TheCable

Obiageli Ezekwesili, former minister of education, attended the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, despite the federal government’s boycott.

In an earlier tweet on Wednesday, Bashir Ahmad, the personal assistant on new media to President Muhammadu Buhari, had said Ezekwesili was attending the conference in her own capacity.

“Nigerian government has boycotted the World Economic Forum holding in Cape Town, South Africa, but some individuals from Nigeria including a former Minister are attending on their own,” he wrote.

Madam @obyezeks sir, she is attending the @WEF in Cape Town, South Africa. https://t.co/dmJcqgq4ZF

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— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) September 4, 2019

TheCable had earlier reported that the federal government had announced its intentions to boycott the conference and recalled the high commissioner to South Africa.

The decisions were reported to have been taken at a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, at the presidential villa in Abuja.

Jim Ovia, the founder of Zenith Bank, was also a member of the panel.

After her panel session, Ezekwesili said she would hold a special session to “push specific things” that South Africa and its president must do to quickly fix the broken system.

I shall be hosting a Special Session here to push the specific things that @GovernmentZA @CyrilRamaphosa must do to quickly FIX the BROKEN SYSTEM of security and protection for Nigerians and other Africans resident amongst them.
These #Attacks must not reoccur. Enough!

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— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) September 4, 2019

Speaking at her session, Ezekwesili, who is a former president of the World Bank, blamed the political elites for failing to improve social problems such as unemployment.

“Our politicians need to be put in a room and told they have produced a miserable situation that is not worthy of the young people that hold them responsible for their fate,” she said.

Her attendance has elicited various reactions on social media.

Oby is weird , she sees the issues at hand and she still went there

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Selfish woman

— #CofEnugu (@CofEnugu) September 4, 2019

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The responsibility to boycott or attend mandatory rest on the state. Individuals on their own may decide to go based on their perception of things. If Oby was holding a portfolio, then she has a responsibility to boycott WEF in solidarity to the people she's repping.

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— Trikytee Account Officer 🏧💷💶🍚🍚 (@Hiykes77) September 4, 2019

What for?
They shouldn't come back to Nigeria from there because it shows they're not patriotic.

— Dalhatu Seedee (@D_Seedee) September 4, 2019