“This is unacceptable in any civilised society… It’s a direct assault on their dignity and livelihood.”
Nigerians in the United States, under the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN), have raised alarm over the deteriorating state of the Nigerian Embassy property—“Nigeria House”—in New York and the worsening welfare of its staff.
OAN spokesperson, Ms. Funmi Dike, described the structure, which houses Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the UN and its Consulate, as a “metaphor for systemic neglect.” She said, “Over recent weeks and months, the building has descended into a condition unworthy of the great nation it represents.”
Dike highlighted the failure of the central air conditioning during one of New York’s hottest summers, leaving staff and consular applicants—pregnant women, the elderly, and children—“in oven-like conditions.”
OAN further decried unpaid salaries, saying, “This is unacceptable in any civilised society… It’s a direct assault on their dignity and livelihood.”
The group called for urgent reforms, warning, “Let this moment become a turning point… where the dignity of Nigeria and its representatives abroad is protected and elevated.”