Federal Executive Council Holds Emotional Valedictory Service For New UN Appointee, Amina Mohammed [Photos]

Federal Executive Council on Wednesday  held an emotional valedictory session for the outgoing Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed.

She is to takeover as the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations next month after 15 months as Minister of Environment in the President Muhammadu Buhari cabinet.

The valedictory session, which held at the end of Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, was very emotional for the minister and her minister of state in particular and selected ministers took turns to eulogize Mohammed who fought very hard to control her tears. 

She was described as a role model for young women, an all rounder in terms of her knowledge of issues in various fields including law and finance but most especially the environment.

The Acting President in his remarks said he was enthralled by the level of her knowledge which accommodates different issues and her insightful contributions at Council meetings. He said she has remained a role model to many young girls including his two daughters who described her as the best.

Osinbajo noted   that Mohammed had sort his advice on accepting the job he said it would be easier to find a replacement for her as an environment minister but a Nigerian may never have the opportunity of serving in that capacity for a long time. 

He envisaged that they may be pressures on her especially with the fact that she was coming from Nigeria but assured she would be more capable to handle it.

The minster of state for environment, Ibrahim Jibril, who couldn’t hold back his tears said the past 15 months have been one of excitement working with a near perfect team leader but added that the last three months has been traumatic for him as he grapple with the reality of her leaving to serve as the number two person in the United Nations. According to him Mohammed has added “value to what we do in Nigeria”. 

The minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, on her part described Mohammed as a pride to womanhood and urged the President to appoint a woman even though not as qualified as her replacement. 

The Budget and Planning minister, Udoma Udo Udoma recalled their first meeting during her confirmation at the National Assembly as a minister under the last ministration. 

According to him, because of the no love lost between the executive and legislature, they had tried in vain to find fault in her or intimidate her but never succeeded. He said her appointment was a celebration for excellence and showed the quality of people in Nigeria. 

 He said he had mixed feelings about her appointment because it was a celebration of excellence but also he had gotten use to her insightful contributions during cabinet meeting. “We will all miss her. I’m sure you will be a very good ambassador”, he said

The minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, said Mohammed has shown passion as an activist and a professional for the past two decades that he has known her.