By Emmanuel Ogala
March 17, 2011 01:46AM
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The Senate has confirmed the ambassadorial appointment of Ijeoma Bristol, who could not recite the national anthem when she appeared before it a fortnight ago, on compassionate grounds.

Mrs Bristol, from Anambra State, had failed to impress the senate committee on foreign affairs at a screening of ambassadorial nominees. She was not able to recite both the national anthem and the pledge. She could also not say the capital of Jigawa State.

“She demonstrated fair knowledge of the job and what is required of her as an ambassador,  but was not knowledgeable on specific and general issues concerning the diplomatic concerns of Nigeria,” Jubril Aminu (PDP Adamawa State), head of the senate committee on foreign affairs, said in his report to the senate.

“She was nervous during the interview,” Grace Bent, another member of the foreign affairs committee added.

Despite her shortcomings, the senate’s foreign affairs committee recommended that she should be approved for the job “so that she will retire as an ambassador”.

Mr. Aminu told the senate that even though he was personally against Mrs Bristol’s approval for the job and had advised that she go and learn about Nigeria first, majority of the committee members were lobbied to approve her.

“I was in the minority,” he said.

He said that in solidarity with the wish of his committee members the nominee should be approved with “benefit of the doubt” because she is a career diplomat and next in line for the position.

The stance of the committee divided the senate with many arguing that Mrs Bristol should be dropped. The opposing senators argued that competence, intelligence and courage should not be sacrificed for age or affection.

“We cannot continue to allow mediocrity,” Olorunmibe Mamora (ACN Lagos State) leader of the opposition said. “It is not helping us; we cannot allow this lady pass.”

“Temper justice with mercy”

The leadership of the senate, however, pleaded with their colleagues to “temper justice with mercy”.

“Her case is a case of what we call poor pass,” the senate president, David Mark, said.

The senate president however was optimistic that if given the opportunity, Mrs Bristol would learn about Nigeria. He added that the resentment expressed by senators would deter President Goodluck Jonathan from sending incompetent nominees to the senate in the future.

Mrs Bristol was confirmed alongside 25 others.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5683742-146/senate_confirms_ambassador_who_failed_anthem.csp

I took the liberty of editing out the name of the ambassador and her state of origin from the above article, since neither is really immediately relevant.

^^^ Everyone knows that she is a SE'ner almajiri. IJEOMA BRISTOL from ANAMBRA STATE, you are a disgrace!

Imagine this stalk illiterate hails from any northern part?? No surprise at all, afteral patience Jonathan cant recite the national anthem either.

celebration of mediocrity and illiteracy at its peak.

this country is rotten to the core. we should build nuclear power plants here, pray for meltdown and rid the world once and for all of our useless presence.

If this so called "Career Diplomat" has any shame, then she will relinquish the position and proceed to disappear into obscurity.

This is a national disgrace. The PDP and its hold of the senate will ruin us all.

I followed this thing 4rm the begining, she actually has what it takes, her case is lyk someone that can solve calculus but cannot multiply 2*2 effectively, besides anambra senators would rather have her, than lose their ambassadorial slot.

Honestly, it would take her like 20 minutes to memorize the state capitals, another 20 to memorize the anthem, etc.

I dunno why she didn't just prepare beforehand, anticipate that she'd need to know these things.

I guess she didn't grow up in nigeria. Otherwise she'd presumably know this stuff.

I kind of support her endorsement becos dora has already lost anambra slot in the FEC, and that is already generating so much tension in anambra, if the anambra senators didnt make sure she was confirmed, they may be lynched in anambra.

below are the important sections the supporters of the PDP and Jonathan should note carefully:

“We cannot continue to allow mediocrity,” Olorunmibe Mamora (ACN Lagos State) leader of the opposition said. “It is not helping us; we cannot allow this lady pass.”

Say what you will about Tinubu or the ACN but it is clear neither court "mediocrity" , to the detriment of Nigeria , as the PDP does. This is the very reason Nigeria now has a very mediocre President and extremely poor and egotistical senate President.

“Temper justice with mercy”

The leadership of the senate, however, pleaded with their colleagues to “temper justice with mercy”.

“Her case is a case of what we call poor pass,” the senate president, David Mark, said.

David Mark pleading the case for mediocrity? Surprise, surprise . This man is probably the worst senate President Nigeria has ever had !!! Mark himself is "mediocre" and a beneficiary of election rigging because OBJ et al wanted a 'friendly' Senate President.

He added that the resentment expressed by senators would deter President Goodluck Jonathan from sending incompetent nominees to the senate in the future.

Jonathan sends another undeserving and clearly incompetent person for confirmation? Is anyone surprised ? Is this not the consistent arguement of some of us? I.e Jonathan uses public and important office to ingratiate himself to cronies to the detriment of Nigeria? Folks should go and find out who this woman's husband is and issues will be more clear. Whack AGF ,poor IGP , extremely useless EFCC boss and a poor candidate submitted as ICPC boss by Jonathan , but rejected by the Senate, all confirm that Jonathan is a very dangerous man who is toying with the existence of the nation with his practice of pleasing himself, friends and cronies ahead of using square pegs for square holes in the greater interest of the nation's progress.

If i am not mistaking, GEJ nominated dis woman 2 represent us, A house of PDP majority awarded her poor pass and ACN member opposes it. Dont worry 4 those callin 4 GEJ re-election, he is ready 2 nominate many more mediocre, daft, unpatriotic & senseless individuals like this woman 2 take us 2 lower lower lower height when he is sworn into office come may 29.
My fellow country men, lets vote out this mediocrity encouragers (PDP) if we truly want REAL CHANGE in dis country, that's my BITTER TRUTH ADVICE.
Suleman Segun

It's a shame she was confirmed.
To be fair to her though, most of our senators are more conversant with their bank accounts than the capital of Jigawa State and the national anthem.

Ambassador Yussuf was rejected because he could not tell the different between NEEDS and want (see link below).
In Nigeria, double standards are the order of the day.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-255.0.html

A senate that celebrates mediocrity! . How can such a person represent our image abroad?

Guyman02:

If i am not mistaking, GEJ nominated dis woman 2 represent us, A house of PDP majority awarded her poor pass and ACN member opposes it. Dont worry 4 those callin 4 GEJ re-election, he is ready 2 nominate many more mediocre, daft, unpatriotic & senseless individuals like this woman 2 take us 2 lower lower lower height when he is sworn into office come may 29.
My fellow country men, lets vote out this mediocrity encouragers (PDP) if we truly want REAL CHANGE in dis country, that's my BITTER TRUTH ADVICE.
Suleman Segun

you are mistaken, GEJ has nothing 2 do with it, she is a career diplomat that started 4rm d scratch in d ministry of foreign affairs and was the next in line 4 promotion, PDP members also kicked against it, but the final say lies with the Anambra senators, becos it is their slot and they were not ready 2 lose it.

The question is, Whose girlfriend is she? When we find that out, then we understand the reason why she would even make this post. What a shame, but it is PDP now. When a hairdresser can be senate president, only because of her bedmatics with OBJ. Why can't madam with a name like Bristol? Who probably thrills them with Bedmatics and a fake accent. PDP is filled with illiterates. This is a very big shame on the senate, I am sure she is not the only person qualified from Anambra

eku_bear:

By Emmanuel Ogala
March 17, 2011 01:46AM
print  email   


The Senate has confirmed the ambassadorial appointment of -------- Bristol, who could not recite the national anthem when she appeared before it a fortnight ago, on compassionate grounds.

Mrs Bristol, from -------- State, had failed to impress the senate committee on foreign affairs at a screening of ambassadorial nominees. She was not able to recite both the national anthem and the pledge. She could also not say the capital of Jigawa State.

“She demonstrated fair knowledge of the job and what is required of her as an ambassador,  but was not knowledgeable on specific and general issues concerning the diplomatic concerns of Nigeria,” Jubril Aminu (PDP Adamawa State), head of the senate committee on foreign affairs, said in his report to the senate.

“She was nervous during the interview,” Grace Bent, another member of the foreign affairs committee added.

Despite her shortcomings, the senate’s foreign affairs committee recommended that she should be approved for the job “so that she will retire as an ambassador”.

Mr. Aminu told the senate that even though he was personally against Mrs Bristol’s approval for the job and had advised that she go and learn about Nigeria first, majority of the committee members were lobbied to approve her.

“I was in the minority,” he said.

He said that in solidarity with the wish of his committee members the nominee should be approved with “benefit of the doubt” because she is a career diplomat and next in line for the position.

The stance of the committee divided the senate with many arguing that Mrs Bristol should be dropped. The opposing senators argued that competence, intelligence and courage should not be sacrificed for age or affection.

“We cannot continue to allow mediocrity,” Olorunmibe Mamora (ACN Lagos State) leader of the opposition said. “It is not helping us; we cannot allow this lady pass.”

“Temper justice with mercy”

The leadership of the senate, however, pleaded with their colleagues to “temper justice with mercy”.

“Her case is a case of what we call poor pass,” the senate president, David Mark, said.

The senate president however was optimistic that if given the opportunity, Mrs Bristol would learn about Nigeria. He added that the resentment expressed by senators would deter President Goodluck Jonathan from sending incompetent nominees to the senate in the future.

Mrs Bristol was confirmed alongside 25 others.

Is that statement not contradictory.
Square pegs in round holes . . .President,senators et all

TewMuch:

The question is, Whose girlfriend is she? When we find that out, then we understand the reason why she would even make this post. What a shame, but it is PDP now. When a hairdresser can be senate president, only because of her bedmatics with OBJ. Why can't madam with a name like Bristol? Who probably thrills them with Bedmatics and a fake accent. PDP is filled with illiterates. This is a very big shame on the senate, I am sure she is not the only person qualified from Anambra

representing nigeria as ambassador is obviously not dou to her,bcuz since she knows noting about her country how can she reposit our flag shame on pdp and government

In the past, had we not been promoting people in secondary schools whether they passed or not?

The past is catching up on Nigeria fast

eku_bear:


“She demonstrated fair knowledge of the job and what is required of her as an ambassador,  but was not knowledgeable on specific and general issues concerning the diplomatic concerns of Nigeria,” Jubril Aminu (PDP Adamawa State), head of the senate committee on foreign affairs, said in his report to the senate.

“She was nervous during the interview,” Grace Bent, another member of the foreign affairs committee added.

Despite her shortcomings, the senate’s foreign affairs committee recommended that she should be approved for the job [size=15pt]“so that she will retire as an ambassador”.[/size]

Wonder what he means by 'fair knowledge'. . .and how exactly did she demonstrate it? It obviously, as Tewmuch seems to imply, wasn't during screening process at the senate chambers.

To his credit though, Aminu, a veteran diplomat himself, was against her nomination.

this country is rotten to the core. we should build nuclear power plants here, pray for meltdown and rid the world once and for all of our useless presence.

Is this the best of your suicide note

recoome:

you are mistaken, GEJ has nothing 2 do with it, she is a career diplomat that started 4rm d scratch in d ministry of foreign affairs and was the next in line 4 promotion, PDP members also kicked against it, but the final say lies with the Anambra senators, becos it is their slot and they were not ready 2 lose it.

Go and do your research. you will find that it is the President that puts forward the name of ambassadorial nominees he has chosen for confirmation by the Senate . This is why Diavid Mark said:

The senate president however was optimistic that if given the opportunity, Mrs Bristol would learn about Nigeria. He added that the resentment expressed by senators would deter President Goodluck Jonathan from sending incompetent nominees to the senate in the future.

What tends to happen is that cronies 'lobby' the President for appointment. It is still up to a decent president , aware of the impact of every single office in the quest to move Nigeria forward, to reject incompetent individuals submitted to him. Cronyism is Jonathan's style . That is why one cannot point to many meritocratically good appointments Mr. President has made . We all saw Bianca Ojukwu bribed with a position clearly to win support for GEJ. 

http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=29799

Senate screening: Ambassadorial nominee can’t recite Nigerian Anthem, Pledge

By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi   



Ijioma Bristol, wife of the Nigerian Ambassador to France, on Wednesday failed to recite both the National Anthem and Pledge before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

She appeared for routine screening before the Jibril Aminu-led Foreign Affairs Committee as one of the 29 career ambassadorial nominees of President Goodluck Jonathan

He added that the resentment expressed by senators would deter President Goodluck Jonathan from sending incompetent nominees to the senate in the future.

Please what does screening mean in Nigeria? To show resentment? The senators are even worse than Mrs Bristol. . .(Bristol, is that name Nigerian?)

clowns and mediocrity hv taken over naija

another blunder by those clowns in the national assembly

goodluck to them all, dame jonathan should have screened her with armoured journalist and shields or metal unbrerra

recoome:

you are mistaken, GEJ has nothing 2 do with it, she is a career diplomat that started 4rm d scratch in d ministry of foreign affairs and was the next in line 4 promotion, PDP members also kicked against it, but the final say lies with the Anambra senators, becos it is their slot and they were not ready 2 lose it.

Beaf/recoome,
How can GEJ have nothing to do with it, when he was the one who submitted her name for nomination in the first place. A president who submits the names of mediocre and inept candidates for political appointment surely is not interested in moving the nation forward. GEJ is more interested in kissing as many azzes as possible in his desperate quest for power.

Mediocrity is one of the requirements for promotion and elevation in some parts of Nigeria.

After reading this post I can conclusively say: NIGERIANS ARE ABOUT THE BIGGEST ID*IOTS WALKING THE FACE OF THE EARTH TODAY!!! You can take this anyhow u want. But, before getting irate remember that: THE SENATE IS "THE PEOPLE"; they presumably do what the people want.

Wow, yall a buncha clowns!!!

is a pity that it is only in nigeria that such things happen. the thought that ran through me when i hard she was confirmed by the senate was this, how could she relate coherently the history of the nation assuming students of what ever country she will send to pay her visit and she was asked the question.

bk.babe97y:

After reading this post I can conclusively say: NIGERIANS ARE ABOUT THE BIGGEST ID*IOTS WALKING THE FACE OF THE EARTH TODAY!!! You can take this anyhow u want. But, before getting irate remember that: THE SENATE IS "THE PEOPLE"; they presumably do what the people want.

Wow, yall a buncha clowns!!!

Tell me you're American and I'll let you be, 'The Senate is the people and they presumably do what the people want'?? You sure aren't Nigerian,so I'll let you pass, *RME*

A clear reason why PDP must be uprooted.

I wonder if MOST of our senators can recite the national anthem ??