President Bola Tinubu is now considering a list of potential Nigerian ambassadors to several nations, according to a story published by The PUNCH on Friday.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior member of the country’s foreign service verified to our correspondent that Mr. Tajudeen Afolabi Adeola, the founder of Guaranty Trust Bank, is one of the candidates being considered for the most important diplomatic positions. He will be named Nigeria’s ambassador to one of the top three economies in the world.
“Yes, the President has the list and is already considering it,” the insider said. Fola Adeola, the founder of GTB, is really one of the people I saw listed. He is regarded as the Nigerian representative to one of the three largest economies in the world.
The insider gave the President’s decision explanation by pointing out that the Tinubu administration was eager to use technocrats and business titans as its frontmen abroad.
“The list I saw included politicians. However, the President is holding back a large number of positions for technocrats—individuals who have established solid reputations in their industries and founded businesses that employ tens of thousands of Nigerians. We require individuals who can leverage their power to close agreements and form alliances that will benefit their nation.
It is not a novel concept. The most advanced economies assign their finest personnel to serve as envoys. And Tinubu is going in that direction.
Adeola, for instance, is well-known in the international business world and on the foreign scene as an investor. Both of them are familiar with him. Furthermore, he is not alone. This clearly refers to the administration’s efforts to increase foreign direct investment, the insider added.
It was rumoured, based on dependable information, that the Federal Government had constituted a small committee to suggest suitable candidates for the ambassadorial positions.
Another unnamed source stated, “Recommendations for professional and political ambassadors were made by a committee that was established. As you can see, the majority of the professional ambassadors are aware that they are the next group to be scheduled. They are unsure of the nation to which they will be sent, though.
Nigeria has sensitive political interests in some nations. The government typically dispatches political ambassadors for these.
“Recall that President Buhari named some of his former service chiefs as ambassadors to several African nations.”
The PUNCH was informed by a third source that the President had started reviewing the list and that the suggested individuals would be subject to background checks and other preparatory procedures associated with such appointments.
“Appointing ambassadors is not a simple task. Talk more like an ambassador—no one the President selects avoids a background investigation.
However, as you can see, it goes beyond safety. Before the names of persons they wish to select are officially made public, they have to look into their professional backgrounds,” the insider stated.
Nigeria has 11 consulates, 76 Embassies, 22 High Commissions, and 109 Missions worldwide.
President Bola Tinubu called back all career and non-career ambassadors serving in the nation’s embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions abroad on September 2, 2023.
The ambassadors’ recall was confirmed by a statement from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which read as follows: “In response to questions regarding the letter recalling the Nigerian ambassador to the UK, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has clarified that all career and non-career ambassadors have been recalled on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s orders.”
The envoys were instructed to return to the nation by October 31 at the latest.
These consist of the 42 career and 41 non-career ambassadors that former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed in July 2020.
As per the 1999 Constitution’s Section 171(2)(1c) and Subsection 4, the diplomats were sent out once the Senate confirmed them.
Only 25 career ambassadors who had reached retirement age and had served in the public sector for 35 years were summoned back, according to an explanation provided by Garba Shehu, Buhari’s Special Advisor on Media and Publicity.
In a statement, Shehu stated, “Recently, there was a recall of 25 career ambassadors who reached the retirement age, or 35 years of public service, in December 2018.” Given the approaching elections, which are now over, they were granted permission to stay at their duty stations and an extension, if you will.
State governors, former ministers, senior Buhari administration officials, and some of President Tinubu’s political allies vigorously campaigned for the open ambassadorial positions in the following months.
