The Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar says Nigerian sportsmen and women in the Diaspora must be treated with dignity.
The Minister made the assertion against the background of a viral video trolling Super Eagles star and forward Victor Osimhen over missing a penalty kick in a football match against Bologna in a press release by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy
Alkasim Abdulkadir.
The incident according to Ambassador Tuggar falls under the 4Ds Strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also known as the Tinubu doctrine; it mainstreams Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography as part of its outward-looking objectives.
The Diaspora component considers the life and dignity of every Nigerian in the Diaspora sacrosanct and deserving of respect and dignity in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“When we go about our duties, we should always remember Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”.
He further stated that by the foregoing “Napoli did not act in the spirit of brotherhood by the mocking of her star player Victor Osimhen who was instrumental to the team winning the Serie A Championship last season”.
The Nigerian government and Embassy shall continue to monitor happenings not only in Napoli but around the world on how her sportsmen and women are treated and all other citizens of the Nigerian diaspora and will waste no time in seeking redress of such mistreatments.
Dominica Nwabufo