Mexico clears Omokri as ambassador after eight-month delay

Mexico has approved Reno Omokri’s appointment as Nigeria’s ambassador, ending an eight-month wait for diplomatic clearance after President Bola Tinubu nominated him for the position.

Omokri announced the approval in a post on X on Tuesday, saying the Mexican government had granted the diplomatic consent required for his appointment.

The approval, known as agrément, was formally conveyed in Abuja by José Manuel Briseño Flores, chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Mexico in Nigeria, to Babagana Wakil, director of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Expressing gratitude over the development, Omokri said, “To God be the glory, the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of the United Mexican States in Abuja, Mr José Manuel Briseño Flores, today in Abuja delivered the agrément from the Government of the United Mexican States accepting me.”

Tinubu had in March approved the posting of 65 ambassador-designates and high commissioners to their respective countries, with Omokri assigned to Mexico.

However, his deployment remained pending because Mexico had yet to grant the formal diplomatic approval required to complete the appointment.

The delay was acknowledged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August, when it disclosed that Mexico and Japan were among the countries yet to communicate approval for two outstanding ambassadorial appointments.

The ministry said it was engaging the relevant authorities in the affected countries to secure the necessary clearances, expressing confidence that the approvals would be obtained.

With Mexico’s consent now secured, Omokri is cleared to serve as Nigeria’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Mexico, with concurrent accreditation to Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Under diplomatic practice, agrément is the formal consent a receiving country grants before accepting another country’s nominee as ambassador. It is a prerequisite for completing the appointment and accreditation process.