Nigeria on Tuesday expressed concerns over the decision of the United States (U.S.) government to exclude it from participating in the American rapper Nicki Minaj’s event on the alleged killings of Nigerians of a specific faith group.
The Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN, Mr Syndoph Endoni, said the decision to exclude Nigeria from the discussion, which held at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, amounted to “Shaving our head in our absence.”
The Minaj event, which was held at the UN headquarters in New York in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of the U.S. to the UN, was against the background of the ongoing accusation by the U.S. alleging Christian persecution in Nigeria.
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U.S. President Donald Trump had recently designated Nigeria as “a Country of Particular Concern” over alleged Christian genocide in the country.
The Nigerian envoy, however, refuted the ongoing accusations by the U.S. authorities alleging Christian genocide in Nigeria, which the Nigerian authorities have repeatedly rejected.
“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 said by refusing Nigeria’s participation, the U.S. authorities had denied Nigeria the right and opportunity to tell its own side of the story.
The Nigerian envoy expressed disappointment that a few countries were allowed to participate in the event, querying the rationale for shutting Nigeria out.
He said, “We asked the U.S. 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”.
Endoni urged the U.S. to ensure inclusive engagements to avoid undue escalation over claims of persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the U.S. Senior Advisor for African Affairs, Amb. Patricia Mahoney had visited the Nigerian House in New York on Monday to inform Syndoph about the Minaj event.
At the meeting, the U.S. representative informed Nigeria that three UN Member Countries were invited with other personalities, including a pastor from Nigeria.
However, she informed that no representative of the Nigerian government, including from the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN, was invited.
According to him, the U.S. envoy informed that the event was a private event. The Nigerian envoy expressed concerns over the U.S. actions of naming and shaming, saying it is capable of causing apprehension in the country.
NAN reports that the main reason Nigeria was denied participation was to honour 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.
