By Dr. Joel Ademisoye, United States
Having read Sonala Olumhense’s article about the President Tinubu’s appointment of Barrister and former Nigerian Senator Jimoh Ibrahim to be the Nigerian Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York City, I honestly become saddened, disappointed and raised the question, whether this is the best qualified, suitable and competent person out of a country of about 237 million people? The selection of Jimoh Ibrahim is strictly political and it is a poor appointment. When is Nigeria going to get it right in the appointment of Nigerians with good character, impeccable political and public service records and the Nigeria’s national interest at heart? Why is the Tinubu administration appointing the Nigerians with questionable character, allegedly corruption tendency, mismanagement and misappropriation of the government funds, as the country’s Ambassadors like Senator Ibrahim, Fani-Kayode, Omokori, among others? I am aware that President Tinubu has the constitutional prerogative and rights to choose his own person to be the Nigerian ambassadors, but still, I think there should be some moral, ethical standards and good characters for the litmus test of character, satisfactory public service and record and integrity of appointing a Nigerian ambassador to a foreign country. President Tinubu’s practice of appointing some Nigerians, who are members of the political class and ruling party APC, but with the history of questionable characters such as corruption, looting of the treasury, business failures and antecedent of misappropriation of the public funds, it is indeed sad, tragic, horrendous, disappointing and unacceptable practice in the Nigerian Foreign Affairs. Hence, the appointment of a corrupt and incompetent members of the governing party, is a reflection of the President Tinubu’s poor leadership, governance, inappropriate political judgements and decisions as well, which have implications for the performance of the ambassador in the community of nations in the UN. Not too long ago, I vividly recall that President Olusegun Obasanjo administration appointed one poor ambassador Professor George Obiozor to Washington, DC, who sold all the Nigeria’s Embassy properties on the 16th, 22nd Streets and Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Thus, there is an urgent need for a paradigm shift in appointing the appropriate, competent ambassadors with a good character, competency and performance record for the UN and the nation’s capital, Washington, DC., as well.
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