By Paul Ejime
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the widow of ex-Biafra leader Emeka Ojukwu, was among seven new ministers nominated Wednesday by President Bola Tinubu in his long-awaited cabinet shuffle, since assuming office in May 2023.
Ten serving Ministers swapped positions, while five old ones were dismissed in the changes announced after a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
Still, there were no surprises in the 48-member cabinet, considered one of the largest in Nigeria’s history at a time when many Nigerians are clamouring for a reduction in the cost of running government.
There were no changes to powerful Ministries such as Finance, Budget and National Planning, Defence, Internal Affairs, National Security, Foreign Affairs, or the Central Bank, where analysts had expected shake-ups to reverse the economic hardships and high cost of living in the otherwise oil-rich Africa’s most populous nation.
Government policies, especially the removal of oil subsidies with the attendant increase in fuel prices and spiralling inflation, have led to sporadic street protests. Still, government officials are adamant that the austerity measures would yield positive results. Critics are unimpressed.
With the country’s state-run refineries in disrepair, the President still retains the position of Petroleum Minister with controversy rocking the oil industry even after a private refinery set up by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote began the supply of refined products to save Nigeria’s blushes as an oil-producer that imports refined petroleum products.
Also, the Tinubu administration is yet to appoint new Ambassadors after recalling the country’s envoys from foreign missions more than a year ago.
In the cabinet changes announced Wednesday, Bianca, a former beauty queen, is appointed Minister of State in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
She served as Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs under former President Goodluck Jonathan, became Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana in 2012 and later Ambassador to Spain. Until Wednesday’s ministerial nomination, she was the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.
The other new Ministers are Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister, of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole, Minister, of Industry, Trade and Investment, Idi Muktar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, and Suwaiba Said Ahmed, Minister of State, Education.
The seven will be approved by the Senate, the upper chamber of Nigeria’s bi-cameral legisture.
The five Ministers dismissed from the cabinet are Barr Uju-Ken Ohamenye, Minister of Women Affairs, Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism, Prof Tahir Mamman Minister of Education, Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, and Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development.
The 10 reassigned included Dr Yusuf Tanko, from Minister of State Education to Minister of State Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Morufu Olatunji Alaisa, Minister of State, Health, promoted Minister of Education, to Minister of State Works, Barr Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, promoted Minister of Education, Hon. Abubakar Eshiokpekha Momoh, Minister of Niger Delta Development, to Minister of Regional Development.
The others are Uba Maigari from the Power and Steel Ministry to Minister of State Regional Development, Dr Doris Uzoka-Enoh, from the Ministry of Trade and Industry to the Ministry of Finance as Minister of State, Sen. John Owan Enoh, from the Ministry of Sports to Ministry of Trade and Investment (Industry) as Minister of State, Imaan Sulaiman -Ibrahim, from Minister of State Ministry of Police Affairs, promoted Minister of Women Affairs, Ayodele Olawande, promoted substantive Minister from the Minister of State in the Youth Development Ministry, and Dr Salako Iziak Adekunle Adeboye, from Minister of State, Environment to Minister of State Health.
