Nigeria raised worry on Tuesday about the United States’ decision to bar it from participation in US artist Nicki Minaj’s event on the supposed killings of Nigerians of a specific faith.
Mr Syndoph Endoni, Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, stated that the decision to exclude Nigeria from the conversation at the UN headquarters in New York amounted to “shaving our head in our absence”.
The Minaj event, organized at the UN headquarters in New York in coordination with the US Permanent Mission to the UN, took place against the backdrop of the United States’ persistent accusation of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Nigeria was recently designated as a “Country of Particular Concern” by US President Donald Trump due to allegations of Christian genocide. However, the Nigerian envoy refuted the accusations, which the Nigerian authorities have consistently denied.
“It is important to ensure the country concerned in the ongoing allegations of genocide against Christians is present, aware, and has a voice in the matter.
“This is because you should not make important decisions or take action on something that involves a country without their presence or consent.”
Endoni claimed that by refusing Nigeria’s participation, US officials deprived Nigeria of the right and chance to explain its side of the story.
The Nigerian envoy expressed dismay that only a few countries were allowed to participate in the event, questioning the rationale for leaving Nigeria out.
He said, “We asked the US authorities if it was okay to continue to shave someone’s hair in his absence.
“We further highlighted that the Nigerian government is not standing idly by to watch the atrocities perpetrated by the criminals.”
The Nigerian envoy emphasized the importance of collaboration to address insecurity in Nigeria.
He also urged the US to engage in inclusive dialogue to prevent escalation over Christian persecution in Nigeria.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Amb. Patricia Mahoney, the US Senior Advisor for African Affairs, visited the Nigerian House in New York on Monday to inform Syndoph about the Minaj event.
The US representative informed Nigeria that three UN member countries, including a Nigerian pastor, were invited to the meeting.
However, no representative from the Nigerian government, including the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN, was invited.
The event was private, according to the US envoy. The Nigerian envoy expressed concerns about the US’s actions of naming and shaming.
NAN reports that the main reason the federal government was denied participation was to honor the participant’s specific request not to allow Nigerian officials for fear of retribution for them and their families.
However, the envoy said the Nigerian authorities would continue to engage their U.S. counterparts over the killings by extremists and to collaborate to protect lives and property in Nigeria.
