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Abba Kyari’s Shoes: Who Steps In?

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By Eric Elezuo

It’s almost six weeks since the office of the Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria was made vacant owing to the illness and subsequent death of the immediate past CoS, Malam Abba Kyari between March 24 when he was diagnosed of Coronavirus, and April 17 when he eventually died. As at date, President Muhammadu Buhari has not bothered to name a replacement in as much as speculations have been channelled to certain ‘powerful’ individuals in government; individuals who are touted to be equally loyal to a fault like the late former CoS.

Abba Kyari, many believed, wore the office like a second skin, administering at the beck and call of his principal and utilising every opportunity like a collosus. In fact, a lot believed he was the de facto president albeit the unofficial vice president. He was by all intent and purpose a man after Buhari’s heart. Little wonder Buhari penned a heart rendering tribute at his death, describing him ‘the best of us’.

However, as Buhari dilly dallies over the choice of a replacement, speculations are rife as to who will filled the big loyal-intensive shoes of Abba Kyari. These speculations and permutations are consequent upon the overt or covert level of loyalty expressed by the individuals as well as the strength of their hold on President Buhari as a person and the presidency as an entity.

“On the list are the current Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation from 2007 to 2008 and former vice presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the June 12,1993 presidential elections, Babagana Kingibe. Others are the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, and former military governor of Lagos State and Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd).”

The Boss turns its lens to the men who may be considered to wear Abba Kyari’s big shoes:

ISMAILA ISA FUTUA

A member of the Order of Federal Republic OFR, Ismaila Isa Funtua is an accomplished politician and businessman, whose son is married to President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter; a credential that gives him a little edge above other contestants.

Born in Funtua, he attended the Federal Training Centre in Kaduna as well as Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Manchester, and has served in various technical, administrative and commanding capacities. Among many other port folios he has held, Funtua was the Monitor General of the Course 9, at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru. He was an Administrative Officer at the Katsina Native Authority and was a personnel manager at United Textiles Limited. He later served as a federal minister in the Second Republic.

He is the founder and chairman of Bulet Construction Company (the largest wholly owned indigenous construction company), owner of Blueprint Newspaper, and life patron of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria. He has cultivated clients, business associates and friends who have extended his interests beyond the normal scope of a businessman.

However, Funtua is not keen on becoming the next CoS as a result of his age and level. He maintained that he has surfaced the CoS position. He him:

“I heard people mentioning my name to replace Abba Kyari… But I take the story as an insult instead… I have once worked with government in the 80s, worked with white men and also was once a Minister of the Federal republic… For someone to mention my name for that position is an insult especially for a man who served as a Minister nearly 40 years ago and out of Government.

“I should be employing people now not trying to struggle for government appointment… At my level and age people should first see if am fit to serve and see if am strong enough and if am up-to-date with current realities of governance.”

We see reason with him.

BABAGANA KINGIBE

Probably the one with the most impressive and intimidating profile among all considered, Baba Gana Kingibe GCON, a Kanuri from Borno State, was born on June 25, 1945 to the family of Mustafa Shuwa and Ya Kingi Mallam. He has practically seen all there is to see in governance, politics and diplomacy. He is seen also as a powerful figure in the Buhari government, and a member of the so called cabal running things in Aso Rock.

Though most Nigerians refer to him as a turncoat based on the role he played post June 12 crisis, Kingibe’s profile speaks larger than life. He has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1995, Minister of Internal Affairs from 1995 to 1997, Minister of Power and Steel from 1997 to 1998; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation from 2007 to 2008. In 1993 Nigerian presidential election, he was the vice presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party.

Kingibe later attended the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.

In 1969, he was employed by the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. Kingibe left the university towards the end of the Nigerian Civil War, and became head of the current affairs department at the Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria (BCNN).

In 1972, he joined the Nigerian Foreign Service where his first posting was the Nigerian High Commission in London as a senior political counsellor and later became the head of the political desk.

In 1981, at the age of 36, he was appointed the Nigerian Ambassador to Greece and Cyprus. Kingibe was later appointed the Nigerian Ambassador to Pakistan by General Ibrahim Babangida.

He was selected by MKO Abiola as Vice-presidential running mate, creating a Muslim-Muslim ticket which was initially thought to be a deal breaker in the general elections. The pair won the electoral majority although the result was annulled by abdicating president General Ibrahim Babangida.

Kingibe later joined the Abacha administration as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1995, Minister of Internal Affairs from 1995 to 1997, and Minister of Power and Steel from 1997 to 1998.

In June 2007, he was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation. He was unceremoniously removed from office on September 8, 2008 by the President Umaru Yar’Adua, after spreading rumors about the President’s ill-health while believed to be contending for the presidency.

Report has it that Kingibe has been performing the CoS duties ever since Abba Kyari was sidelined by illness and eventual death. But Kingibe is 75 years already.

ADAMU ADAMU

The current Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu is a surprise entrant into the contest for the vacant Chief of Staff. He is a known accountant and journalist.

Born on May 25, 1956 in Azare, he has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. He later received a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University’s School of Journalism. He is a prolific polyglot, speaking six languages fluently – Arabic, Persian, Fulfulde, Hausa, English and French.

Adamu has worked as an accountant in Bauchi State before later venturing into journalism. He began his journalist career as a public analyst and writer and later got his first job with a newspaper in 1984. He rose through the ranks in journalism and became Deputy Editor of the New Nigerian newspaper. Adamu was also a back-page columnist for Media Trust’s titles and has contributed to many news outlets including London-based Crescent International. Adamu also served as a personal assistant to Solomon Lar, the first chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party. Before his appointment as minister, in 2015, he had gained Buhari’s trust as the secretary of his presidential transition committee.

BUBA MARWA

Probably one of Nigeria’s finest officers, Buba Marwa, from Borno State, has had a most accomplished sojourn in the military, serving as military administrator in many states including metropolitan Lagos between 1996 and 1999. He is presently the Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse.

Marwa was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant in the Nigerian Army Reconnaissance Corps before moving to the Armoured Corp. He held various positions in the army, including Brigade Major (23 Armoured Brigade), Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Theophilus Danjuma, academic registrar of the Nigerian Defense Academy and Deputy Defense Adviser in the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC.

In 1990, he was appointed Governor of Borno State. In 1992, he became the defense adviser to the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations until he was appointed the Administrator of Lagos State in 1996. Between 1996 and 1999, Marwa implemented programmes that greatly improved living conditions in Lagos. He revamped public health institutions, upgraded public infrastructure, and enacted pro-people edicts. The popular keke marwa in Lagos today is a testament of his efforts.

Marwa had a brief stint with politics in the past, but may made no notable inroads. It is not obvious he will still make inroads in the battle to occupy Abba Kyari’s vacant seat although he is under pressure to keep the tradition set by Major General Abdulahi Mohammed (Rtd.) who served as Chief of Staff between 1999 – 2008 to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Brig. Gen. Jones Arogbofa (Rtd.), who served President Goodluck Jonathan.

ABUBAKAR MALAMI

The current Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, is one public officer who stands a great chance of claiming the CoS position if blind loyalty is a yardstick for appointment. He emerged as Buhari’s youngest minister in 2015.

Born on April 17, 1967, in Birnin Kebbi, Malami has age on his side, and can compliment Buhari’s near incapacitation in the day to day running of government. A lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Malami has proved in the cause his duties that loyalty is everything, even more than competence.

His early formal education began at Nassarawa Primary School, Birnin Kebbi before he completed his secondary school education at College of Arts and Arabic Studies. In 1991, he graduated from Usmanu Danfodiyo University where he studied Law and was called to the bar in 1992. Abubakar obtained his master’s degree in Public Administration in 1994 from the University of Maiduguri.

As a legal practitioner, Abubakar has served in various capacities including being a counsel and magistrate in Kebbi State and as National Legal Adviser of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change. He was actively involved in the formation of the All Progressives Congress in 2013 as the resource person to the Manifesto Drafting Sub-Committee of Inter Joint Party Merger Committees between the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He failed in his bid to become governor of Kebbi State, losing to the present governor at the primaries.

Malami has been accused in many quarters for gross misconduct in the discharge of his duties, and narrowly escaped being stripped of his Senior Advocate of Nigeria rank by the disciplinary panel of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee in 2019.

HAMEED ALIDass,

A native of Dass, Bauchi State, Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), was born on January 15, 1955, and is the current Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service.

He is another loyalist of the president, and has served as Military Governor of Kaduna State from 1996 to 1998. After retirement from the army, he became secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum – a political and cultural association of leaders in Northern Nigeria. Many know him as an ethnic jingoist, and may fulfill all that Buhari represents if he is eventually chosen.

He has supported Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential bids in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. Coming from a Buharist political background, he has promoted trade protectionist and strict law and order policies within the Buhari administration.

Ali was once said to have sacked about 30,000 striking civil servants in the Kaduna state, and detained 18 local government chairmen while serving as the military administrator of the State from August 1996 to August 1998.

Reports alleged that the reporter who published the article in a local magazine, was arrested, severely beaten, then taken to the Government House and further tortured. Ali however later denied the allegations.

He is also said to have held his own in the fight against corruption as comptroller-general, among many other chronic problems in service including border insecurity.

Ali is as controversial as he is loyal. He was engaged in loggerhead with the eight assembly, snubbing the senate’s sermons and calls to wear customs’ uniform.

There’s also the likes of Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, whose elected executive position may prevent from contesting the former oblivious position, which late Abba Kyari has suddenly made very powerful.

All eyes now on Buhari!

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KFC Reacts As FAAN Shuts Down Its Operations in Lagos Airport

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The Management of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has reacted to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)’s move to shut down its branch at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, for violating laws protecting the rights of people with special needs.

The action was confirmed through a statement released on Thursday by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah.

The official statement, titled ‘FAAN shuts down KFC outlet at MMIA,’ highlighted that the closure was in response to the outlet’s breach of the Lagos State law on People with Special Needs, specifically referencing Part C, Section 55 of the General Provisions on Discrimination.

Responding to the development, KFC posted on its official X account that it opposes bias and discrimination, stressing that the incident did not reflect its standards.

The organisation disclosed that it had embarked on efforts to address the situation and urgently implemented sensitivity training for all its employees.

The statement read, “KFC is unwavering in our stance against bias or discrimination in any form, with inclusivity and respect as non-negotiable pillars of our values.

“However, this recent incident has underscored the pressing need for immediate action. We have embarked on efforts to address the situation and extend apologies and deeply regret the frustration and distress experienced by our guest.

“In response, we are urgently implementing sensitivity training for all our employees. This incident is not reflective of our standards, and we will act swiftly to rectify it.

“We are actively exploring solutions to equip our team members and establishments better to ensure that every guest feels genuinely welcomed and that we deliver empathetic customer service that proactively addresses the diverse needs of each guest.”

KFC had during the week, denied Adebola Daniel, son of former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, access to their facility at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport  because of his disability.

Daniel had recounted his experience at the KFC outlet of the airport in a series of tweets posted on Wednesday via his X handle, @DebolaDaniel.

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Ezekiel Bolarinwa Ajayi: Mentor, Philanthropist Revels at 80

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By Eric Elezuo

The ancient town of Ile-Ife was agog weekend, when Professor Ezekiel Bolarinwa Oladele Ajayi, a renowned educationist, accomplished mentor and elder brother of veteran journalist, Dele Momodu, pulled all the stops to mark a resounding entry into the octogenarian club, celebrating his 80th birthday with fanfare, pomp and class.

The event, which attracted family members, colleagues in the academic world, friends and well wishers, was another testament in the expression of influence, clout and connection.

Held at the Rock Rehoboth Cathedral in the centre of Ile-Ife, the event brought out the best in the Stanford trained PHD holder, as beamed with contagious smiles, absorbing accolades from a crowd of well wishers and dignitaries, most of whom traveled half  way across the world to felicitate with the newest octogenarian.

A lavished reception followed after heartfelt prayers were said for the celebrant flanked by his wife of many years, children and grandchildren. The reception witnessed guests savoring the best of continental and local delicacies as well as dancing happily to the old school tunes.

The highpoint of the event was the cutting of the gigantic cake by the birthday boy around whom were dotting family members.

As guests expressed their profound, hearty and sincere congratulations towards the octogenarian, whose event changed the landscape of Ife, many recalled how they have come a long way from their very humble beginning in Gbongan Olufi.

Fondly called Ladele, Prof Ajayi was born on March 23, 1944 in Gbongan, Osun State, where he had his earliest beginnings.

He statted his education at the Saint Paul’s School Gbongan, before moving on to Saint Judes School, Ebute Metta, and later to Saint Stephens School, Ile-Ife, where he completed his primary education.

After his elementary education, he was admitted into the Government College lbadan, where he was described as having  ‘passed out in exceedingly bright colours’. As many that knows him has confirmed that Prof Ajayi was a walking encyclopedia, and vibrated with intelligence while at school.

It was not therefore, surprising that he later proceeded to the United States of America, after his secondary education, where he attended various prestigious Universities including Stanford University. It is worthy of note that all his appearances for university education were on different scholarships. It was also at Stanford that he bagged his PhD honours.

On the completion of his PhD programme in Stanford, Prof Ajayi was recruited by the University of Ife, as it was then known, before its transmutation to Obafemi Awolowo University, where he later became a Professor of Physics, a position he jealousy guarded until retirement from active classroom duties.

According to a very close family member and confidant, Bola Adeyemo, who spoke glowingly about their fond relationship, Prof Ajayi “also became active in things of God. Like a proverbial gold fish, he has been recognized as a Pastor. Ladele played a mentoring role in the final years of school for my twin daughters who both graduated from the medicine program in the same University.

“The mutual fondness between Ladele and I remains very much intact. Ladele and l share common ancestry. His father who was the Otun Olufi of Gɓongan was a much older cousin to my mother and was fondly referred to as baba mi ile ASORO. They both had the same tribal marks. Ladele can be classified as belonging to the royal class as his father was the OTUN OLUFI while his mother was the daughter of the ÒOSA, first class chief in Gbongan.”

A life of Prof Ajayi without a mention of prolific publisher of the Ovation brands,  Chief Momodu, remains incomplete. It is worthy of note that apart from both sharing the same mum as siblings, the Prof was instrumental in shaping and mentally mentoring Momodu on the path of education. His 80th birthday was a reminder of how it used to be in times past as it marks a form of reunion for the Ajayi extended household.

Among those who attended were his daughter, Kemi Ajayi-Ingram, who flew in all the way from the United States of America, with her entire family; his niece, Yejide Ajayi among a host of others.

We wish the ebullient octogenarian a splendid birthday, and many ore years of splendid celebrations.

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Easter, Ramadan: Adeleke Releases March Salaries, Pension, Palliatives, Approves Promotion for Personnel

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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the release of salaries, pensions and palliatives for the month of March for all public servants in the state, as well as approved the promotion of service personnel due for promotion from 2023.

Adeleke’s show of love for the entire workforce, is in spite of the fact that the State allocation from the Federation account is yet to be released, according to a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

The Head of Service, Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina confirmed the approval of the March salaries, pension and palliatives, noting that the fast tracked approval covered all categories of state and local government employees including tertiary institutions in the State.

“I can confirm that Mr Governor has approved the March salaries, pension and palliative wage awards, including the usual payment of the outstanding half salary for retirees under the contributory pension scheme yet to obtain their bonds. Mr Governor requested for the file and granted immediate approval.

“Any moment from now, alerts will be landing in our peoples’ accounts. This is a preemptive step on the part of Mr Governor to meet the needs of our people”, the Head of Service explained.

Governor Adeleke who has been hosting inter faith leaders at the Government House said he approved the early payment to ease the burden of the workers ahead of the Easter period.

“As I wish muslim and christian faithfuls blessed fasting season, the early payment is a gesture of support for workers whose welfare remains the number one priority of our administration”, the Governor noted.

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