PUBLIC DEBATE: Was Okonjo-Iweala’s Praise for Tinubu Genuine or Just Diplomacy?

PUBLIC DEBATE: Was Okonjo-Iweala’s Praise for Tinubu Genuine or Just Diplomacy?

Dr. Reuben Abati has stirred the waters by saying Nigerians should never have expected WTO DG, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to criticize President Bola Tinubu during her recent visit.

According to Abati, Okonjo-Iweala was in Nigeria mainly to launch a $50 million fund to help Nigerian women break into the digital space — not to pass judgment on government policies.
He argues that, as an international diplomat, her praise of Tinubu’s reforms was diplomatic courtesy, not necessarily a blanket endorsement.

But here’s the big question:
Should Nigerians be satisfied with polite diplomacy when our leaders host global figures, or should such visits be moments of truth where the real state of the nation is addressed?

Do you see Okonjo-Iweala’s remarks as:
✅ A professional keeping the focus on her mission?
❌ A missed opportunity to speak honestly about Nigeria’s challenges?

Let’s talk. 👇

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