ANNOUNCEMENT


Worship with us @ Mountain of Fire Miracles Ministries, Budapest, Hungary Address: 1081 Bp II János Pál Pápa tér 2 (formerly Köztársaság tér) Direction: From Blaha, take tram 28, 28A, 37, 37A, 62...1 stop. From the traffic light cross to the other side... Or take Metro 4 & get off @ János Pál Pápa tér
Time of worship: Wednesdays @ 18:30 hr Sundays @ 10:30 hr
Tel: +36 203819155 or +36 202016005

God bless


Saturday 28 May 2011

SPECIAL NEWS

I did not beat my wife, says Nigerian envoy
By Isaac Ongiri & Catherine Mukei
 



The Nigerian High Commisioner Chief Dr Chijioke Wilcox Wigwe yesterday denied battering his wife Tess Iyi Igwe. His denial came as the couple's two children — 27-year-old Adda and her 20-year-old brother Nelson — said they were in the house at the time of the incident.


They heard a loud commotion and when they emerged from their rooms, they found their parents arguing and their mother with wounds on her face.

Interviewed by the Star at the opening of the Nollywood Roadshow and fair which was being held at the Safari Park Hotel to commemorate Nigeria’s Democracy Day and celebrate the formal investiture of President Goodluck Jonathan for a new term of four years, Wigwe dismissed as "fake" the photos of his wife's injuries carried exclusively by the Star yesterday. “I’m really shocked that the wife of an ambassador could degrade herself to this level. Those were self-taken photos she took ten days ago in front of me and the two children she claims took her to hospital,” he said in his exclusive interview with the Star.

Nelson contradicted his mother's claim that he had come to her rescue. "I was in my room resting when l heard a commotion. When l came out, l found the two of them arguing. I do not know who or what happened."

Nelson and his sister said they wanted to set the record straight and came to the Star offices to do this. "The fact is, while the relationship between our parents has been tumultuous, from past instances l feel that reports of the event are far from the truth," said Nelson. Adda said she accompanied her mother and two of her friends who arrived to take her to hospital.

 In his interview, Wigwe denied his wife's allegations that he had brought other women to the matrimonial home. “Tess is only saying these things because she has a motive. I know she wants money which unfortunately I don’t have; I’m just a humble civil servant,” he said.

Wigwe admitted that he had married two other women during the nine years he and his wife lived separate lives as she went to the UK to work. “It is normal in the African culture for a man have a woman by his side but I don’t understand why a woman in her sound mind would go out talking about her marriage life as if it was a do or die matter; this is not a Tiger Woods tale!” said the diplomat who also serves as the representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Environmental Programme and the UN Habitat in Nairobi. He further revealed that apart from the five children with Tess, he has two others from a previous marriage.

Wigwe denied claims that the community had persuaded her to go back to him after nine years of separation. “Everyone including our own children questioned me for taking her back but I’m now paying the price having brought this to myself.”

The diplomat said their marriage had been over for a long time for reasons that he was not ready to disclose and that their appearances together were just to maintain the "image."

Claiming the Star was "unprofessional to run the story", Wigwe said his wife was capable of anything and accused her of breaking into his bedroom and taking away some of his Rolex watches. "I’m sure she is the one since she is the only one who has the key to my bedroom,” he said but did not disclose whether he had reported the loss of the items to the police.

The High Commission last night issued a statement expressing deep concerns about the allegations against the High Commissioner. "While refraining from commenting on the status of the union of Chief Dr Chijoke Wilcox and Mrs Tess Iyi Wigwe, the Nigeria High Commission wishes to assure the public that the allegations made against Dr Wigwe are to the best of its knowledge, malevolent, far from the truth and unsubstantiated."

 The High Commission stated that Dr Wigwe "did not have a history of physical violence" and "did not assault his wife". "As a mission, we stand by the High Commissioner as a man of peace and integrity, until it can be proved otherwise," the statement said, adding that the diplomat had over 30 years of "unblemished and meritorious service as an astute diplomat, a distinguished academic and a visionary leader with outstanding and impeccable career." "All we ask the public at this stage is to allow us time to ascertain the truth of the matter, before his hard-earned reputation and lifetime achievements are destroyed by these accusations," the statement said adding that the High Commission would accord the relevant authorities the cooperation and assistance required to get to the bottom of the matter.

Earlier yesterday, a woman who spoke in deeply accented English and identified herself as Rhoda Akambi, the High Commission's principal communication officer, said that Tess's injuries were "fake".

Akambi said the bloodstains and injuries seen on the face of the diplomat's wife was tomato sauce which she had applied on herself in her attempt to blackmail the diplomat. “We are concerned as a mission that the Kenyan media decided to embarrass the people of Nigeria by humiliating our ambassador His Excellency Chijioke. We want to confirm that this was a private matter and it is an abomination to discuss Nigerian family issues in the press,” Akambi said.

In Parliament, Acting Foreign Affairs minister Prof George Saitoti said he would issue a ministerial statement on the matter next Thursday. This followed a request from Nominated MP Rachel Shebesh who wanted to know the status of the case as well as an explanation of how the government intended to deal with envoys who commit grievous crimes on Kenyan soil.

Deputy Police Spokesman Charles Owino said the police were addressing the matter. “We are very concerned about this matter. We just want to deal with it so that we have all the details. We are however sorry that no report was made to any police station and recorded at the occurrence book initially,” Owino said about the incident which Tess said was reported to the Spring Valley police station.

Last night, the Federation of Women Lawyers of Kenya issued a statement signed by its chairperson Naomi Wagereka condemning the incident and asking for the diplomat to be removed.

Fida asked the government to declare Wigwe persona non grata (not welcome); arrest and prosecute him. Fida asked the Nigerian government to withdraw Wigwe's diplomatic status and immunity and provide immediate protection and care to his wife.



source: the star

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Editor's Mail

Love the article on Gaddafi
We must rise above tribalism & divide & rule of the colonialist who stole & looted our treasure & planted their puppets to lord it over us..they alone can decide on whosoever is performing & the one that is corrupt..but the most corrupt nations are the western countries that plunder the resources of other nations & make them poorer & aid the rulers to steal & keep such ill gotten wealth in their country..yemen,syria etc have killed more than gadhafi but its not A̷̷̴ good investment for the west(this is laughable)because oil is not in these countries..when obasanjo annihilated the odi people in rivers state, they looked away because its in their favour & interest..one day! Samosa Iyoha

Hello from
Johannesburg
I was amazed to find a website for Africans in Hungary.
Looks like you have quite a community there. Here in SA we have some three million Zimbabweans living in exile and not much sign of going home ... but in Hungary??? Hope to meet you on one of my trips to Europe; was in Steirmark Austria near the Hungarian border earlier this month. Every good wish for 2011. Geoff in Jo'burg

I'm impressed by
ANH work but...
Interesting interview...
I think from what have been said, the Nigerian embassy here seem to be more concern about its nationals than we are for ourselves. Our complete disregard for the laws of Hungary isn't going to help Nigeria's image or going to promote what the Embassy is trying to showcase. So if the journalists could zoom-in more focus on Nigerians living, working and studying here in Hungary than scrutinizing the embassy and its every move, i think it would be of tremendous help to the embassy serving its nationals better and create more awareness about where we live . Taking the issues of illicit drugs and forged documents as typical examples.. there are so many cases of Nigerians been involved. But i am yet to read of it in e.news. So i think if only you and your journalists could write more about it and follow up on the stories i think it will make our nationals more aware of what to expect. I wouldn't say i am not impressed with your work but you need to be more of a two way street rather than a one way street . Keep up the good work... Sylvia

My comment to the interview with his excellency Mr. Adedotun Adenrele Adepoju CDA a.i--

He is an intelligent man. He spoke well on the issues! Thanks to Mr Hakeem Babalola for the interview it contains some expedient information.. B.Ayo Adams click to read editor's mail
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