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Can We Let Ajuri Ngelale Be?
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By Yinka Adaranijo
Against the backdrop of their roles in the management of media and communications during the campaigns of President Olusegun Obasanjo, a few names were already engraved in the public consciousness who could possibly lead his communication team. Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Tunde Rahman were at the very top of the list. Alake and Onanuga indeed had very long relationships with Tinubu beginning from their years as editors of major newspapers and magazines. They were potent operatives with Tinubu and concerned Nigerians opposed to the better forgotten fistic rule of General Sani Abacha. They were the arrowheads of the “underground press” which reported the despondency of the Nigerian sociopolitical situation to the international community under the famously repressive reign of Abacha.
Alake served as Tinubu’s topmost publicist in the latter’s years as governor of Lagos State. Alake it was who affixed the schedule “strategy” to the primordial brief of information commissioner. This has since been widely adopted by many who barely understand the origins of the initiative. Onanuga was director-general of the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), under Buhari, courtesy of Tinubu. Rahman succeeded Sunday Dare who would later serve as sports minister under so Buhari as Tinubu’s media adviser, all the way into Tinubu’s presidential project. All three gentlemen could confidently and confidently stake their curriculum vitae in the quest for the job of presidential spokesperson.
The dynamics of politics is oftentimes unpredictable. For all his good works and professionalism as presidential spokesman during the presidential campaign of Obasanjo in 1998 and 1999, Onyema Ugochukwu, the legendary journalist was tipped undisputably for the job of Obasanjo’s media adviser. In working for Obasanjo, Ugochukwu incurred the wrath of his kinsmen in the Igbo country who thought him a betrayer. Alex Ekwueme a for Vice President was also running for the presidency. Why would Ugochukwu choose to work for a Yoruba aspirant? One of the very first appointments Obasanjo made immediately after his inauguration was that of Doyin Okupe, a medical doctor as his media adviser!
As it turned out, whereas Alake was at the very fore of presidential communication in the early weeks of the Tinubu government, the President’s sights were on Ajuri Ngelale as his media points man. A familiar face on television during his years in the African Independent Television, (AIT) and Channels Television, the young Ngelale had also served in the office of the immediate past Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. He is the son of Chief Precious Ngelale, from Rivers State who was Minister of State for Water Resources during Obasanjo’s first term. The President apparently had another crucial brief for Alake to handle, in developing the nation’s solid minerals sector as potential alternative to oil. Petroleum has remained the mainstay of the nation’s economy over several decades. Tinubu had his name on his ministerial shortlist close to his chest. He also had his ideas about how to accommodate and deploy the media human capital resources around him, variously.
Tinubu would subsequently appoint Bayo Onanuga as Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, (remember Alake), and Tunde Rahman as his Senior Special Assistant, (SSA) on media matters. For the purposes of clarification, the Special Adviser and SSA are at par in terms of ranking and entitlements. It was suggested for adoption into the Nigerian presidential organogram in 1999, by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Obasanjo filled up the quota of advisers approved for him by the National Assembly. He was still left with substantial numbers of technocrats to integrate into his new government at the advisory level. Atiku came to the rescue with that ingenious suggestion, probably borrowed from the US presidential system.
Tinubu is the first President to operate with a tripod of key media aides. Obasanjo maintained just one in the State House, while other media specialists were assigned different designations. Ugochukwu, was in-charge of the Office of National Orientation and Public Affairs, while the respected Dr Stanley Macebuh (of blessed memory) was SSA Special Duties. Ad’Obe Obe who succeeded Ugochukwu as editor of West Africa magazine in the UK was on the speech writing and foreign affairs schedule, while Tunde Olusunle managed Special Services. All these operatives, however, collaborated with the Media Adviser seamlessly. Buhari adopted a two-pronged system which comprised of Femi Adesina, Special Adviser, and Garba Shehu, SSA, and they complimented each other without glitches.
While the Tinubu administration has brought the Ngelale, Onanuga and Rahman triad together and they collaborate on their assignments, there seem to be ghost agents perennially opposed to Ngelale. From the incident at the United Arab Emirates, (UAE) and the NASDAQ, United States incident last year, to the more recent Maersk incident, certain tendencies seem to be consistently baying for his blood. They seem to detest his youthfulness and self-confidence. They are thus never tired of innuendos and insinuations calculated to undermine his hardwork. Ngelale did not appoint himself to his job, President Tinubu did. And he evidently did so on his convictions even at that time. Those who watched the television shortly after the Supreme Court upheld Tinubu’s election in October last year would probably remember the President’s words when Ngelale visited him in his office. “Ajuri, congratulations. Your job is secure,” was Tinubu’s comment. Ngelale had been with Tinubu for just a few months and was convinced enough by Ngelale’s services that he reassured him of his retention on his desk.
Sources in Aso Villa will tell you that beyond packaging and managing the public perception of the President, Ngelale also functions as master of ceremonies for events held in that complex. Elsewhere and at other times, this in itself is a full portfolio at the pedestal of an adviser. The daily schedule of the President as articulated by the Department of Protocol in conjunction with the Chief of Staff, (COS), should be served to the official manning this outpost regularly. His work could indeed involve some research work to keep the compere updated about what to say in specific terms, displaying situational and spatial awareness. Just in case the President was receiving in audience say Anthony Blinken the US Secretary of State, introducing the dignitary and situating the context of his visit are beyond spontaneous conjuration.
Beyond rhetoric, Tinubu is conscientiously committed to grooming the younger generation to become leaders of the future. The likes of Betta Edu, the ostensibly 37 year-old medical doctor who was entrusted with the crucial Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation might have failed the President. His faith in the younger generation, however, as baton-collectors from the older dispensation remains unshaken. This explains his entrusting the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, (NASENI), the 33 year old Khalil Halilu as Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, and the 38 year-old Jamila Bio-Ibrahim as Minister for Youth Affairs. Ngelale is 37 and fits the profile Tinubu wants to groom for the future.
Yinka Adaranijo a renowned journalist and seasoned public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has commenced an investigation into outstanding debts owed to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) by oil companies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), with the liabilities put at N432.07 billion.
The investigation followed findings contained in the Auditor-General’s annual audit reports on unpaid regulatory and petroleum-related obligations.
According to the Auditor-General’s 2023 Annual Audit Report, NNPCL and oil companies operating under the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) owed the NMDPRA N392,725,541,038.24.
The outstanding obligations covered Balancing Allowance, National Transport Average, the one per cent Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, as well as legacy debts linked to imports, coastal transactions and credit transactions.
A breakdown of the 2023 figure showed that NNPCL accounted for N162,456,750,832.47, while the oil companies owed N230,268,790,205.77.
However, the Auditor-General’s 2024 report put the outstanding debt at N432,072,557,867.17, excluding the indebtedness of NNPCL.
Submissions made by the NMDPRA to the committee also showed that 146 oil companies operating under DAPPMAN, MEMAN and MOMAN owed the regulatory authority N327,525,987,255.67 as of 2025.
The committee noted that the debts covered obligations dating back to 2017 and remained largely unpaid at the time of the review.
The Chairman PAC, Rep. Bamidele Salam, said the committee will ensure that all affected entities accounted for their obligations and submitted relevant records to enable Parliament to establish how the debts accumulated and why they remained outstanding.
Rep. Salam also warned companies and institutions summoned by the committee against ignoring parliamentary invitations.
He said, “Any company invited by this Committee must respect the people’s Parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by honouring the summons with appropriate representation and all relevant documents. We are not here to witch-hunt anybody; our responsibility is to establish the facts, protect public revenue and ensure that every naira due to government is properly accounted for.”
According to him, lawmakers will scrutinise records relating to the outstanding liabilities, including the basis of the debts, the periods covered, payments already made, balances outstanding and measures taken by the regulatory authorities to recover the money.
He said the investigation was intended to strengthen accountability in the management of public revenue and prevent statutory obligations owed to government agencies from accumulating without effective recovery measures.
The PAC reaffirmed its commitment to exercising its constitutional oversight powers to ensure that public revenue was properly accounted for and that government agencies took appropriate steps to recover outstanding liabilities.
The investigation is expected to shed more light on the scale of the debts, the entities responsible and the measures required to recover the funds owed to the government.
. NDLEA won’t relent until all fleeing suspects are brought to book, Marwa vows
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully secured the arrest and repatriation of Festus Ibewuike, alias Chidibest Ibewuike, a fugitive drug kingpin who had evaded arrest for over two years following the interception of the single largest heroin consignment ever recorded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Ibewuike, who relocated to Mozambique where he ran a hotel business as a front, was one of three suspects declared wanted and charged in absentia after operatives of the Agency’s MMIA Strategic Command, in a coordinated 12-day operation in February 2024, intercepted 49.70kg of heroin concealed in cartons of metal-cutting machines at the Import Shed of the airport’s cargo terminal. The operation, which led to the arrest of key members of the syndicate, including his wife, Confidence Ndidiamaka Ibewuike, who routinely received drug-laden parcels marked with the code “ND” on his behalf, also resulted in the freezing of 107 bank accounts and the forfeiture of properties linked to the cartel.
Those arrested were subsequently charged before Hon. Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, in charge no. FHC/L/205C/2024. Three of the suspects who have so far been convicted and sentenced by the court, include: Adinnu Felix Chinedu;
Osita Emmanuel Obinna; and Uzochukwu Frankline. Three other suspects still standing trial before the court are: Chidiebere Reginald Peter; Ibewuike Ndidiamaka Confidence; and
Igbokwuputa Onyinye Ireene, while three others who were charged in absentia include:
Ibewuike Festus, a.k.a. Ibewuike Chidibest; Osita Chidozie Cyril; and one Arinze.
For over two years, Ibewuike remained a fugitive, shuttling between Mozambique and Nigeria through neighbouring Benin Republic in a calculated bid to evade Nigerian law enforcement. That evasion came to an end following actionable intelligence, which led to his arrest at the airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic on Wednesday 2nd September 2026 while the Agency worked with INTERPOL both in Nigeria and Benin Republic to facilitate his handover to a team of NDLEA operatives deployed to Cotonou on Friday 4th September. He was thereafter conveyed to Nigeria to answer for his role in the trafficking syndicate.
During preliminary interviews, Ibewuike, 52, confirmed his identity and disclosed that he had changed his name from Chidibest Ibewuike to Festus Ibewuike. On Saturday 5 September 2026, he was taken to the Agency’s Central Exhibit Store in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he formally identified the parcels of heroin, bearing the “ND” code, established to be linked to him.
Further investigation also revealed that Ibewuike Festus had previously been associated with another drug-related case before the Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Hon. Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari in charge no. FHC/L/203C/2013, regarding the seizure of 40.255kg of methamphetamine. The case involved one Chidi Ihedioha, who was subsequently convicted by the court in 2023.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the Agency’s relentless pursuit of fleeing drug kingpins. “This arrest is a major breakthrough in our resolve to track down and bring to justice every drug baron who thinks that fleeing Nigeria’s shores puts them beyond the reach of the law,” Marwa said.
“As I have always vowed, the long arm of the NDLEA will catch up with anyone involved in this illicit trade, no matter how long it takes or how far they run. Festus Ibewuike ran for over two years, hiding under a change of name and a new life abroad, but today he is back in Nigeria to answer for the 49.70kg heroin seizure linked to his network. This should serve as a fresh warning to fleeing suspects still at large: the Agency will not relent until every one of you is brought to book.”
The NDLEA Chairman commended the excellent multinational cooperation that made the breakthrough possible, particularly the Nigerian and Beninese INTERPOL National Central Bureaus for their role in ensuring a smooth transfer of custody.
General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and his wife, Pastor Folu Adeboye, have celebrated 59 years of marriage.
Adeboye, 84, marked the milestone in a message shared on his X account on Tuesday, expressing gratitude to God for sustaining their union for nearly six decades.
Reflecting on their journey, the cleric said their marriage had been shaped by moments of joy, challenges, personal growth, answered prayers and countless reasons to give thanks.
He stressed that a lasting marriage requires more than celebrating happy moments, saying couples must continually choose one another, exercise patience, embrace forgiveness, pray together and support each other through different stages of life.
According to him, God’s presence has remained at the centre of their home and family.
Adeboye also expressed appreciation to those who had prayed for and supported him, his wife and their family over the years.
He wrote:
«“Today, we look back with grateful hearts as we celebrate 59 years of marriage.
“It feels like yesterday that we began this journey together. Through the years, we have experienced seasons of joy, challenges, growth, answered prayers, and countless reasons to give God thanks.
“We have learnt that marriage is not just about the beautiful moments. It is about choosing each other every day, giving room for growth, showing patience, forgiving, praying together and trusting God through every season.
“Above all, we are grateful that God has been at the centre of our home. Every step of the way, He has remained faithful.”»
The RCCG leader added that their hearts were filled with thanksgiving as they celebrated the milestone and looked forward to what he described as the years ahead.
He concluded: “We are grateful for the journey so far, and we look forward to all that God still has in store. To God be all the glory.”
Reps Probe N432bn Oil Revenue Debt, Summon Debtors
49.70kg heroin: Fugitive drug kingpin, Festus Ibewuike, arrested after years on the run+Photos
Adeboye, wife celebrate 59 years of marriage
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