By Chris Okamgba
Rejoinder: The Dark Side of Bianca Ojukwu – By Helen Mukoro
(A Misleading Falsehood By A Spanish Citizen)
My attention has been drawn to the online media article of July 9, 2016 on www.elombah.com with the title, “The Dark Side of Bianca Ojukwu” by Helen Mukoro. In the said article, Helen Mukoro, a disgruntled Spanish citizen, fraudster, with alleged records of illicit human trafficking in Padova Italy, and publicity seeking social media troll, who before now has thrived in using her familiarity with Nigeria and the Nigerian embassy in Spain to defraud her victims through dubious award seminars and shady foreign investment deals that ended up as a scam.
With reference to Helen’s recent outrage, I must state that it has become imperative for enlightened minds to understand that the social media has become a nest where all kinds of birds land to feast. Nevertheless, you cannot stop a bird from flying in the sky but only prevent it from landing on your head to build a nest. In that regard, it has become a common practice for mischief makers, and attention seeking social media characters like Helen Mukoro to use the online media to draw attention to themselves by publishing falsehoods and misleading information against well-meaning, and respected personalities in the society like Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, whose status, achievements, contributions and impact to the well-being of Nigerians during her tour of duty in Spain remains very outstanding and unequalled. This ghoulish mania by characters like Helen Mukoro becomes serious when people who do not know or understand where these miscreants are coming from tend to be misled by their falsehoods and antics.
Helen’s vendetta on Bianca Ojukwu, Igbos and the Nigerian Embassy Spain which are evident on her posts since May 3, 2015 is derived from malice that her fraudulent ploy to scam the Embassy of Two hundred and fifty thousand euros (250,000 eur) through her sham political bid, claiming to run for the post of a Mayor and recently for Spanish presidency which is just a mere fallacy, advanced free fraud scheme (419) and media hype was not granted by the embassy under Bianca as Ambassador. It was after the Embassy turned down her demand by letting her know that it’s against diplomatic process for missions to sponsor political campaigns, she now resorted to her campaign of calumny against the former Ambassador, Embassy and Igbos. For reference please see:
Nigerian Masterweb 2/10/15 – Rejoinder: A Trade of Shame – Our Embassies, Dash Collectors; Spanish Citizen Blackmailing Nigeria.
Before her madness and before she started to vent her spleen, on February 29, 2015 during an interview with the Daily Independent foreign correspondent in Spain, while speaking on the police report issue, it was the same Helen Mukoro who poured encomiums on Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu and her accomplishments and said;
“The embassy can give good character certificate which is the same as police report because the embassy is Nigeria in Spain. However, things have changed since Ambassador Bianca came. I know all other ambassadors have done all their best but I can see a woman that has a lot of interest in making a change. If you go to the Nigerian embassy now, it is just like a five star hotel. Before it was ugly and a shame…
On her vituperations on Uchendu Precious Onuoha whom she called a lame man on the street and trolley pusher and does not deserve award as exemplary citizen. For the benefit of doubt it’s pertinent to make facts clear. In the first place, for a lame man to be pushing trolley or luggage is a rare feat that really makes him precious and very deserving for any award such as exemplary citizen since there is dignity in labor. However, Uchendu Precious Onuoha is a Journalist, Writer and an established Author and Poet, with his novel, The Road We Travelled, a Memoir of Two Worlds in use in Nigeria as a college literature.
His status and credentials is not shrouded as he belongs to such respectable professional organizations both home and abroad such as Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Nigerian Union of Journalists Europe (NUJ-E) Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Europe (NIDOE) among others.
Mr. Uchendu was bestowed award alongside with others in recognition of his spectacular contributions and support to the embassy of Nigeria Spain in implementing the citizenship diplomacy for the welfare of Nigerians. Uchendu as a journalist, author and poet has used his career, talent and position to impact positively the lives of Nigerians in Spain. And through his articles in the press brought to the knowledge of Nigerians both home and in diaspora the activities of the embassy and Nigerians living in Spain. As a correspondent, he was very vital in bringing to the attention of the embassy information about the plight of distressed Nigerians living as destitute in Spain, by interacting with them and getting relevant information about them and their families back home. And thereby helping the embassy to establish a link with their families for their proper rehabilitation once they were rescued and taken back to Nigeria.
Uchendu, in addition to his literary and media practice works at the busy Madrid international airport where he has daily contact with numerous Nigerians who encounter various problems ranging from language barrier or miss their flights. He has always given assistance to such nationals including the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Someone of such status, who has contributed to the welfare of his fellow Nationals, is it not befitting if his country rewards him in recognition of his contributions? Even Helen Mukoro herself on a very good day would not deny that she benefited from Uchendu’s exploits in the press as she has commended him as the first Nigerian journalist to publish about her political career in the Nigerian press.
Before Uchendu was given award as Exemplary citizen by the Nigerian embassy, on February 25, 2015, Helen in an autograph signed for Uchendu in her book: The Case That Bruised My Heart wrote;
“ Uchendu thanks for being what you are, I’m happy I met you, keep your flag flying…
In another of her book: “The Reward Of A Good Man”, she wrote; “My dad was a good man and I see you a good man as well, good people are hard to find, I’m happy I met you… Now, was it an absurd for Exemplary citizen award to be given to a good man?
“When someone hates you there is something in you he covets”.
From her actions, it is obvious that Helen Mukoro is frustrated and having mental hallucinations and is perhaps weary of her adored Spanish nationality. More also the reality is yet to dawn on her that as a Spanish citizen it is wrong for her to resort to blackmailing Nigerians rather than focusing on Spain her avowed country.
From the above, the public should understand that Mukoro wants to achieve cheap publicity by writing on the caliber and personality of her Excellency Bianca Ojukwu and I want to make it clear that the issues raised by the character whose mental balance remains questionable, has nothing to bare regarding the personality involved. However, let it be known to scoundrels like Helen Mukoro and her co-travelers that it is not in the character of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu to join issues with people whom their level of sanity remains questionable. As doing so would amount to magnifying her to receive the cheap media publicity and attention she is craving for.
