Martin Luther King Family Had Disagreements On Visit To Nigeria – Dabiri-Erewa

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign and Diaspora Matter, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has disclosed that there was a major disagreement amongst family members of Martin Luther King while visiting Nigeria, hence, the confusion over an ‘award’ to the president.

In a statement in Abuja on Thursday by Abdurrahman Balogun, S.A. Media to Dabiri-Erewa, titled: Martin Luther King Family Visit To Nigeria: The Facts, she explained that it was part of activities to “celebrate a low- key Black History Month in Nigeria as part of deepening partnership between Africa and its Diaspora.”

The statement reads: “The members, led by the Matriarch of MLK, Naomi Barbara King, were in Nigeria as part of the activities initiated to celebrate a low- key Black History Month in Nigeria as part of deepening partnership between Africa and its Diaspora.

“As part of the activities, they visited President Muhammadu Buhari and gave him a commemorative plaque for his fight against corruption and what they termed from the “Africania Diaspora” a term for Africans in Diaspora for which the oldest of them all Naomi Barbara King was selected to present on behalf of the family (NOT MLK CENTER) as a sign of appreciation to the Nigerian President.

“It must be categorically stated here that the trip was totally privately funded and not one kobo was spent by the Nigerian government as it was all a private initiative.

“However, after two days in Nigeria, one of the members apparently granted an interview which was seen as being political, asking Nigerians to give President Muhammadu Buhari a chance to continue his good works especially of fighting corruption in Nigeria.

“As a non-political group, he was asked to refute the statement, which he refused to, insisting that was how he felt , and it was his personal opinion, not that of the family nor the centre, of which he is a board member and was the Chief Operating Officer for over five years.

“This may have led to some arguements (sic) among them, which they have said they will resolve when they get back to the US., (sic) which apparently led to the tweet being circulated.

“The visit to Nigeria was quite successful that they extended their stay for two major days, surprised at the negative reports on Nigeria.

“Members of the public are hereby urged to please discountenance any fake news about the visit and avoid the temptation of destroying all the good things for the sake of Politics.”