Ejiofor made the call in a statement issued on Monday, describing Omokri’s nomination as “a profoundly unwise decision” that threatens Nigeria’s diplomatic credibility, adding that Omokri’s “ethnic bigotry” poses a high risk to Nigeria’s image as a nation.
A human rights lawyer and counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on the Nigerian Senate to reject the nomination of Mr. Reno Omokri as an Ambassador-Designate, warning that confirming him would amount to a “historical error-in-progress” and a “national embarrassment.”
Ejiofor made the call in a statement issued on Monday, describing Omokri’s nomination as “a profoundly unwise decision” that threatens Nigeria’s diplomatic credibility, adding that Omokri’s “ethnic bigotry” poses a high risk to Nigeria’s image as a nation.
According to him, the inclusion of Omokri on the President’s latest list of ambassadorial nominees reflects “a bewildering lapse in judgment,” insisting that whoever recommended Omokri “swapped statesmanship for slapstick.”
Ejiofor said, “In the grand tapestry of Nigerian political theatre, one has become almost accustomed to periodic absurdities.
“Yet, every so often, a proposal emerges so profoundly unwise, so magnificently unserious, that it demands immediate intellectual quarantine.
“The recent nomination of Mr. Reno Omokri as Ambassador-Designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is one such bewildering episode; a moment where one must wonder if someone within the corridors of power mischievously swapped statesmanship for slapstick.”
Ejiofor criticized Omokri’s conduct on social media, describing his online activities as “a masterclass in unrestrained vituperation.”
He alleged that Omokri’s commentaries across X, Facebook and Instagram have been “riotously reckless,” driving many followers away due to “mental fatigue.”
He added that Omokri’s history of personal attacks on national leaders raises serious questions about his suitability for diplomatic service.
“It is, of course, customary for Presidents to rely on trusted advisers when composing their list of nominees. But whoever whispered Reno Omokri’s name into the presidential ear deserves a national reprimand, or at the very least, mandatory retirement into quiet contemplation,” Ejiofor stated.
“No wonder the name of a dead nominee has been uncovered amongst the list. However, to recommend this particular ‘gentleman’ for an exalted diplomatic portfolio is to imperil not merely the image of Mr President, but the collective dignity of the Nigerian people.”
He condemned what he described as Omokri’s unprintable names he flung at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his days of ‘Twitter evangelism,’ adding that Nigerians still question how individuals who previously criticized the administration now hold key government roles.
Ejiofor said, “For years, Reno’s social media activities have been a masterclass in unrestrained vituperation.
“His digital tantrums, served daily across X, Facebook, Instagram, and his ever-expanding sermon-on-the-timeline broadcasts, have been so riotously reckless that many discerning observers have questioned whether his devices should come preinstalled with psychiatric safeguards.
“Indeed, those who once innocently patronized his pages have quietly tiptoed away, citing mental fatigue and the unmistakable possibility that Reno may be nursing a peculiar species of psychological agitation.
“If the Commander-in-Chief was truly troubled by defamatory thunderings, Daniel Bwala would be giving press statements from a safe distance, not from inside Aso Rock.
“Nigerians who possess memory longer than a goldfish still wonder what precise value Bwala imports into governance after years of performing verbal gymnastics against the very administration he now serenades.”
Ejiofor’s strongest objection centred on Omokri’s past commentaries concerning the Igbo ethnic group.
He accused the former presidential aide of “malignant crusades against the Igbo nation,” alleging that Omokri repeatedly shared posts that stereotyped and insulted Igbo people.
“Reno’s relentless, malignant crusade against the Igbo nation that deserves the strongest spotlight,” Ejiofor said.
“In the long history of ethnic stereotyping in Nigeria, rarely has one man laboured so enthusiastically to malign a whole people.
“At every opportunity, Reno unleashed a torrent of insults, mockery, and denigration upon Ndigbo, assigning them labels too vulgar for refined company.”
Ejiofor stated that no individual who has “serially abused” a major segment of the country should represent Nigeria abroad.
“He publicly championed the absurd narrative that Igbo people are unworthy contributors to Nigerian society, routinely painting them as criminals, invaders, and economic parasites,” Ejiofor stated.
“He amplified toxic calls for Igbos to ‘leave Lagos’, a city built, inhabited, and enriched by all Nigerians, including Ndigbo.
“His digital fingerprints remain all over this hateful and divisive propaganda; the archives of social media do not forget.”
The lawyer urged senators to interrogate Omokri on how he intends to reconcile his past activism, including anti-government protests abroad, with the responsibilities of an ambassador.
“Now, this same man seeks to sit in diplomatic chambers bearing the Nigerian flag?” he questioned.
He emphasized that Omokri’s repeated disparagement of the Igbo people undermines his credibility and urged senators of Igbo origin not to support the appointment.
While suggesting that Omokri could be suited for a spokesperson role given his notoriety, Ejiofor called on the Senate to reject the ambassadorial nomination to prevent what he described as a potential national embarrassment.