Nigeria has come under criticism at the ongoing Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Japan after observers noticed that the country’s booth was left unmanned despite the presence of a large government delegation.
A Nigerian entrepreneur based in Japan, Idris Ayodeji Bello, raised the alarm on social media, expressing embarrassment that Nigeria was the only country without representation at its exhibition stand.
“So ashamed I have now designated myself as Honorary Consul and taken over the booth to engage visitors,” Bello wrote, noting that several Japanese attendees had approached him with questions about Nigeria.
Reacting to the development, Interim spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the government of negligence. He criticised what he described as the administration’s “anyhowness,” pointing out that despite traveling with a large entourage, no official was available to man the booth.
“This is incompetence that follows the President abroad. After this jamboree, who will follow up to ensure that Nigeria actually benefits from TICAD9? When we asked them to appoint ambassadors, they went ahead and appointed KWAM 1,” Abdullahi said.
The incident has fueled debate online, with many Nigerians questioning accountability and the effectiveness of the country’s participation in high-level international events.
ADC slams Nigerian govt as booth lies empty at TICAD9 in Japan
