'A friend misled me' -- Okonjo-Iweala admits error in 'Rwanda' picture

‘A friend misled me’ — Okonjo-Iweala admits error in ‘Rwanda’ picture

April 09

00:17 2020

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance, says the focus of the picture she shared earlier in the day was on on the safe way of handling food distribution during the outbreak of COVID-19.

The former minister had on Wednesday shared a picture showing bags of grains, kegs of oil and other food items packed in sacks and were arranged in well-spaced rows on the sandy floor in a place she claimed was Rwanda.

Checks by TheCable, however, showed that the picture was uploaded by Rariya, a page on Facebook, on May 17, 2019. It said the packages, donated by one Imam Jaiteh Charitable Foundation, was for distribution to Muslims in Gambia during the month of fasting (Ramadan) in 2019.

Reacting in a tweet, Okonjo-Iweala said the picture was sent to her by a friend who said it was from Rwanda.

“Thanks to those who have drawn my attention to the food distribution picture I tweeted earlier today. A friend sent it to me that it’s from Rwanda. Whether Gambia or Rwanda, the point I want us to focus on is that it is a safe way of handling food distribution,” she wrote.

Thanks to those who have drawn my attention to the food distribution picture I tweeted earlier today. A friend sent it to me that it’s from Rwanda. Whether Gambia or Rwanda, the point I want us to focus on is that it is a safe way of handling food distribution.

— Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (@NOIweala) April 8, 2020
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Some Twitter users disagreed with the former minister whom they said ought to have made verification before sharing the picture.

Below are some of the reactions:

????? she is doubling down instead of just apologizing and move on
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— Abdul (@ishakaa) April 8, 2020

No ma, you can’t say that, we aren’t stupid! Lets even put the country aside, that was the effort of an individual, & we have several individuals also doing great things here. But attributing it to Rwanda, a country most love to compare Nig with, paints an entirely different pic.

— Ozzy. (@ozzyhor) April 8, 2020

At your international posture and standing someone sent it to you and never bothered to confirm from your friend Paul Kagame in whom you are so pleased to confirm?
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You are overated afterall.

— TemidayoO (@TemidayoOlawole) April 8, 2020
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