Knowing that immediately after a match involving the Super Eagles, our in-house sport enthusiasts/analysts would come up with the rating of each player based on his performance in the match. Toeing the same line, and having the opportunity to watch all the sessions of the ministerial screening live, I think it won't be out of place to give a little ranking for the participants.

The Think-tank

1. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN
2. Dr Ibe Kachikwu
3. Dr Okechukwu Enyinna Enelama
4. Dr Kayode Fayemi
5. Professor Isaac Adewole
6. Engr Suleiman Adamu
7. James Ocholi
8. Kemi Adeosun
9. Lt.Gen Dr Abdulrahman Dambazau
10. Geoffrey Onyeama
11. Amina Muhammed
12. Dr Ogbonaya Onu
13. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed
14. Solomon Dalong
15. Senator Udo Udo Udoma
16. Dr Osagie Ehanire
17. Ibrahim Usman Jibril
18. Abubakar Malami SAN
19. Senator Hadi Sirika
20. Muhammad Bello

The Political Expediencies

21. Professor Anthony Anwuka
22. Senator Aisha Alhassan
23. Abubakar Bawa Bwari
24. Chief Audu Ogbeh
25. Mallam Adamu Adamu
27. Barr. Adebayo Shittu
28. Rtd Brigadier-General Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali
29. Dr Chris Ngige
30. Rotimi Amaechi
31. Senator Heineken Lokpobiri
32. Pastor Usani Usani
33. Alhaji Lai Muhammed
34. Mustapha Baba Shehuri
35. Professor Claudius Omoleye Daramola
36. Aisha Abubakar

The metrics are based on their performances at the ministerial screening viz-a-viz the number of questions asked by the Senators in different/particular fields, the time spent in the screening exercise, the robustness of their answers, their abilities to articulate their thoughts with clarity, their confidence levels, etc. One thing you can't take away from the whole exercise is that it gave us the opportunity to really assess the nominees based on their antecedents. Whether they perform better or not is relative and subjective, but all in all I want to give kudos to both the 8th Senate and the nominees. Though there were some pockets of ridiculous questions here and there, but an ardent observer would see that the Senators really asked some germane questions that actually on some national issues. We can't get a perfect system but we could work towards making our systems to be perfect.

In my humble opinion, the first 20 would definitely going to be the mover and shaker of this administration. However, this doesn't preclude the fact that most of the political expedient ministers may not find their way into the think-tank. In the same vein, I think whether we like it or not, we must commend all those that came together to put forward these names. Arguably it might not be our best, but it is certainly one of the best we can come up with. Two people that I think are missing in the list are Professor Pat Utomi and Dr Oby Ezekwesili. My hope is that the two of them will be given some roles to play in this administration e.g. Professor Pat Utomi as Chief Economic Adviser to the President or something like that. Dr Ezekwesili will definitely play a significant role as she was featured in the last NESG 2015. I've always believed that Nigerian problems can only be solved by Nigerians. With the calibre of this team, one thing is certain and all things being equal, if we don't get "there" in the next four years, we will nearly get "there".

On the current mountainous crises facing the country, I don't believe that they are insurmountable. One thing I know for sure is that Nigeria is always at his best when nobody gives her a chance. The civil war, the military incursions, and if we are to talk about sport, Nigeria Vs USSR at Saudi '89, Nigeria vs Brazil Atlanta '96, Nigeria vs Spain France '98, and recently the curtailing of ebola virus in the country last year to the bewilderment of the whole world are some of those things that give me the confidence that no matter the problems we have at hand, we will come out of it victorious.

What of bow and go senators