By Halimah Olamide
With new appointments tumbling in from the new administration of President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians have been more eager to scrutinise towns, states, and regions of origins of those appointed.
NPO Reports survey reveals that the wave of new appointments of the last 48 hours have drawn more attention to Nigerians being very concerned about where the various appointees hail from.
Multiple fora such as WhatsApp groups, discussion fora either online and physical have been awash with discussions and arguments over the states of origins of those newly assigned to man strategic positions as the new administration takes shape.
In one fell swoop on Monday, President Tinubu ordered the retirement of all service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Ahmid Ali.
Replacing them all are Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser; Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admirral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff; AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
While the new National Security Adviser is from Adamawa in the North-East, the new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Christopher Musa is from Kaduna in the North Central while the Chief of Army Staff, Major General T A Lagbaja is from Osun, South-West and Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral E A Ogalla is from Enugu State in the South-East.
The new Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun is from Ogun state (south-west) while the Chief of Defence Intelligence is from Cross River in the South-South. The Chief of Air Staff is from Kano in the North-West of the country.
But why are Nigerians eagerly interested in this factor in appointments?
Prof. Tayo Adesina, Historian at the University of Ibadan, said Nigerians have lived too long under what he called “politics of exclusion” not to be interested in this factor.
Adesina told the NPO Reports, “We have lived for far too long with the politics of exclusion and the winner takes all syndrome.
“So, we are all wired into the scandalous ethos of what is in it for me or for my people. We won’t build this country like that. Let us start doing things that favour merit, inclusiveness and vision. It is going to take some time. But we have started- gradually.”
Kunle Adegoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, told the NPO Reports that Nigerians would place more emphasis on factors of origins above competence as long as the country fails to evolve into nationhood.
“Nigeria, up till this moment, is still a geographical expression. It has not evolved an enduring sense of nationhood. People must still reflect their orientation of nationhood based on ethnic sensitivity in such a situation,” Adegoke volunteered.
Explaining further, he said there is still so much to be done to deepen National consciousness in an average Nigerian for him to stop seeing himself from ethnic perspective and hence, adding “his state of origin and the need to protect his interest from that narrative.”
Adegoke added, “There is so much that misgovernance and parochial politics of our leaders have done to instil such negative attribute in us. Politicians promote divisive policies when their interests are at stake.
“What would it matter if majority of political appointees come from a region so far competence is the basis of such appointments? But our leaders are the first to promote the campaign of ethnic marginalization which the masses echo and trickle down to state of origin interest protection.”