I Didn’t Sack Any Minister Because They All Had Quality-Buhari

Published

6 years ago

May 23, 2019

Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that he retained all his Ministers because they all had quality and contributed immensely to the success of his administration.

Speaking at the final Federal Executive Council meeting, Buhari paid tribute to his foot soldiers and wished them well in their future endeavour.

Here is the full speech.

CLOSING REMARKS BY H.E. PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AT THE VALEDICTORY SESSION FOR MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (2015 – 2019) AT THE STATE HOUSE COUNCIL CHAMBER ON 22ND MAY, 2019.

Today’s Federal Executive Council meeting is the last time we will meet as a cabinet before the commencement of the second and final term of this Administration.

Our first meeting in this chamber was in November 2015. Over the past three and a half years, we worked together to deliver our campaign promises. I strongly believe that it is this team work that led to the successes recorded during our first term.
Some of our colleagues, with whom we started this journey, unfortunately are not here to join us in celebrating our successes.
Specifically, I must recognise our late brother, James Ocholi, SAN who passed away in a fearful motor accident with his wife, Blessing, and son, Joshua, only four months after being sworn in as a minister.
I want us to all put him, and, indeed, his family, in our memory. He was a true patriot committed to our change agenda.
I also acknowledge the contributions of other council members who resigned before the completion of our tenure to pursue other opportunities.
You will recall that when we started this journey, our country was facing numerous challenges.
We inherited a broken economy which eventually went into recession in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2016. The situation was further compounded by insecurity and massive corruption.
Many would have given up. Indeed, many outside commentators said our situation was well nigh hopeless. However, we all came together and pushed forward to deliver our campaign promise to rescue our country from its parlous state.
Although we all had a common vision, we frequently had heated debates in this room on the best way to achieve our goals. These differing views are what made the decisions we took all the more rational.
It is this quality that made me retain my cabinet for the full term. Each of you in this room has a unique skill and strength. We are a reflection of the Nigeria we aspire to achieve. A diverse but tolerant nation where no one is silenced and where every opinion should be heard and considered.
I want you all to leave this meeting proud to have served your nation to the best of your ability.
You should be proud to have been part of the Government that liberated the local governments previously under Boko Haram rule.
You should be proud to have contributed to our food security and economic diversification agenda which led to the revival of our rural agrarian economy
You should be proud to have been part of the team that developed the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which led Nigeria exiting its worst recession in decades.
You should be proud to have introduced the social investment program that enhanced livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.
You should be proud to have participated in settling outstanding pensions of many senior citizens abandoned by previous governments while supporting state governments to meet their salary arrears.
And, of course, you should all be proud to have overseen the most ambitious road, rail and airport rehabilitation programs in the history of our country.
I want to put on record, that your achievements in the last three and a half hears has guaranteed your position in the history books of this nation. You have certainly built the foundations for an improved economy and a more purposeful government.
Although today is our last council meeting, I expect all of you to continue working until Tuesday, 28th May 2019 when you will officially hand over your schedules to your respective Permanent Secretaries. Your handing over letters should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
I want to conclude by thanking all of you for agreeing to serve our nation during these difficult times. I want to use this opportunity to recognise the silent partners to this cabinet, your spouses, families and friends, who supported you through these years.
I wish you the very best of luck and pray for your successes, for dear families and our for country in the years ahead.

Thank you and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Dele Momodu @65: The Billionaire of Hearts, the Common Man’s King

Published

1 hour ago

May 12, 2025

Eric

By Gite Igiehon

In a world where affluence often breeds distance, and fame creates fences between the privileged and the people, Chief Dele Momodu, at 65, continues to walk a different path—one paved with humility, empathy, and human connection.

Many know him as the media mogul, the respected publisher of Ovation International, the presidential aspirant, and the seasoned journalist with global acclaim. But few truly understand the weight of the name Bob Dee, as we fondly call him, and what it means to those whose lives he quietly touches without headlines or hashtags.

At 65, Dele Momodu is not just a public figure. He is a living bridge—between wealth and poverty, between celebrity and humanity, between the elite and the everyday Nigerian. Despite his exposure to kings, presidents, and pop culture royalty, he has never forgotten how to sit, eat, and laugh with the poor. He listens when others speak over. He shows up when others send excuses.

I remember vividly when I celebrated my 40th birthday. I called him just two weeks before the event. He was in the UK and told me plainly that he had no plans to return to Nigeria anytime soon. I understood. I thanked him and moved on. But a week later, he called back with words that still echo in my heart: “Princess, you’ve never invited me to anything before.”

On the day of my celebration, I looked up—and there he was. My mentor. My inspiration. My “Oga,” in every sense of the word. Dele Momodu showed up. Not because of status, politics, or press. But because that’s who he is—a man of his word, a man of the people.

At 65, it’s not his global network, his powerful interviews, or even his political aspirations that make him remarkable. It is his consistent humanity—a rare virtue in these times. He carries the weight of the world with a smile and wears his wealth not in fabric or fortune, but in the countless lives he has uplifted, empowered, and remembered.

Dele Momodu is not just a man. He is a movement of grace, of loyalty, and of love.

As he turns 65, may the world not only celebrate his achievements but take a moment to learn from his greatest legacy—his heart.

Featured

A Glorious 65th Birthday Tribute to Bashorun Dele Momodu

Published

1 day ago

May 11, 2025

Eric

By Azuh Arinze

On Friday, May 16, 2025, the world will celebrate not just a man, but a living legend – Bashorun Ayobamidele Ojutelegan Abayomi Ajani Momodu – a visionary journalist, media titan, political thinker, cultural ambassador, and an unrelenting force for truth, excellence, and the African dream.

Happy 65th birthday, Bob Dee!

Your life’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary and exceptional. From the newsroom to all the rooms that matter, from political corridors to international stages, you have remained a beacon of hope, courage, and intellectual brilliance – just like your astounding mentors, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and Otunba Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Adenuga. Through Ovation International magazine, you ingeniously gave Africa a mirror to see its own beauty, elegance, and potential. You equally created a platform that elevated our celebrity stories and interviews with pride, power and possibilities.

Your voice has echoed across continents – not just reporting history, but shaping it. Your words have inspired millions, your boldness has challenged systems, and your generosity has uplifted countless lives. Even in adversity, especially while in exile, you carried your convictions with grace, proving that truth is not only worth telling, but also worth living for.

At 65, you effortlessly embody the wisdom of a sage and the vigour of a man still on a mission. May this new chapter bring you deeper joy, divine health, and even greater impact. The world may change, but your legacies – your light and your life – will continue to grow brighter and brighter.

On behalf of all those you have touched, mentored, empowered, and inspired – like my good self – I say thank you and thank you and thank you. You are indeed a national treasure and a global gift that will continue to be cherished and adored.

Happy birthday, Sir, and long may you reign.

With deepest admiration and warmest wishes to one of the best things that ever happened to the journalism profession in Nigeria and Africa.

Azuh Arinze, KSM is the
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and Odenigbo I of Azia

Featured

A Tribute to Chief Dele Momodu at 65: The Man Who Wears the World Like a Cap

Published

2 days ago

May 10, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

It is as if Paul Coelho knew Dele Momodu when he said “When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple”, for it is quite visible to the blind and audible to the deaf, Momodu has carved a niche for himself as an altruistic, enthusiastic, passionate leader and a big name in all that he does with sterling records of multidimensional success.

How does one describe the essence of Chief Dele Momodu?

To some, he is a journalist who tells truth to power, a role he has been playing for over four decades.
To others, he is the publisher of Ovation International Magazine, the CEO of Ovation Media Group, pan Africanist, and the ink behind many untold stories.
To the politically inclined, he is a fearless voice, a candidate of conscience, a mirror held up to Nigeria’s democracy.
To the culture custodians, he is a walking archive, every handshake, every smile, every frame a testimony to history.
And to those who know him beyond the headlines, he is simply “Bob Dee”, a brother, mentor, bridge-builder, and friend.

Chief Dele Momodu is the embodiment of the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. Each man touches a part of the animal and draws a different conclusion, so vast is its form, so layered its truth. So it is with Dele Momodu. You may think you know him, but you have only touched a tusk, or a trunk, or a tail. The whole of him? It is too expensive for one perspective.

This is a man who has worn many caps, not as decoration, but as duty: journalist, activist, publisher, publicist, diplomat, politician, peace promoter and above all, a global citizen. Each role he has worn with authenticity and audacity.

He has stood in exile and yet spoken louder than those at home.
He has been in rooms where power whispers, yet he chooses to shout truth on behalf of the voiceless.
He has witnessed the worst of Nigeria’s turmoil, yet he continues to believe in its best tomorrow.
He is not just an observer of history, he is a participant, a provocateur, a preserver.

At 65, Chief Momodu does not merely carry years, he carries stories, nations, and generations. His journey is not a straight line but a vibrant tapestry: woven with faith, resilience, reinvention, and love. It is a story that tells us that greatness is not a destination, but a life lived fully, courageously, and selflessly.

Sir, today we do not just celebrate your birthday. We celebrate the light you carry. The platforms you’ve built. The battles you’ve fought. The people you’ve inspired. And the generations you continue to prepare.

May your cap never fall. May your pen never dry.
And may history forever remember you, not just as one who told stories,
but as one who became a story worth telling.

Happy 65th Birthday, my dearest mentor…