Bianca Ojukwu Rescues Power Mike’s Grand Daughter From Adoption In Spain.
By Uchendu Onuoha / Special Correspondent , Spain
The grand-daughter of the late World Wrestling Champion, Power Mike Okpara, was among the four children Nigerian Embassy in Spain under the dynamic leadership of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu rescued from adoption from the Spanish authorities recently.
Already two siblings out of the four, who are of the same parents, aged two and four years respectively, with their father have returned to Nigeria.
The two children whom their parents have no sustainable income to take care of them as required by the Spanish regulations, were about to be taken away from their parents by the Spanish social security agency and given out for adoption to Spanish families when the Nigerian Embassy intervened.
The father of the children who spoke to our correspondent in Spain said that the Embassy’s action was like a miracle to him as he could not believe that the embassy could go to such extent to help him out.
Also on April 12, 2014, two other children aged four and less than one year respectively, and who were in the custody of a female embassy staff were also returned to Lagos aboard an Air France flight from Madrid. One of them, a baby girl of less than a year old, is the granddaughter of the late Power Mike. According to an embassy staff who spoke to our correspondent at the airport, the baby had been taken from her parents, whose father is the son of the late wrestling champion but married to a Spanish woman.
The couple whose marriage is at the brink of collapse, due to the down turn of Spain’s economy and the ill-health of the mother of the baby, is no more capable of taking care of the baby. Arrangements have almost been completed by the social security agency to give the baby away for adoption when the embassy of Nigeria was contacted and it intervened swiftly and recover the baby and sent her to the paternal family in Nigeria who requested for her custody.
The embassy takes citizens diplomacy and the welfare of Nigerians as its utmost priority and has not failed to respond to their plight especially the distressed families.
The embassy of Nigeria Spain operates like the Atletico Madrid Footbal Club, a complete team and as a bloc. They stand bold to tell the Spanish authorities;
“These are Nigerian citizens and we care for them”
The Ambassador who as an exemplary leader and like a general who will always take her troop to the battle front, was on ground as early as 6 am at the Barajas International Airport with the head of chancery and the consul, Nze Nnamdi, to see the children off and to ensure that there was no hitch.
She has made it clear to the Nigerian community in Spain that the embassy remains a sanctuary and a safe haven for all Nigerians and says ‘call upon us in time of trouble and we will answer you.
