Mixed Reactions Trail Buhari’s Nomination Of Rivers Indigene, Nimi Akinkugbe As Ondo Ambassador
Mixed reactions have trailed President Buhari’s selection of an indigene of Abonnema local government area of Rivers State, Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe, as an ambassadorial nominee for Ondo State.
Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe’s name was included under Ondo State on an ambassadorial list announced by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday.
The nominee is the daughter of the late F.I Ajumogobia, a former Chief of Mission at UNESCO who died in the ADC flight 086 crash en route Lagos from Port Harcourt on November 7, 1996.
Controversy about the selection ensued from the state of origin of Nimi, who is married to Yinka Akinkugbe from Ondo State and are blessed with three children.
Countering the nomination, Ondo state Chairman, Ondo Youth Coalition, Ademario Emmanuel, said the state has prominent persons who could take up the appointment, Punch reports.
Emmanuel, who is also the National President, Youth Advancement Initiative, noted that the appointment would not stand.
He stressed that;
The person that was nominated is not from Ondo State. We are doing more research to know those behind the recommendation of that appointment and we will send a letter to the Presidency and the governor. Ondo State cannot be short-changed and manipulated by some greedy set of persons because of power.
It is insulting that we have people that can represent this state well in national affairs. Why are they not being given appointment? Ondo State has prominent sons and daughters who are well to do and can represent Nigeria and the state anywhere in the world. This appointment will not stand. When we have made up our mind, we will take the next step.
Also speaking against the appointment, the President of Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organisation of Nigeria, Eric Oluwole, called on President Buhari to reverse the nomination within 48 hours.
Oluwole said an indigene of Rivers State cannot represent the people of Ondo State, adding that;
We call for the cancellation of Ondo state ambassadorial nominee within 48 hours. Someone cannot be nominated from Rivers State to represent us in Ondo state as an ambassador, when there are many qualified indigenes.
I urge Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state as a lovely person to play neutral selection on this, I want to believe the nomination was a mistake.
However, the lawmaker representing Ondo-Central senatorial district, Senator Patrick Akinyelure, said there was nothing wrong with the appointment of Mrs. Akinkugbe as long as the governor supports her.
Akinyelure opined that since the nominee is legally married to an indigene of Ondo State and had given birth to ‘Ondo children’ she was qualified to represent the state.
The senator explained that;
You can claim your husband’s state. As long as she has married our people, we accept her. However, if the people of Ondo State kick against it, we will reconsider. She is the mother of Ondo children regardless of where she is from. I don’t believe in standing in the way of someone’s success. If the governor approves of her appointment, then there is no problem.
Many other Nigerians have taken to Twitter to react the nomination of Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe and the controversy surrounding it.
See some comments below;
Mrs Nimi Akinkugbe, married to an Ondo man and recently nominated as an Ambassador. Some persons are opposed to her normination because ‘she is not an indigene of Ondo State but that of Rivers.’ We discriminate against a Nigerian woman married to a Nigerian man? What a shame!
— kkubani (@kkubani1) July 2, 2020
Imagine having a problem with Nimi Akinkugbe representing you. This country is not ready to move forward in any tangible way.
— Jola (@Jollz) July 2, 2020
“Our wife, our wife” until it really matters. A shame. Nimi Akinkugbe will make an excellent Ambassador for Nigeria, that should be what is being considered not her indigene status.
— idiareno ✈️ (@id49ja) July 2, 2020
Our meanness, sheer wickedness, towards women, old, young, married, single, of any tribe and religion, is one of the things that has undone this country. For 1 person from anywhere to even think Nimi Akinkugbe is not qualified to be an Ambassador of NIGERIA is simply criminal. https://t.co/0XEeMFoUro
— Eyo O. Ekpo (@eyooekpo) July 2, 2020
As the law stands in Nigeria today, she is from Ondo State so the appointment is perfectly okay. The House of Representatives recently passed an amendment to make a married woman claim either where she hails from or husband’s. But on current law, nobody can touch Nimi Akinkugbe.
— Olusegun Adeniyi (@Olusegunverdict) July 2, 2020
In a sane world, Rivers and Ondo state would be fighting to claim the star that Nimi Akinkugbe is.
God forbid for our way of reasoning o.— ELJ (@ellaellae) July 2, 2020
The people protesting against Nimi Akinkugbe’s nomination are APC members in Ondo state. Those guys don’t have sense. This lady married an Ondo man for heaven’s sake, even her children automatically have Ondo Origin. So why can’t she enjoy the slot for Ondo State?.
— Odùduwà (@OgaEbenezer) July 2, 2020
This is why we are not moving forward as a country. Our mentality, way of thinking has got to change. The tribalism and ethnic division has not helped us in anyway, and yet we want to remain in a spot not desiring or pushing to progress.
Nimi Akinkugbe— Mo’ (@Dupsyakpan) July 2, 2020
If the Ondo people have their way on this matter, then we just entered a new era of tribalism which has never done us any good as a nation. Are we going to allow our backward way of thinking affect our desire for National growth?
Nimi Akinkugbe— Mo’ (@Dupsyakpan) July 2, 2020
Most Nigerians are racists.
Tribalism is local racism, while racism is international tribalism.
We are all chanting #BlackLivesMatter, yet we are discriminating amongst ourselves.
Many of us are hypocrites.I stand with the nomination of Opunimi Akinkugbe as Ondo state slot..
1/ pic.twitter.com/zLLpouC5PK— Gentleman (@olajideobe) July 2, 2020
So Nimi Akinkugbe got the Ondo State slot for Ambassador nomination but Ondo people are rejecting her cos she isn’t from Ondo despite being married to an Ondo man
Y’all unmarried folks better go to your village to marry 😀
All these hullabaloo on state of origin is annoying.
— Raphael Francis (@Ralpharmony) July 2, 2020
Nimi Akinkugbe is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bestman Games Ltd, a leading African games company based in Lagos.
The company is the African distributor of customised editions of Hasbro games for 48 African countries, producers of Monopoly board game.
The ambassadorial nominee, who is a renowned columnist, has over 23 years of experience in the banking sector having worked at Stanbic IBTC, Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered Bank where she is currently a non-executive director.
Putting all sides into consideration, what are your thoughts?
