Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Rashid Bawa has denied claims by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan that Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo mocked Nigeria in a recent speech.

In a statement, Ambassador Bawa stated Mr. Akufo-Addo has always referred to Nigeria as “a country I describe as my second home in the world,” and will never use the West African country to make negative examples.

The reaction comes after Goodluck Jonathan said he is ashamed that Nigeria is now being used as a negative example in the international community by Mr. Akufo-Addo

This was in reference to comments made by Ghana’s President Akufo Addo, during a Keynote Address at the 2018 Oxford Africa Conference earlier this month.

During the speech, Mr. Akufo-Addo drew a comparison between 1980 and present-day Nigeria, addressing the need for a collective effort to address the continents challenges.

“For most of you in the audience today, it is probably before your time, but in the late 1970s up to the mid-1980s, as a result of the discovery of considerable petroleum deposits, Nigeria was booming. It was the place to be. We Ghanaians, who were going through very difficult times then, would arrive at Heathrow airport, and be herded into a cage to be subjected to the full third degree by Immigration, and we would look on as our Nigerian cousins would be waved through, with a ‘welcome sir’ and a ‘welcome madam,” Mr. Akufo-Addo said in his speech.

The comments have, however, been interpreted as disparaging by the former Head of State of the neighboring country.

Goodluck Jonathan speaking recently at the inauguration of a bridge in Ekiti State said he was embarrassed by Mr. Akufo-Addo’s comments. He added that the comments meant the current leaders of Nigeria have failed.

But Ambassador Bawa in his reaction said Goodluck Jonathan has deliberately misrepresented the comments of Mr. Akufo-Addo for political gains.

Below is the full statement by Ambassador Bawa
The attention of the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria, and, indeed, of the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been drawn to comments made by the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan, to the effect that President Akufo-Addo has made disparaging remarks about Nigeria.

It is important to stress that the comments made by the former Nigerian President, at the inauguration of the first bridge built by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in Ado Ekiti, took the words of President Akufo-Addo completely out of context.

Indeed, in the speech delivered by President Akufo-Addo at the Oxford African Conference, one of the instances used by former President Goodluck Jonathan, these are the exact words of President Akufo-Addo:

‘For most of you in the audience today, it is probably before your time, but in the late 1970s up to the mid-1980s, as a result of the discovery of considerable petroleum deposits, Nigeria was booming. It was the place to be. We Ghanaians, who were going through very difficult times then, would arrive at Heathrow airport, and be herded into a cage to be subjected to the full third degree by Immigration, and we would look on as our Nigerian cousins would be waved through, with a ‘welcome sir’ and a ‘welcome madam’.

The newspaper headlines in this country were full of Nigerians leaving or forgetting bundles of money in taxis and telephone booths. Nigerians were the preferred tenants for those who had apartments to let. You could stop by any Thomas Cook shop on any High Street in this country and buy or sell Naira, the Nigerian currency, and you could do the same in New York, and I suspect in many other Western country cities.

I do not need to spell out today’s reality to anyone in this audience. I cite this just to make the point that the “the outside world” is well able to tell that there are separate sovereign nations on the African continent. But, when the news is not good, then Africa is treated as one entity.”

How, then, can anyone describe these words by President Akufo-Addo as intending to mock Nigeria?

Again, the other alleged remark that “Ghana is not Nigeria where cattle can roam about anyhow” has never been made by President Akufo-Addo. That is not his way of speaking.

President Akufo-Addo, in many of the speeches he has made in Nigeria and elsewhere, since becoming President of Ghana, has described Nigeria as “a country I describe as my second home in the world”, and will never use Nigeria to make negative examples, as the former President Goodluck Jonathan sought to portray.

President Akufo-Addo enjoys a very good relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari, as he has with many other Nigerian leaders. Ghana and Nigeria are like siblings, and it would be most inappropriate, because of politics, for anyone, regardless of his or her status in society, to try to sow seeds of discord amongst the leadership and peoples of our two countries.
……signed……
Amb. Rashid Bawa
Ghana’s High Commission

https://starrfmonline.com/2018/05/31/akufo-addo-never-mocked-nigeria-bawa-replies-goodluck-jonathan/

PDP Wont Like This

IPOB'S,
WAILERS,
PEOPLE DECEIVING PEOPLE,
OVER TO YOU.

WELL SAID, BAWA

Adding salt to injury. He is still mocking Nigeria by comparing us to what we where,its actually a tongue in cheek satire on how the mighty have fallen, now they put us in cages as against when we were waved through customs and immigration..lol..and brain dead BMCs be happy at these additional insults

For most of you in the audience today, it is probably before your time, but in the late 1970s up to the mid-1980s, as a result of the discovery of considerable petroleum deposits, Nigeria was booming. It was the place to be. We Ghanaians, who were going through very difficult times then, would arrive at Heathrow airport, and be herded into a cage to be subjected to the full third degree by Immigration, and we would look on as our Nigerian cousins would be waved through, with a ‘welcome sir’ and a ‘welcome madam’.
The newspaper headlines in this country were full of Nigerians leaving or forgetting bundles of money in taxis and telephone booths. Nigerians were the preferred tenants for those who had apartments to let. You could stop by any Thomas Cook shop on any High Street in this country and buy or sell Naira, the Nigerian currency, and you could do the same in New York, and I suspect in many other Western country cities.
I do not need to spell out today’s reality to anyone in this audience. I cite this just to make the point that the “the outside world” is well able to tell that there are separate sovereign nations on the African continent. But, when the news is not good, then Africa is treated as one entity.”

How are the once giant of Africa fallen.

Rubbing more salt on top IPOB yoot wound...Biafrauds won't like this

ehie:
Adding salt to injury. He is still mocking Nigeria by comparing us to what we where,its actually a tongue in cheek satire on how the mighty have fallen, now they put us in cages as against when we were waved through customs..lol..and brain dead BMCs be happy at this insults

The reverse seems the case now.Today's Nigeria is where everyone is now a criminal.

Abeg who takes Jonathan serious.
Even out of power that guy still dey confused.
We don suffer for Niger delta.

It is only the jobless lazy idiotic pigs of Biafra that take ineffectual buffoon serious

Defense gone bad

lalasticlala the headline is mischievous.

The title should be "Ghana Replies Jonathan" Or Ghanian Ambassador.


Everybody except IPOB pigs knows that Jonathan is a corrupt drunkard, who reeks and smells of ogogoro anywhere he goes.

Bawa is an idiot

Oya, PDP Robots, your corruption god's lies has just been punctured, what have you to say? Also waiting for pastor Reno Omockry aka Wendell Simling to provide alternative facts to this.

SalamRushdie:
Bawa is an idiot

You are a programmed PDP Robot

Sirjamo:
You are a programmed PDP Robot

And you are a programmed Buhari robot

SalamRushdie:

And you are a programmed Buhari robot

See your life. Give your life to God, MBA. Till death do you part with PDP. Kwontinue

ehie:
Adding salt to injury. He is still mocking Nigeria by comparing us to what we where,its actually a tongue in cheek satire on how the mighty have fallen, now they put us in cages as against when we were waved through customs..lol..and brain dead BMCs be happy at this insults

Of All Those Who Have Commented So Far, Yours Is One The Best.
The Truth Is This Statement If Read Accurately Is Nothing But Salt Directly To An Injury. This Guy Is Only Reaffirming What GEJ Said. Ghanaian Are Really Laughing At Us, Period.
He Is Indirectly Saying; Look, You People Do Not Know How Low You Have Fallen, Etc.

NgeneUkwenu:
[s] lalasticlala the headline is mischievous.

The title should be "Ghana Replies Jonathan" Or Ghanian Ambassador.


Everybody except IPOB pigs knows that Jonathan is a corrupt drunkard, who reeks and smells of ogogoro anywhere he goes.[/s]

Now I Know How Poorly Educated You Are, So You Didn't Read Where The Guy Said This

“For most of you in the audience today, it is probably before your time, but in the late 1970s up to the mid-1980s, as a result of the discovery of considerable petroleum deposits, Nigeria was booming. It was the place to be. We Ghanaians, who were going through very difficult times then, would arrive at Heathrow airport, and be herded into a cage to be subjected to the full third degree by Immigration, and we would look on as our Nigerian cousins would be waved through, with a ‘welcome sir’ and a ‘welcome madam,” Mr. Akufo-Addo said in his speech.

It Either You Don;t Know what It Means Or GEJ Name Has A way Of Giving you Corrupt Sexual Orgasm, Dummy.

buhariguy:
It is only the jobless lazy idiotic pigs of Biafra that take ineffectual buffoon serious

I was about to be upset with your reporting my polite freedom of speech expression I made in a post somedays ago, but going through your posts, I relax. It isn't worth it. You don't understand one thing about politics nor about Jesus with all your swear word so please edit that part off from your signature.
As per loving Nigeria, please do more things outside social media fights and insults to help the nation you seem to love. Like I always tell people who fight religious fights on social media, how does exchanging insults make people believe yours is better? Oga how does your hate politics show your candidate is the best?
That being said, WISHING YOU A HAPPY NEW MONTH.

Oga Jona sef want turn wailer, Fayose don infuse wailer syndrom to our patriotic Oga.

We all know that the Clueless One has the propensity to fabricate lies.

He lives in a world of fantasy. The hero of democracy my....!

The slowpoke once spoke of a non existent phone conversation with the king of Morocco who during the phantom telephone conversation allegedly endorsed his then disastrous re-election bid!

The Ambassador of that country had to issue a public rebuttal of the embarrassing and unpresidential lie.

MazuguZugudu1:
We all know that the Clueless One has the propensity to fabricate lies.

He lives in a world of fantasy. The hero of democracy my....!

The slowpoke once spoke of a non existent phone conversation with the king of Morocco who during the phantom telephone conversation allegedly endorsed his then disastrous re-election bid!

The Ambassador of that country had to issue a public rebuttal of the embarrassing and unpresidential lie.

What's fabrication in this I think Bawa reinforced GEJ's position.

Chubhie:

What's fabrication in this I think Bawa reinforced GEJ's position.

Reinforced? Please read it again.
It needs no interpretation.

Slowly...

MazuguZugudu1:


Reinforced? Please read it again.
It needs no interpretation.

Slowly...

Raising above tribal/party politics, are you satisfied with the Ghanaian President's analogy of Nigeria?

SalamRushdie:
Bawa is an idiot

your hero, the lier in chief at his best. Some of the silly comments he has made so far,
America will know
stealing is not corruption
how much did Nwobodo steal, just to name a few.
I guess he was drunk as usual before making that negative statement that exposed his administration as inept.

Keeping him honest!

GEJ was right after all....

GEJ is 100% better than PMB

The clueless buffoon is at it again he did the same to the king of Morocco when he was president e be like say ogogoro neva clear for hin eye.. No wonder morons hail him as their hero, their lord and saviour.. Smh

Damage control.....Ko le werk