By Oguwike Nwachuku
oguwikeng@yahoo.com, o.nwachuku@thenicheng.com
Tel: 0805 306 9019
On Tuesday, November 10, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed 18 new permanent secretaries and sacked 17 others in a major shake up that has again exposed his disdain for a section of the country.
The fresh appointments and deployments took effect from November 10, according to Femi Adesina, his media aide.
I find it difficult to reconcile the appointment of four permanent secretaries, all of Igbo extraction, into the office of the secretary to the government of the federation (OSGF) and office of the head of service of the federation (OHSF) and what it portends for the South East.
The new permanent secretaries are
• Ayotunde Adesugba, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, Taiwo Abidogun, Bukar Hassan, Wakama Asifieka, Jalal Arabi, Sabiu Zakari, Obiageli Nwokedi, Aminu Nabegu,
• Bamgbose Oladele, Alo Nwankwo, Shehu Ahmed, Ogbonnaya Kalu, Nuratu Batagarawa, Christian Ohaa, Bassey Apkanyung, Louis Edozien, and Ugo Roy.
Buhari deployed all the permanent secretaries as follows:
• Shehu Ahmad (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Sunday Echono (Communications), Sabiu Zakari (Transportation), Ayotunde Adesugba (Information and Culture), Danjuma Sheni (Defence), Shade Yemi-Esan (Education), Fatima Mede (Budget and National Planning),
• Mahmoud Dutse (Finance), Bulus Lolo (Foreign Affairs), Amina Shamaki (Health), Aliyu Bisalla (Industry, Trade and Investment), Bassey Akpanyung (Internal Affairs), Taiwo Abidogun (Justice), Habiba Lawal (Science and Technology), Clement Illoh (Labour and Productivity),
• Jamila Shu’ara (Petroleum Resources), Binta Bello (Women Affairs), Babatope Ajakaiye (Federal Capital Territory), Rabi Jimeta (Water Resources), Bukar Hassan (Environment), Wakama Asifieka (Niger Delta Affairs), Istifanus Fuktur (Solid Minerals), Christian Ohaa (Youth and Sports),
• A.G. Magaji (Works and Housing), Louis Edozien (Power), Jalal Arabi (State House), Mohammed Bukar (General Service, OSGF), Abbas Mohammed (Ecological Fund, OSGF), Ugo Roy (Council Secretariat), Aminu Nabegu (Special Services, OSGF), Bamgbose Akindele (Political Affairs, OSGF),
• Alo Nwankwo (Economic Affairs, OSGF), Obiageli Nwokedi (Special Duties, OSGF), Innocent Ogbonnaya (Career Management, OHCSF), S.K.Y. Adelakun (Common Services, OHCSF), and N. Batagarawa (Service Policy and Strategies, OHCSF).
The Igbo appointed and their offices are a reminder of the rubbish vomited recently by the Convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Junaid Mohammed, when he abused former Anambra State Governor, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, for complaining that Buhari is not fair to Ndigbo in his appointments.
Mohammed, an unrepentant, arrogant Hausa/Fulani ethnic irredentist, in his characteristic way of thinking that other creatures are less human, had said it is wrong to reward the Igbo on the basis of the Civil War.
He said: “If it is about Buhari making the appointments based on merit, I have no problems with it. I don’t believe Buhari or Nigeria owes any Igbo anything.
“I don’t care what Ezeife says; if they had seceded, there would have been no Nigeria today. As people who acted outside the interest of Nigeria as a country, to expect compensation is a very odd logic.
“If the Igbo don’t like it, they can attempt secession again. If they do, they must be prepared to live with the consequences. Nobody owes them anything and nobody is out to compensate them for anything.”
In this column on September 14, following Mohammed’s ill-conceived and careless comments, I raised the fear that Buhari is taking advice from him; and as things are today, I stand to be contradicted if the offices to which the president posted four Igbo permanent secretaries are anything to go by.
At no time in the history of Nigeria has permanent secretaries from a section of the country been shepherded to the OSGF and OHCSF, where they will more or less function as tea boys and girls.
Perhaps, what Buhari, Mohammed and those who think their time has come do not know is that power is transient.
I am sure former President Goodluck Jonathan and his associates are still wondering what could have made power slip off their hands. The point remains that the only thing that is permanent is change, but not Buhari’s type of change.
But thank goodness there are still a few good mannered Nigerians who appreciate the treatment Buhari is meting out to Ndigbo on the excuse that they did not vote for him, and so should not expect anything tangible in a country where they contribute so much.
One of those rare breed statesmen, detribalised and more politically astute politician is former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shakarau.
He said in an interview in a national newspaper: “… the appointments so far are very lopsided. I only hope they will find a way of carrying other parts of Nigeria along regardless of which party or who is in power.
“I think that for anybody to ignore the cultural, religious and geographical compositions of Nigeria, the person must be denying the truth of what Nigeria is. Yes, we are a single nation; yes, we look forward to living as a single nation.
“But even in America, the acclaimed mother of democracy, they do what they call some balancing in the different parts of the country.
“For you to give a sense of belonging, there is no part of Nigeria today that you will not get the expertise, the talent and the quality that you are looking for. So, nobody will tell us in the spirit of merit and quality that you are neglecting any part.
“If you look at the six geo-political zones, even if you take it on the basis of state, there is no state today in Nigeria that does not have whatever expertise, quality and people of integrity you are looking for.
“So nobody will tell us that the lopsidedness is aimed at looking for the best. Every part of the nation is really having the best.”
That Buhari in good conscience still sees the Igbo as critical stakeholders in this country going by the manner of treatment his administration metes out to them is debatable.
Many had thought that as he makes more appointments something would remind him that this country belongs to all of us and that as president, he would be magnanimous in victory instead of championing the cause of a section or some sections to the detriment of others.
The pattern of what has been consummated today as his cabinet and the shake-up in the ministries is a sad reminder that Buhari still sees the Igbo as a conquered lot; slaves who ought to be treated with disdain and ignominy by their masters.
But the truth is that the destiny of Ndigbo does not lie in a person’s hand or in the hand of those who advise Buhari to humiliate the Igbo in this dispensation.
Rather, their destiny lies in the hand of God, the President of presidents, who knows what tomorrow portends for everyone.
Therefore, pro-Biafra agitators should spare a thought on their recent activities.
This is not because they should be afraid or could be cowed with the security apparatus of the government based on the counsel of characters like Mohammed, but because violent approach to genuine self-determination, which is their constitutional right, may mar God’s purpose for them.
