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Summary
During her ministerial screening, Bianca Ojukwu endured sexist remarks from male senators who focused on her looks and marital ties instead of her achievements. This incident highlights systemic gender biases in Nigeria, where women’s qualifications are often overshadowed by patriarchal attitudes, undermining their political participation and representation.
“When I was coming to work this morning, I assured myself that I would not be overwhelmed by emotions when Her Excellency comes for her screening.” This was the opening remark of Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra central senatorial district, during the ministerial screening of the Nominee for Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu.
He goes further to say, “She is a charismatic and very, very beautiful woman. You can see I asked her to tone down her beauty when she comes in today.”
The Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, calls him to order, telling him to restrict his comments to her resume. But Senator Umeh keeps commenting on her looks, claiming it is part of her resume as she is an ex-beauty queen (most beautiful girl in Nigeria 1988). Everyone in the Red Chambers, 98% male, echoes a burst of laughter.
Senate president reminds him to stick to her resume to avoid causing uproar on social media with people asking questions like “Who touched my Bianca?” and they all went on a second round of laughter.
This statement, in a way, connotes that she was given the ministerial nomination based on her looks or in exchange for sexual favours. He ends his statement by stating he has worked hand in hand with her late husband and believes that Bianca will do a good job. Again, Senator Umeh fails to point out her career achievements as an ex-ambassador of two countries, only focusing on her husband and her affiliation with him.
“It is not only because she was with our late undisputable leader. When he (Ojukwu) was alive, she took care of him. This woman is the epitome of excellence. She’s very cerebral and eloquent. She’s a great lioness and a woman who is a bridge builder,” said Senator Tonye Nwoye, who is representing Anambra North senatorial district.
These men found a way to make it all about her looks, marriage to Ojukwu, and pageant titles, once again forgetting that Bianca Ojukwu is a British-trained lawyer, former Senior Special Assistant to the president on Diaspora Affairs, Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, entrepreneur, politician, and former Nigerian ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and Ghana.
Senator Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West senatorial district, still follows the same route, addressing Bianca as “our beautiful nominee standing before us.”
The senate president once again calls him to restrict his comments to her resume. Still, he continues that she is undeniably beautiful and an ex-beauty queen, as contained in her resume. This raised a thunderous laugh, making the ministerial nominee very uncomfortable as the senate president called the entire house to order. Senator Akpabio, the senate president, asks if Beautiful Bianca was listed on her portfolio or resume, evoking another round of laughter that could pass for mockery.
Senator Akpabio went ahead to offer the nominee, Bianca Ojukwu, a seat, which she politely declined, stating that she could stand. He did not stop there. The Senate president also made a remark that “they do not want any disaster here, oh,” and the entire house was thrown into another stage of laughter.
Even though she declines, he still goes ahead and asks if she is sure twice, and she maintains her initial stance, declining the seat offer. Offering her a seat, which was not provided to other nominees painted an image of a lady who was not physically fit to stand. Even when she declined, he inquired if she was sure twice, making her look like a bad decision-maker.
To the 106 male lawmakers in the Red Chamber, Bianca Ojukwu is just another fine face whose achievement is tied to her marriage to her late husband, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. They consistently made sexist remarks and joked about her looks, turning the Red Chambers into an old boys’ club where men gather to banter about women without bothering about the nominee’s qualifications and plans when she gets into office.
The way these men portrayed Bianca stirred up a lot of reactions on social media. Facebook user Alexanda Kalu writes,
“Bianca Ojukwu used what she has to pass her senate screening in record time; something must kill a man”
Another Facebook user, Don Chinweike Ndinemenu, wrote,
“Beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of introduction” — Aristotle. Beauty is a currency on its own. It’s a huge privilege to be beautiful. Bianca Ojukwu is really enjoying her beauty privilege. See how those senators couldn’t stop complimenting her at her ministerial screening. Ugogbe Ojukwu really stole the show”
Quite a number of people also shared a similar opinion, as the post garnered 24 comments on Facebook.
Lack of meaningful political representation left Bianca at the mercy of men who decided to prioritise her looks and marriage over her achievements, track record and qualifications, making the public assume she only got this far because of her looks and affiliation with her late husband.
An X user named Portharcourt realtor wrote,
“After watching the ministerial screening of Lady Bianca Ojukwu, I realise, say na Brostitudes, we dey fast and pray to God and depend on God for good governance. Thank God Akpabio no root out condoms!!”
Another X user, TwitTA PsYChoLoGiST, wrote,
“Aside from being the late Ojukwu’s wife, Bianca is Igbo royalty. She is a politician, diplomat, lawyer, ex-presidential adviser, ex-beauty queen MBGN, a super lioness, and a businesswoman.”
That post has over 5,900 likes, 1,600 retweets, and 225 comments, as many X users share similar opinions.
The Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, later mentioned that she was very nervous during her screening. However, she did not give a reason for her nervous state. Many believe her male colleagues’ awkward, sexiest comments and jest, made her nervous.
This shows that women in Nigeria keep facing systemic gender biases and sociocultural barriers limiting their participation, also undermining their voices, experiences, safety, and empowerment. This underrepresentation has impacted policies and decisions which often fail to reflect our needs, experiences, and rights as women in Nigeria. It has also led to increased political apathy for women, fostering gender inequality, lack of inclusivity in governance and marginalisation of women’s voices in addressing critical issues like health, gender-based violence, education and economic empowerment.
