Tinubu’s spokesman, Onoh, criticises Chimamanda for “bad loser” letter to Biden

Chimamanda Adichie, the award-winning Nigerian novelist, has received a response from Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s spokesman, Dr. Josef Onoh, over an ‘open letter’ she wrote to US President Joe Biden.

In the letter, published on Thursday in The Atlantic, a US-based newspaper, Adichie criticised the US government for congratulating Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on his election victory, arguing that the election was flawed.

Onoh, in a news release made available to The Guardian, countered that Adichie’s letter was in bad faith and that it was a result of the failure of her preferred presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Onoh further accused Adichie of ignorance regarding the rules of international diplomacy, using any medium, no matter how irrelevant, to promote her brand, and lacking an understanding of the complexity surrounding international diplomacy.

Onoh pointed out that the United States of America has a strategy to prevent conflict and promote stability as a policy, which has contained partnership with countries and regional groupings.

“This represents an important milestone and next step in the realization of the goals of the landmark Global Fragility Act, which continues to enjoy strong bipartisan Congressional support for innovative efforts to foster a more peaceful and stable world,” Onoh said.

READ MORE: Chimamanda Adichie writes open letter to Biden about ‘Nigeria’s hollow democracy’

He also reminded Adichie that the United States, in full implementation of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act, has continued to leverage and advance other priorities, such as promoting democracy, good governance, respect for human rights, advancing gender equality, countering corruption, and reducing the risks of the climate crisis.

Onoh further accused Adichie of attacking the US president and international diplomacy out of frustration that the majority of Nigerians had chosen peace over anarchy.

He reminded Adichie that the US would continue to support stabilization in areas where violence impedes development and threatens US and its partner’s strategic interests.

“These efforts will improve lives and livelihoods in the process because it is rooted in a deep and abiding commitment to put diplomacy and shared values first,” Onoh said.

In conclusion, Onoh advised Adichie to understand that every nation must first achieve stability to promote democracy.

“Peacebuilding and conflict prevention are needed now more than ever, and the United States has always looked forward to working with others to create a more peaceful world,” Onoh said.