By Adesina Soyooye
In a major shift from his 2016 Ambassadorial postings, President Muhammadu Buhari has posted a career Diplomat to unarguably, Nigeria’s most important mission.
After about nine months of dilly-dallying which attracted media attention, the Nigeria Government, finally, released the list of Ambassadorial postings. New
The appointees had been screened and approved for months by the Senate, but their postings had been inexplicably delayed, and action taken only a few days after questions by the media.
On Sunday, the list was finally made public. Posted to Washington is a career Diplomat, Uzoma Emenike Until his new posting, he was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ireland.
He takes over from Buhari’s friend, the late Hon.Justice Nsofor. The President had surprised not a few people by appointing Nsofor, an over 80 year old Nsofor, a retired Justice of the Court of Appeal who was given the high profile position because he gave a dissenting judgement which favoured the Buhari during his many battles to be President. And, even though the Senate had rejected him during screening, the President had insisted on him.
However, Buhari did not reappoint him. He was waiting for his replacement when he passed on a few weeks ago.
To go to Britain is a former Minister for Mines and Steel, Sarafat Ishola. Two Journalists, Debo Adesina, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Guardian, and Oma Djebah, a former Editor at ThisDay, were posted to Togo and Thailand, respectively.
Following is the full list of the old and new postings where 11 ambassadors were re-appointed, and eight retained their current posting. Three others were redeployed.
*Ambassador to Ireland, Uzoma Emenike, a career diplomat, was posted to the United States as the ambassador. M.I. Bashir will serve as deputy ambassador.
A former Minister of State for Defence, Demola Seriki, was deployed to Spain, while a former Minister of Mines and Steel, Sarafa Ishola, will serve as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
*Former Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Debo Adesina, will serve as Ambassador to Togo.
*Another former Editor, Oma Djebah will be posted to Thailand,
In all, there are 52 non-career envoys posted out by the President and 43 career ambassadors based on the confirmed list from the Senate.
The eight ambassadors that will remain at their duty posts include: Mohammed Rimi (United Arab Emirates), Jidda Baba (China), Gani Bura (Lebanon), Yusuf Tuggar (Germany), Baba Madugu (Switzerland) and Deborah Illiya (Congo).
Tijani Muhammmad-Bande will also retain his position as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York while Adeyinka Asekun will remain the High Commissioner to Canada.
Modupe Irele, who is the current Ambassador to France, will be redeployed to Hungary.
*Eniola Ajayi, the Ambassador to Hungary is expected to be redeployed to the Netherlands.
For non-career diplomats, Ijeoma Chineyerem will resume as Ambassador to Ireland, Abdulahi Shehu (Russia), Haruna Manta (South Africa), Kayode Laro (France), Paul Adikwu (The Vatican), Abubakar Moriki (Japan), Opunimi Akinkugbe (Greece) and Ali Magashi (South Korea).
*Other postings include M.O. Abam (Italy), N.A. Kolo (Israel), A. Sule (India), G.Y. Hamza (Ghana), A.N. Madubike (Australia) and O.C Onowu (Belgium).
The remaining appointees will serve as deputy ambassadors or heads of mission. They include A.E. Alleboy (Deputy Ambassador to France), G.E. Edokpa (Deputy Permanent Representative to The UN), Ben Okoyen (Cuba), G.M. Okeke (Deputy Head of Mission to Switzerland), S.Sani to London, (Deputy High Commissioner to UK), I.A Iwejuo (Ethiopia as Deputy Ambassador), I.A. Alatishe (Deputy Ambassador to Russia) and I.R. Ocheni (Germany).
The Ambassadors and their spouses are expected to undergo orientation before they leave for their assignments.
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