By Emmanuel Kwada
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the deployment of 65 ambassadors-designate, comprising 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career appointees, to represent Nigeria in various countries and at the United Nations.
The Senate had confirmed the nominees in December last year, paving the way for their postings after receiving necessary diplomatic clearances.
The list includes prominent figures from politics, the military, academia, and the foreign service. Notable non-career postings feature:
– Reno Omokri to Mexico City, Mexico
– Femi Fani-Kayode to Germany
– Lateef Kayode Are to the United States
– Aminu Dalhatu to the United Kingdom
– Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau to Beijing, China
– Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations
– Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas to the Philippines
– Prof. Isaak Folorunso Adewole to Ottawa, Canada
Other key non-career assignments include Senator Grace Bent to Lome, Togo; Senator Ita Enang to South Africa; Victor Ikpeazu to Spain; and Ayodele Oke to France.
The career ambassadors postings cover a wide range of missions, such as:
– Amb. Nwabiola Ezenwa Chukwumeka to Cote d’Ivoire
– Amb. Mohammed Mahmud Lele to Algiers, Algeria
– Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru to New Delhi, India
– Amb. Haidara Mohammed Idris to The Hague, Netherlands
– Amb. Bello Dogon-Daji Haliru to Bangkok, Thailand
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already secured agrément (formal approval) from the United Kingdom for High Commissioner-designate Aminu Dalhatu and from France for Ambassador Ayodele Oke. Notifications and requests for agrément have been sent to the remaining host countries in line with international diplomatic protocols.
President Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin induction programmes immediately to prepare the envoys for their roles.
The move is seen as a major step to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic presence worldwide and fill long-vacant ambassadorial positions to advance the country’s foreign policy objectives.
The full list of postings was released in an official State House press statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
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