By Adesina Soyooye
A former Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lateef Kayode Are, has been appointed Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to the United States of America, USA.
Are, 70 years old, a retired Army Colonel, was DG DSS, under the Government of President Olusegun Obasanjo – 1999-2007. He was very active, behind the scene, during the aspiration of then aspirant, and later, candidate Tinubu to the office of the President.
Beyond being very qualified – educationally, admininistratively and experience – for an Ambassadorial position, his posting to the USA, the most important Mission in the world, is seen, by not a few, as not only strategic, but an appreciation of the role he played in the emergence of Tinubu as President.
Three others were also appointed Ambassadors-designate alongside Are.
Ayodele Oke, a former DG of the National Intelligence Agency is the Ambassador-designate to France, Aminu Dalhatu, Nigeria’s former Ambassdor to South Korea is the High Commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom, while a former Governor of Kebbi State, Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman is the Ambassador-designate to Turkey, a country, President Tinubu is billed to visit in about a week’s time.
President Tinubu, in a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, directed it to formally notify the Governments of the four host countries in adherence to diplomatic protocols.
Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the four appointments are the first tranch of Ambassadorial deployments to Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad.
The Senate had, earlier screened and cleared 68 Ambassadors-nominees whose names were forwarded to Senate President Godswill Akpabio by President Tinubu.
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