&w=64&q=75)
Since Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye assumed office as Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs in August, she has subjected herself more to criticisms than accolades.
In the last two months, the minister has caught controversies more than other appointees of President Bola Tinubu, no thanks to the embarrassing blunders she delivered with passion.
Kennedy-Ohanenye is quite outspoken. She seems passionate and sincere about the mandate of her ministry but her judgement of issues is her biggest enemy.
Here is the timeline of her controversial moments in the last two months:
Interference in UNICAL's Sexual Harassment Case
Kennedy-Ohanenye’s interference in the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar in August was an early sign of her disastrous misjudgement.
The minister involved herself in a sexual harassment case that was already being investigated by the university and blindly took a side by threatening to jail the victim if she lied to her.
She said, “If you have complaints or anything to talk about concerning this case, head to the panel because the investigation is still ongoing. Go there and lay the complaint but don’t lie. Because if you lie, I will make sure you are prosecuted and jailed if found guilty.”
Her comment, which many considered insensitive, prompted many Nigerians to call for her resignation, but after realising her mistake, the minister apologised following pressure from women groups.
Child Labour Advocacy
Kennedy-Ohanenye’s controversial comment on the UNICAL sex scandal had not yet died down before she talked herself into another embarrassing situation.
Speaking at the Anambra Investment Summit in September, the minister submitted that to quicken urban development in Nigeria, children should be drafted into the production of toothpicks, matchboxes, cotton buds and sanitary pads.
“I am pleading for us to look into more production of some of these things in our society. Especially the necessities like the matchbox, the toothpick, the cotton buds, the sanitary pads and stuff like that. Let us introduce urban development in the schools.
If we can think about using Fridays as free, for our children to start producing things just like they do in China. In China, even young kids get involved in production,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.
Again, the comment got her nationwide condemnation because the only reasonable explanation for her child labour advocacy is if she admitted that the meanings of the words ‘children’ and ‘urban development’ flew over her head when she made the unfortunate statement.
The minister didn't just want to expose Nigerian children to domestic abuse, she ignorantly wanted them to be subjected to modern-day slavery in the name of urban development.
Threat to the UN
With her latest blunder delivered on Monday, October 16, 2013, at a press conference in Abuja, the minister succeeded in making herself a political figure whose attempts to show workings continuously expose her ignorance.
Speaking at the conference, Kennedy-Ohanenye threatened to sue the United Nations over alleged mismanagement of funds received on behalf of Nigerians.
Without stating the specific amount the organisation mismanaged, the minister said if the UN failed to publish monies collected from donors for the benefit of Nigerians in 30 days, she would drag the organisation to court.
Ironically, by virtue of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies, the United Nations is immune from lawsuits. As a lawyer, Nigerians expect Kennedy-Ohanenye to know that the UN can’t be sued. However, her recent actions have cast doubts on her legal acumen and sense of judgment.
ALSO READ: Tinubu's Women Affairs Minister has shown early signs of incompetence.