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Fashola calls for proper briefing before ambassadors posting
Former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that newly appointed Nigerian ambassadors—particularly non-career envoys—are thoroughly educated on the country’s policies, economic priorities and investment frameworks before assuming their postings.
Fashola made the recommendation in his keynote address at the Nigeria Reputation Summit 2026, a programme organised in Abuja by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Fashola’s appeal comes one month after the Senate confirmed 62 ambassadorial nominees, including former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, and ex-presidential aide, Reno Omokri, following the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
While sharing personal experiences from his time in government, the immediate past Minister of Works stressed that Nigeria’s diplomatic effectiveness depends largely on how well its envoys understand and articulate the nation’s positions to foreign governments and investors.
“Concerning our formal ambassadors, I’m going to make recommendations based on my own experience. So, I visited an African country as a minister and was received by our ambassador in that country,” Fashola said.
“Over dinner, preparatory to my meeting, I shared with him the purpose of my visit, which was a ministry-related sector issue. Ultimately, it turned out that the ambassador had no clue what Nigeria’s position on those matters were.”
He warned that such gaps undermine Nigeria’s interests abroad, insisting that ambassadors must be fully equipped with up-to-date policy information before deployment.
“So, now that we have appointed ambassadors, preparatory to posting, they must have handy knowledge and information to really represent us on high-level, intense sharing of policies, fiscal position, tax laws, incentives for investments, our position on oil and gas, mineral mining, how long it takes to register a business in Nigeria (among others). They must know that. It’s important, and it must be a continuing engagement,” he argued.
Fashola added that it was not too late to correct the situation and urged immediate inter-ministerial coordination to begin the process.
“That is my first recommendation. It’s never too late. So, Honourable Minister (Idris Mohammed), I think I have the mandate of the conveners to ask you to reach out to your colleague in Foreign Affairs to start that process from today.”
The former governor also criticised the traditional approach of Nigerian ambassadors inviting ministers to visit their host countries, arguing that such trips often add little value to national development.
He said, “The other point, which comes from experience, was that over my time as minister here, very often I would get letters dispatched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to various departments, including mine.
“They were from our many ambassadors abroad, asking us to come and visit the countries where they were posted. And I must say today that, unfortunately, most, if not all, of those letters ended up in my shredder.”
Explaining his stance, Fashola said Nigeria should be positioning itself as the destination, not the visitor.
“The reason is this. If there was a problem of development at all, it was here, not there. What am I going to do there? Those who want to do business with me must come and see where I live.”
Fashola said Nigeria already has basic infrastructure to host international visitors and should focus on improving gaps while driving inbound engagement.
He argued that Nigeria’s climate, culture and lived experience cannot be conveyed through presentations abroad.
“They can’t feel me from a presentation or slides. But they can feel me by temperature. So, what am I alluding to? Our ambassadors must invite people to come and visit Nigeria, not the other way around.
“We have the facilities, hotels as well as the transport system. We can improve on what is not enough, but it is important to take the first big step and agree that there is a turnaround in movement. They are coming more, we are going less,” he noted,
He linked this approach to the global strategy known as MICE—Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions—which he described as a key economic driver for modern nations.
Fashola lamented that Nigeria has not fully leveraged its cultural and entertainment exports to attract visitors.
According to him, firsthand experiences are the most powerful counter to negative narratives about Nigeria.
“How many of the musical concerts we are generating globally are being performed here? That is what brings people here. That is what explodes the myths and the fabrications.
“People will leave us with their real experience so that when they tell them, don’t come to Nigeria, they will say, ‘I’m going back. I enjoyed myself the last time I went. So, it is left to me to choose ,” the ex-minster explained.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Ike Neliaku, has denied defending the Federal Government’s controversial $9m US lobbying deal, saying his comments were misrepresented by the media.
Neliaku maintained that his position was only to clarify that lobbying is a recognised public relations function and not a criminal offence, while raising concerns about the process, value and competence of the vendors involved in the contract.
He said, “What I said for purpose of clarity, because my colleagues are very disturbed, was that lobbying is a public relations function and does not amount to any criminal offence.
“However, on the specific matter of defending the FG’s $9m US deal, I know nothing. Indeed, we have a number of issues about the contract centred around the appropriateness and competence of the vendors, the process and the method of hiring them.
“What I endorsed was that there is nothing wrong with lobbying. I am repeating it again that it is our function to lobby. The only thing is that the context, process and value of it is a different thing entirely.”
He added that Nigeria has a “golden opportunity” to strengthen its global image by hosting the Global Alliance World Public Relations Forum in November 2026, a hosting right he said the country won after “a tough rigorous process and four rounds of bidding.”
A first-class traditional ruler in Adamawa State, Dishon Dansanda II, the Kwande Nugura of the Lugunda Kingdom, has declared that decades of political exclusion and discrimination against more than 85 ethnic nationalities in the state could have spiralled into violent unrest.
The monarch said the situation was defused only through the bold intervention of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who created seven new chiefdoms and emirates, restoring a sense of justice and belonging to long-marginalised ethnic groups.
The royal father made the remarks while receiving a delegation of the Gongola Peoples’ Forum (GPF) at his palace in Guyuk, during the group’s tour of the local government to inaugurate its interim ward and council officials.
According to him, years of domination by what he described as a clannish political cabal forced suppressed ethnic nationalities to unite in self-defence against exclusion.
He said the non-violent posture adopted by the groups was both reassuring and progressive, adding that his kingdom openly supports the movement.
“This unity is a relief. It shows maturity and purpose, and that is why we cannot hide our support,” the monarch said.
Although GPF is a socio-cultural organisation, the traditional ruler said its vision and mission, which he described as anchored on justice and equity, have transformed it into a credible movement in a society where, for decades, people were made to believe they only mattered if they surrendered their right to self-determination.
He, however, cautioned the organisation to guard against internal saboteurs, warning that greed could push some members to trade their conscience for what he called transactional politics.
Earlier, the National Chairman of GPF, Markus Gundiri, said the forum was in Guyuk to build grassroots structures for mobilisation and change.
He said the delegation could not visit the local government without paying homage to the paramount ruler.
Gundiri stressed that while the power for change lies with the people, it must be channelled through a credible, non-partisan platform like the GPF.
He explained that the GPF was deliberately elevated above partisan politics to promote evolving cultural leadership, self-determination, and development strategies defined by the people themselves, rather than imposed alien values.
Gundiri praised Gov. Fintiri, describing him as a son of the minority who governs with courage, noting that the creation of new chiefdoms and emirates was far from routine.
“In Adamawa, that decision was a war; a fierce one. Only a leader of his calibre could dare it,” he said.
The visit climaxed with the smooth inauguration of the GPF interim officials at the conference hall of the Guyuk Local Government Council.
GPF has previously carried out similar inaugurations in 10 local government areas across Adamawa State.
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has said the people of Rivers State do not a governor to mobilize support for President Bola Tinubu, come 2027.
The Minister disclosed this on Saturday, in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, while commissioning Rivers State Renewed Hope Ambassadors headquarters, housing Majority FM 89.5, situation room, office facilities, as well as buses for the office.
Wike, who commended the Coordinator of Rivers State Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Desmond Akawor for his mobilization drive, said Rivers State would work massively for the reelection of the President.
He said: “Desmond Akawor, you have shown enough capacity to mobilize, you have moved to all the nocks and crannies of Rivers to talk about Tinubu for President in 2027.
“I have said before that Rivers State is a no go area, and I want to say again that this State is totally for Tinubu. We have made sure that all the 23 local governments and zonal coordinators were inaugurated, that day Nigerians all over the world watched that Rivers State is a no go area.
“Today, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Coordinator has also invited us to commission some vehicles that the headquarters of the Secretariat will use and to commission the Secretariat itself, this is the first of its kind in this part of the country.
“I challenge anybody, let them come to Rivers State and learn, our commitment is not by mouth, our commitment is not by newspaper, ours is by showing, that yes indeed, we are working for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We don’t need to have a governor to mobilize for Mr President, we don’t need, we have all it takes to be on our own, we have senators, assembly people, council chairman, National Assembly members, party chairmen of APC and PDP, we have mobilized ourselves to make commitment, if you say you are supporting somebody, there is no need for the person to bring his resources, you have to make commitment and this is what our leaders have done.
“Let me once again thank all of you for your commitment, you are the envy of every other state and they are watching you all over the place.
“In 2023, we came out without anybody pressuring us, without anybody influencing us, we took a decision, to the glory of God that decision is what we are enjoying today, and whether anybody likes it or not, 2027 when the President has shown interest that he will run, we have no choice than to continue to support Mr President.
“Mr coordinator, you have to start preparing to inaugurate ward and unit coordinators, it is very important, we must also take it down to the units, to go and talk to our people to continue to support Mr President, go and see the situation room, go and see the radio station, we are battle ready, there is nothing we can not do because unity is strength.”
Earlier, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, while welcoming the FCT Minister and people of Rivers, praised the Minister for offering leadership to the Rivers State Renewed Hope Ambassadors.
Akawor, who disclosed that he has placed people to man the Renewed Hope Ambassadors movement in all the 23 local governments of Rivers State, also made clarification on the style of politics of the Minister, calling it AI politics.
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Watch moment FCT minister, Wike declares “we have all it takes to mobilise for President Tinubu
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Nyesom Wike has declared that Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Rivers state have all it takes to mobilise for President Bola TInubu come 2027.
Speaking in PortHarcourt Wike said: “We don’t need a governor to mobilize for President Tinubu.
We have what it takes to be on our own.
“We have National Assembly members, Assembly members, Local Government Chairmen, Party Chairmen of APC and PDP.
“We have mobilized ourselves to make commitments to donate towards the reelection of President Tinubu in 2027
Political exclusion was a ticking time bomb in Adamawa, monarch declares
Photos: We don’t need to have a governor to mobilize for Tinubu – Wike
Watch moment FCT minister, Wike declares “we have all it takes to mobilise for President Tinubu
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