Farewell to a great minister

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Ministries, Top Stories Friday, July 8th, 2011

DURING the year that Odein Ajumogobia, SAN, was Foreign Minister, many Nigerians and foreigners sang his praises and told me that they regarded him as the best Foreign Minister this country has ever had. And I would bask in the reflected glory whenever I heard the compliments that frequently were lavished on him because he is an indigene of my state, Rivers.

He was a big brother of whom one could be truly proud.

Presidents have to consider several factors before they make cabinet appointments. And I’m sure that Jonathan, who is under a lot of pressure and has to juggle the competing desires of many different and powerful interest groups, had his reasons for not retaining Ajumogobia.

But it is unfortunate when individuals who are so way above-average are dropped from governments that have serious image problems and need all the help they can get; and there was much puzzlement and sadness in certain quarters when Ajumogobia’s name did not appear on the most recent ministerial list.

Those who know him well say that Ajumogobia, in addition to being an outstanding public servant who handled his official duties in an intelligent, cultured and disciplined manner, also happens to be exceedingly pleasant… and that he almost always personally answered text messages, even when they came from strangers…and was so well brought-up that if he gave you an appointment time and then kept you waiting, he would apologise profusely.

I am not implying that other Rivers people cannot also perform impressively on the national and international stages…or that he should have monopolised the Rivers State cabinet slot ad infinitum (he himself has said that he doesn’t see why the President shouldn’t give other Rivers folks a chance to serve).

I am simply saying that Ajumogobia’s erudition, eloquence, courteousness, sophistication, efficiency, refinement and lack of pretension will be sorely missed by those of us who place a high value on gentlemen of substance.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala feedback

LAST week, I dwelled on the fact that President Jonathan had offered Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala a key economic management job; and I expressed the opinion that she should stick with her safe, posh Washington-based World Bank MD job and avoid a depressingly messy Nigerian political scene that might undermine her distinguished reputation and prevent her from being effective.

I received loads of impassioned responses to this article; and though some Vanguard readers disagreed with me and were convinced that Okonjo-Iweala would not fail or ruin her name if she came home and tried to assist Jonathan’s administration, 95 percent shared my pessimism…and, in many cases, said that they would be bitterly disappointed in her if she accepted a ministerial job.

Ben Udechukwu ([email protected]) spoke for many when he said:

Dear DK, I read through your piece and could not agree with you any less. Okonjo-Iweala can serve Nigeria in other capacities without being part of our domestic theatre of the absurd called Nigerian politics.

We saw her come the first time, we heard so much about tapping into the potentials of her ingenuity, we were repeatedly reminded of her closeness to and influence on the Paris Club. We were told she facilitated our rescue from the burden of external debts. Still, they removed her unceremoniously.

I will dethrone her from the highest rung of respect if she accepts to be humiliated a second time.

The culture of impunity is fast gaining grounds here. When a Brazilian football star wants to launch himself to limelight, he starts from his home country. When he wants to retire, he goes back to Brazil because the environment is friendly, supportive and inspiring. In Nigeria, our stars dread the Nigerian domestic league and view every other thing about it with disdain.

This trend cuts across all professions in Nigeria. We need to reverse the culture of undervaluing our champions, treating them with impunity and reducing their relevance quotient.

Well, as we all now know, Okonjo-Iweala eventually accepted Jonathan’s invitation; and one can only pray that she does not live to regret this decision…and that the President provides her with adequate support, does not allow anyone to derail her and enables her to resoundingly succeed on his behalf.

Jonathan is being widely accused of indecisiveness and all sorts of other weaknesses. And he owes it to himself and the millions who voted for him to get a grip, stop dithering, ditch useless corrupt cronies, encourage positive elements and deliver the strong, inspirational leadership we desperately need.

I constantly hear people saying that Jonathan is a complete disaster. And while I think that he deserves more time in which to settle down and prove himself, I can understand such criticisms because he has gotten off to a pretty poor start and is rapidly losing the enormous goodwill that he has hitherto enjoyed.

If he cannot get his act together and start behaving like a Man of Destiny and Vision, fellow Niger Deltans like myself who were so elated when the first-ever native of an oil-producing area was elevated to the highest position in the land will not forgive him for the shame that he will have heaped on our heads.wp_posts