President Bola Tinubu has approved the deployment of 65 ambassadors-designate to Nigeria’s diplomatic missions worldwide, including former Minister of Health Isaac Adewole, who has been posted to Canada.
The list comprises 34 non-career ambassadors and 31 career diplomats assigned to various countries and multilateral institutions.
The president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the appointments on Thursday.
Adewole’s background
Mr Adewole is a Nigerian professor of obstetrics and gynaecology and a public health expert with decades of experience in medicine, academia and health policy.
Before serving in government, he built a distinguished academic career at the University of Ibadan (UI), one of Nigeria’s oldest universities.
He served as vice-chancellor of the university between 2010 and 2015, where he was credited with strengthening research output and promoting institutional reforms.
Mr Adewole is also a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and has contributed extensively to research on reproductive health, maternal health and cancer prevention.
In 2015, former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him minister of health.
During his tenure, Mr Adewole oversaw several national health initiatives aimed at expanding primary healthcare services, improving maternal and child health, and strengthening Nigeria’s response to infectious diseases.
His tenure also coincided with efforts to revitalise teaching hospitals and expand access to health insurance through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Since leaving office, he has remained active in academic and public health circles, contributing to policy discussions on healthcare delivery and medical education in Nigeria.
Other prominent postings
Among other political appointees, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode has been posted to Germany, while former presidential aide Reno Omokri will serve in Mexico.
Former Katsina State governor and retired army general Abdulrahman Dambazau has been designated ambassador to China, while Jimoh Ibrahim, a senator, will serve as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Other prominent postings include former Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu to Spain, and for South Africa, Ita Enang, a senator.
Lateef Are, a security expert, has been posted to the United States, while former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will serve in Greece. Grace Bent, a senator, has been designated ambassador to Togo.
Aminu Dalhatu, a businessman, has been appointed Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, while former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Ayodele Oke will serve in France.
Other non-career appointments include Fatima Ajimobi to Austria, Lola Akande to Sweden and Joe-Kyari Okocha, a senior advocate of Nigeria, to Ireland.
Ibok-Ete Ibas will represent Nigeria in the Philippines, while Paul Adikwu has been posted to the Vatican City. Others include Nkechi Ufochukwu to Israel, Mahmud Yakubu to Qatar and Yakubu Gambo to Saudi Arabia.
Additional non-career envoys include Abasi Braimah to Hungary, Angela Adebayo to Portugal, Oluwayimika Ayotunwa to Japan, Chioma Ohakim to Poland, Olufemi Pedro to Australia, Mohammed Aliyu to Argentina, Joseph Sola Iji to Russia and Jerry Manwe to Trinidad and Tobago.
Career diplomats deployed
Career ambassadors from the Nigerian Foreign Service were also assigned to key diplomatic missions.
Mohammed Lele has been posted to Algeria, Shehu Barde to Ghana and Aminu Nasir to Ethiopia.
Others include Ibrahim Danlami to Kenya, Ayeni Adebayo to Belgium and Akande Wahab to Switzerland.
Additional postings include Jane Adams to Jamaica, Alexandra Clark-Omeru to Zambia and Muhammad Dahiru to India.
Abdussalam Zayyad will serve in Senegal, while Abubakar Musa has been posted to Chad and Haidara Idris to the Netherlands.
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Further assignments include Bako Umar to Morocco, Sulu Gambari to Malaysia, Romata Mohammed to Tanzania and Shaga John to Botswana.
Other career diplomats deployed include Hamza Salau to Iran, Ibrahim Mopelola to Benin, Luther Ayo-Kalata to Sierra Leone, Danladi Yakubu to Sudan and Bello Dogon-Daji to Thailand.
Also on the list are Monica Enebechi to Cote d’Ivoire, Endoni Paebi to Niger, Odumah Ehinosen to Egypt, Wasa Ige to Lebanon, Ruben Samuel to Italy, Magaji Umar to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Esther Arewa to Namibia and Gergadi John to Gabon.
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