CHIEF OF STAFF; A MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

On Wednesday 13th of May, 2020 there was a pronouncement by the Presidency on a new Chief of Staff replacing the late Abba Kyari who lost the fight against the pandemic (Covid-19). The new appointee Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, an erudite scholar, seasoned administrator and diplomat extraordinaire now chairs the unsung office hitherto. With the announcement, instantaneously was a media frenzy that for two days (13th and 14th of May) it trended on the internet community of Twitter, most talked headlines on the dailies with congratulatory messages upon congratulate messages , encomiums upon encomiums and defamations upon defamations for the appointee. In the scheme of this latest sociopolitical hullabaloo, I as always did my findings on the of office Chief of Staff from 1999 when democracy was restored till 2015 before the coming of the incumbency. It is suffice to say that this piece will place a premium on online information (Wikipedia) and some text about the Office. The piece will aim to demystify the office as an ordinary appointment perhaps senior office and not as the 'de facto' president as tons of Nigerians viewed it because the appointee is not subjected to National Assembly screening upon appointment.

Historically, the office was created by President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo a former head of state upon his inauguration as the democratically-elected president of Nigeria after years of military incursion in Nigeria public space and it was first manned by a retired military General from Ilorin Abdullahi Muhammad Adangba. In his exercise, he is to select key presidential staff, manage and control flow of people in the Villa, protecting the interest of the president, negotiating with the national assembly and other government branches, to conduct the activities of all political department, show loyalty to the president office, 'likely' advice and take orders and information from his principal. All these as an anonymous individual in the cabinet (that cannot be heard) just like other civil servants. The first appointee General Abdullahi Muhammad Adangba served two administrations of Obasanjo and Yar'Adua from 1999 till 2008 when he resigned and replaced by Gbolade Osinowo who had a short term in office when he was replaced by Michael Oghiadomhe a politician from Edo state in 2008. Like the past appointee he is to carry out the exercise anonymously which he also did till 2014 when he was replaced by Jones Arogbofa.
With the end of the Jonathan's administration however and the beginning of the Buhari's term witnessed was a tupsy turvy in the political circle of Nigeria, a change of hands and a new force in doing things in the country. One of such expressions of this change is the Office of the Chief of Staff which since the inception of the administration many Nigerians believe it houses the 'de facto' president of the country. A divided opinion on the last Chief of Staff (Abba Kyari) brought media attention crossed with political intricacies and power-play politics in the State house with a leaked information that the CoS is becoming unbecoming as seen in a memo stating that all ministers, agencies and government departments must report directly to him before exchange with the president. A key thing in this incumbency- leadership style which are found in different book of histories that any leader is choiced to adopt any style that suit his philosophy and management of the country. Unlike past administration hardly Nigerians know that the Office existed nor the men that manned it. By this new style the office is now known and the late Abba Kyari was the most controversial in the recent political history of the country. Moving on with wave of time, a new appointment has been made, a household name in the field of international relations and academic scholarship, a man with an intimidating background in family, academic and career. Nigerians await the inputs of Professor Gambari in the drive to make Nigeria a giant of Africa both in rhetorics and realities, to make a Nigeria a home for every Nigerians and make Nigeria a great nation with enviable heights. As this appointment has been greeted with fanfare, hope and reservations all in all, it is to note that it is (appointment) based on loyalty, experience and capability and not an election which means the man and the Office is not answerable to any Nigerians except his principal. Expect no media interaction, expect no press talk and expect no insubordination even if his advice and ideas runs out of contrast with his Oga because the hallmark of that Office is LOYALTY so both the Office and the appointment is a much ado without nothing. Nigerians should go back to work, constructively critize government policies and eschew divisive actions and thoughts that will provoke national instability.

The piece has tried to come to terms with the reality of the Office of the Chief of Staff by looking at her historical transformation and establishment from the Fourth Republic till recent and also giving the sole functions of the Chief of Staff with a reminder to the people that it is only an appointment perhaps senior appointment in the cabinet with anonymity. The piece highlighted names of pasts Chief of Staff from 1999-to the latest Chief (Abdullahi Muhammad Adangba, Michael Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe, Jones Arogbofa, Abba Kyari and Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari). It further subtly warn Nigerians on politics of division, media actions targeted at dividing the society and destructive criticisms. More importantly, the style of the president has only made the CoS office open and subjected to attention from different quarters that it houses the 'de facto' president of Nigeria a thought which is erroneous and which has made the latest appointment that was greeted with fanfare and reservations A MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

Brother Mahmud is a historian and public affairs analyst
08039434148
raymee1996@gmail.com

COS Presidential house boy, a very senior position

Enoch07:
COS Presidential house boy, a very senior position

By his function he is likely to influence the president's decision. So he might be an "errand boy" but still very senior appointment by his exercises