With the news of the sack of all the Ministers in Nigeria, our people dared to hope, again, for better. I dared to draw up a list of my dream team.
MY DREAM TEAM FOR NIGERIA’S EXECUTIVE BRANCH
AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES – Mu’Azu, former Governor of Bauchi State.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY – Ernest Ndukwe, outgoing National Communications Commission chief.
CULTURE AND TOURISM – Duke, former Governor of Cross Rivers State.
DEFENSE – Gusau, newly appointed to the same post by Jonathan.
EDUCATION – Soyinka, our Nobel laureate.
ENVIRONMENT – Amina Moh’d Hassan, former classmate of mine. Give her an executive task…consider it done.
FCT – I don’t know. Decide between Aliero, Odom, and Muhtar on merit. (Respectively, the three men are the outgoing minister of Federal Capital Territory, Minister of State for FCT, and Minister of Finance)
FINANCE – Tony Elumelu, recently idle CEO of UBA.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, bringing sexy back, former Minister of Finance.
HEALTH – Fatima Zara Isa-Modibbo/Iorfa Tor-Anyiin. Both are 26-year old doctors. Fatima was awarded this year for Excellence in Public Service at The Future Nigeria awards. I trust her, even if we’ve never talked. Iorfa is phenomenal and has a passion for delivering health care to people no matter how rural. Nominated in the same category at The Future.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION – Akunyili. Let her keep talking and rebranding.
JUSTICE – I don’t know. Maybe keep Kayode, the newly appointed one?
LABOUR – Pat Utomi. Nigerian economist and presidential candidate.
MINES AND STEEL – El-Rufai, former FCT Governor/Minister, that the impossible (steel production in Nigeria for example) may become possible.
NATIONAL PLANNING – Nuhu Ribadu, former head of Economic and Financial Crimes Comission, EFCC.
NIGER DELTA AFFAIRS – Saro Wiwa, Ken’s son. The vision would be to achieve conflict resolution and dissolve this ministry within a year or two.
PETROLEUM RESOURCES – Shamsudeen Usman, economist, former Finance Minister, outgoing National Planning Minister.
POWER – Seke Shomolu, engineer, former chief of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and technical chief at NEPA.
POLICE AFFAIRS – Buhari, former military President and Commander in Chief of Nigeria, presidential candidate, and warrior against indiscipline and corruption.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – Fakinlede, my Head of Department at the University of Lagos. Crazy how he gets things done to advance technology education in this funky town.
SPORTS – Frank Nweke, Jnr. , former Minister for Special Duties, current chief of Nigerian Business Forum.
TRANSPORT AND AVIATION – wildcard, award on merit to one of the outgoing ministers.
WOMEN AFFAIRS – Hafsat Abiola-Costello, chairperson of KIND, a women’s NGO.
WORKS AND HOUSING – Fashola, current governor of Lagos State. Yes o!
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT – Femi Falana, civil rights lawyer.
INTERIOR – Maryam Uwais, lawyer, on the Presidential Advisory Council.
SPECIAL DUTIES – Victoria Ezeokoli, former NTA Director.
Note: If there’s a Minister, what is the need for a “Minister of State” with the same portfolio? I ended up with at most 27 ministers, down from 40. It was reported that the President Jonathan is considering cutting down from 40 to 30. Right direction, Prez.
