents of her letter to the US president promotes, especially stating unverified statement and allegations without evidence. Pursuant to the Strategy, Adichie should know that irrespective of her letter and wild claims contained in it, the US will continue to support stabilization in areas where violence impedes development and threatens the U.S. and her partner’s strategic interests. These efforts will improve lives and livelihoods in the process because it is rooted in a deep and abiding commitment to put diplomacy and shared values first.
“Success will require strong leadership, patience, creativity, and a constructive relationship with the international and local partners. Peacebuilding and conflict prevention are needed now more than ever, and the United States has always looked forward to working with others to create a more peaceful world. Sadly, it’s either that she was carried away by her international recognition as a feminist or writer Adichie failed to understand that every nation must first achieve stability in order to promote democracy.
“But in this case, it’s clear that Chimamanda Adichie’s outburst is clearly self-serving as usual to promote herself and her image by self-advertising and leveraging any aspects personal or non-personal to promote herself and her brand. It’s on record that the Labour Party Presidential candidate and third runner-up shares a close relationship with Adichie, both from Anambra state. He was her former governor; he especially promoted her on his Facebook message celebrating her recognition as the “Woman of the Decade” on 6th February 2020.
“Adichie in turn openly endorsed and promoted his presidency in her publication of 21st July 2022 in various Nigeria newspapers. The same Chimamanda Adichie in her hypocrisy alluding to unverified statements, promoting same to be true to deceive the gullible and international community failed to travel down to cast her vote for Mr. Peter Obi during the presidential election but was quick to rush down to Nigeria to take a chieftaincy title from her village, Abba, in Anambra state.
“The same Chimamanda Adichie, self-acclaimed selective feminist, was quick to rush down to her village Abba in Anambra state sometime in 2019 to promote communal land dispute between her community, Abba, and a nearby Ukpo community in the same Anambra State which has been engaged in a protracted tussle over a disputed parcel of land. She saw it as an opportunity to promote her brand and without evidence started accusing the billionaire oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze, of backing his community, Ukpo, against her Abba community.
“It was, in the same manner, she attacked Arthur Eze that she currently attacks the US president, Joe Biden, for promoting stability in Nigeria. This is her stock and trade. Adichie in a lengthy article published in some newspapers, had accused Arthur Eze of using his wealth to influence the police, who she also said had been intimidating and harassing her kinsmen, including arresting and detaining aged people. This clearly exposes the political and literal bipolar personality of her character.
“In respect to the United Kingdom, it may please Adichie to know that the UK has a proud record of global leadership on international development. They have helped support tremendous progress in recent decades, improving people’s lives, tackling poverty, providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and helping countries to become more prosperous, resilient and secure. This progress has formed a key part of a coherent UK foreign policy. The UK already provides life-saving aid to those affected by the war in Ukraine, as they have in crises from Afghanistan to Yemen, and Ethiopia to our country Nigeria.”
Onoh disclosed that the UK has partnered with Nigeria in many mutually benefiting interests and continues like the USA to promote stability in the country which unlike the contents of her letter seeks to undermine solely because her preferred candidate lost at the presidential polls.
“Sadly, as much as she clearly resents Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory and coming to terms that he will be her president irrespective of her obidient tantrums, I’m glad that she is still a dual citizen and once she arrives in Nigeria with her Nigerian passport she will be continuously hunted by the pictures of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on arrival at our airports, government offices as our president and her president and she will respect our laws.
“I implore her to confine her utterance to facts she can prove and benefit from the renewed hope initiatives of Mr President. If she can’t handle it, she may opt for an eight-year self-imposed exile which Chief Olaode George is currently offering free classes on how to go on self-exile from Nigeria due to Tinubu’s victory.
“I urge the US and UK government and the entire international communities to disregard the content of the letter as allegedly written by Adichie without credible evidence to support her allegations, not limited to the fact that the author is a staunch supporter of the opposition candidate attempting to use her influence to promote and incite negativity against the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu among her numerous social media followers.
“Finally every successful democracy in the world has been achieved by first promoting and achieving stability, for only then can democracy be successfully attained, hence we thank the US, UK and all members of the international community that have extended their goodwill messages to the president-elect and Nigerians in general, be assured that your continuous support as allies and partners in progress will not be taken for granted by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration and Nigerians in general.
“If Adichie still decides to live in denial, let her be assured that Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCON, come May 29th would be sworn in based on the will and mandate of Nigerians as our President, I kindly ask her to feel free to go and verify,” Onoh countered.
