One day South Africa will realize their folly of hating on other Africans

Real power tussle there. Possibly there’d be some reshuffling soon.

Ajuri Ngelale, the broadcast journalist who made a name for himself with his eloquence and sonorous voice, did not resign as special adviser to the president on media and publicity to tend to a “vexatious medical situation” in his family as he claimed, FIJ can report.

Instead, FIJ understands, he was fired by the presidency and only allowed to publicly resign after his repeated pleas for a soft landing.

Ngelale, who was also the special presidential envoy on climate action, stunned Nigerians on Saturday morning when he announced his abrupt exit from office, citing “medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family”.

A FACE-SAVING COVER-UP

“On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family,” Ngelale wrote.

“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonising decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.”

He said he looked “forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit”, and respectfully asked “for some privacy for my family and I [sic] during this time”.

But multiple highly-placed sources in and around the presidency told FIJ on Saturday afternoon that Ngelale’s exit was not triggered by a family health emergency, but rather his loss in a power tussle with Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.

LONG-RUNNING FEUD WITH ONANUGA

FIJ understands that following the election of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president in 2023, Ngelale did not exactly hit it off with Onanuga, largely because having been in government before Onanuga — President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ngelale his senior special adviser on public affairs in 2019 and he served in this position until the end of Buhari’s tenure — he considered himself Onanuga’s boss.

Ngelale, 38, began his career with the Africa Independent Television (AIT) in the 2000s, while Onanuga, 67, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of NJigeria (NAN), began his career in the 1980s. There was one problem, though: while Ngelale was special adviser on media and publicity, Onanuga was the special adviser on information and strategy.

FIJ understands that civil servants found the roles confusing. This was nothing like in the Buhari administration when Femi Adesina was the special adviser on media and publicity and Garba Shehu the senior special assistant on media publicity. In the latter case, everyone knew Adesina, as SA, was senior, while Shehu, as SSA, was subordinate.

Ngelale and Onanuga both had special adviser roles; and the profolios seemed similar. However, by design, the civil service structure of the villa reported to the SA media, and that was Ngelale.

FAVOURITE OF THE PRESIDENT — AND HIS SON

“Ngelale considered himself untouchable because he had the backing of the president’s son Seyi and Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff,” one source who asked not to be named for fear of retribution told FIJ.

“He was fired; I became aware of this on Tuesday, but I won’t rule out the possibility that it happened earlier. When he got the letter, he started to plead to be allowed to resign as a soft landing. He was eventually given a soft landing, which is understandable. News of his sacking in public would have thoroughly embarrassed not just Ngelale but the presidency too.”

Although this source expressed regrets that things eventually got to a head, they conceded that there was no other way out, given Ngelale’s unwillingness to discuss his long-drawn-out feud with Onanuga when the opportunities were presented to him.

“The Ngelale-Onanuga feud was no secret in the villa, so several top appointees and cabinet members attempted to intervene at separate times; and while Onanuga was open to peace talks, Ngelale wasn’t,” the source continued.

“For example, Mohammed Idris Malagi, the minister of information and national orientation, called for talks four times. Onanuga was willing to attend but Ngelale snubbed them all, always claiming he was busy.”

‘BLOCKING ONANUGA’ FROM HAVING AN OFFICE

Civil servants who asked not to be named, as well as a source familiar with presidency happenings, told FIJ that Onanuga, despite being formally appointed in October 2023 “was a squatter in the presidency and did not have an office of his own until just a few months ago”.

“When Onanuga was appointed, he had no office. He was squatting in Tunde Rahman’s office,” said one of the sources. “It was just recently that he eventually got an office that belonged to either Wale Edun or Zacheus Adedeji when they were still advisers.

Rahman, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, was appointed in July 2023 — three months earlier than Onanuga’s appointment. Meanwhile, Zacheus Adedeji was appointed special adviser on revenue while and Wale Edun was appointed special adviser on monetary policy in June 2023.

While Adedeji has since become the executive chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Edun has since become minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy. Notably, all three appointments came months ahead of Onanuga’s.

These were people who had been with Tinubu for decades, unlike Ngelale, so how did Ngelale become so powerful that he got appointed earlier, blocked Onanuga from having an office to himself and all the aforementioned appointees could not fix Onanuga an office?

As written earlier, Ngelale had the backing of Seyi Tinubu and Gbajabiamila, but a third source took it even further, saying: “It was about how he got the job.”

SO, HOW?


How Ajuri ingratiated himself with Tinubu
“During the 2023 presidential electioneering, Jumoke Oduwole, the special adviser on Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), introduced Ngelale to Gbajabiamila,” said the source.

“When Ngelale got there, he met Seyi. He told Seyi he would facilitate a CNN interview during which Tinubu’s presidential ambition would be discussed. Seyi thought it was impossible, but Ngelale did it. He secured the interview on CNN. He then told Seyi the time and date it would air. Seyi promised Ngelale that Tinubu would phone him if he pulled it off. Immediately after the interview was aired, Tinubu called Ngelale.

“When Tinubu won the election, Ngelale was abroad. People told him to return home but he said no; he insisted he would get his own appointment once he arrived in the country. And that was exactly what happened: Ngelale’s appointment by Tinubu was announced days after his return to Nigeria.

“Conversely, Gbajabiamila delayed the announcement of Onanuga’s appointment for at least two months. It required Chief Bisi Akande, who originally made the case for Onanuga’s appointment, to return to Tinubu for follow-up conversations. That was when Tinubu ordered that Onanuga’s appointment should be made, and that was how Onanuga came to the villa.”

THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK

FIJ understands that villa staff and civil servants whose work related to the president’s communication strategy noticed the tension between Ngelale and Onanuga and thought if they worked with one, then the other thought they were against him.

“This meant the work of publicising the president’s progressive policies was derailed,” said the source.

“By the way, Ngelale instructed civil servants that no statement from Onanuga could go out if he had not personally cleared it. If you speak with sources across divides, they would tell you Onanuga was the more peace-seeking of the duo. But this particular order from Ngelale to civil servants annoyed Onanuga.”

FIJ understands Ngelale’s standing with Tinubu started to plummet once it was easy to pitch to the president how Ngelale’s unharmonious relationship not just with Onanuga but with the media was hindering good publicity for the president.

“He did not have a good relationship with journalists. Ask the reporters; ask the state house correspondents. And also ask editors,” added the source.

“Many people consider him disrespectful and arrogant, even the editors. You can hardly find any important editor in Nigeria who likes or regards Ngelale.”

Source: https://fij.ng/article/exclusive-ajuri-ngelale-did-not-resign-due-to-vexatious-medical-situation-he-was-fired/

See the government that wanted to go fight Niger republic.

Anyway, always remember…RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION.

Mandate2023:



Hw many times do I have to repeat myself to u basta*d.........u son of a destitute, go to he*l

Don't start what u can't finish stupid basta*d destitute...u started it so stop crying

For sure you remain a destitute forever as this is your current estate which you’ll never grow out of..
As for your candidate who paid you 2 cents from the billions he has stolen, which has resulted in you and your generation being destitute, he will eventually lose and you go back to the abyss where you have crawled out.

Mandate2023:


May u and ur destitute family rot in he*l

Very uncouth idiot. if you look deeply within with patience and sure you will absolutely agree with me that you are a constant disappointment to the hopeless people who thought they had you as a child.

I don’t give up on people so I believe it’s not too late for you to get educated and I mean real civil and social education and maybe things would turn around for you.

Mandate2023:


May u and ur destitute family rot in he*l

We are not candidates of hell over here.

But since that is your mindset, then it shows your destiny. You have failed yourself

Mandate2023:


If lagos start deporting ur families that r destitutes in lagos nw u will start complaining......the government is doing it's best but ur ppl won't stop coming into lagos even when dey don't have anything reasonable to do or where to stay..........

Can you see how foolish you are? If your grand parents and the people related to you are destitute and in disarray with ignobility, why assume that for people you do not know?

Your response has shown you are not civil and utter shame on the people and the community that brought you up.

I can’t even laugh. Open defecation in a city of gold built by the Jagaban himself? No way. Stop joking.

What has Yaya bello got to do with Peter Obi or the achievements or otherwise of the APC central government?

I do not really understand the logic of these sycophants.

The question here is which celebration is bigger for you? Is it the new year celebration or Christmas celebration?

In my case I enjoy and celebrate the new year more because it is like entering into a new phase of opportunities.

What do you think? Let’s discuss

But the followers of these two legends will be fighting each other. Get sense and appreciate the two great footballers who have entertained our generation uncensored!

Any working link to watch the match?

Happy birthday

US’s response has not be robust so far

Uyi168:
ASUU going global ...

We are global now

Lalasticlala tell our countrymen to think twice before migrating o

BRATISLAVA:


Yes. He is working. Or not?

UK need a complete overhaul

BRATISLAVA:
BJ is working

BJ?

Vulcanheph:
I just pity the nigerian students that think that they've escaped ASUU by moving to UK not knowing that they'll experience Strike too. .

I won't be surprised if our yeye FG will make a statement like this "The U.k. universities are currently on strike, so it's ok for ours to also go on strike"

vastolord4:
This isn't gonna drag like ASSU.. shouldn't last past a week

More than ten days for some varsities already

Hisbah21:
ASUU will be very pleased with the news

Interesting developments there

In total, 68 universities nationwide are being hit with strike action in the UK over a number of issues including working conditions, pay and pension among others.




https://www.thestar.co.uk/education/sheffield-hallam-university-staff-join-strike-over-pay-and-working-conditions-3578521

We dey wait.

Jesus saves, Jesus heals. This I have seen and experienced.

There was life before social media..

Jesus saves, Jesus heals.

Panama where dey keep scoffield that year for prison break? Ok now congrats

Jesus loves you all.

Great man of God!

Jesus saves, Jesus heals

ogmask:
That is eh... a team that has beaten you 2x recently na pep wan blow guy for... He get luck say them nor chop reach 3 sef. Make dem just go thank Timo

��

So Pep Guardiola and his crew smiled to each other. The plan has been perfected. This is the time to show the world we are the best technical crew around. No escape route for Chelsea with this grand master plan.

Oh sorry let me rewind a little bit..

Pep sat to think critically about the final against Chelsea. He quickly reckoned, together with his crew, that Chelsea truly were going to be defending with five defenders. He decided to take one more step into the sly brain of Tuchel. Pep made himself to believe that Chelsea were only coming with one plan. To park the bus. Now, if Chelsea were only coming to park that bus, then who needs a defensive cover? Afterall in this situation, attackers are needed more to break down the resolute chelsea defensive setup. He called Fernandinho and Rodri up to casually inform them that their services will not be needed in the first half of the game.
What is the game plan? Stifle and suck the life out of Chelsea in their own half through out the first 45 mins. Since Chelsea would be doing ONLY the defending, Pep believed they always would not be needing any extra defensive cover. Dias with his partner will quickly mop up any ball that manages to cross into man city’s half of the pitch. With the carefully assembled Pep attackers, Chelsea is bound to concede at least two goals before the end of the first half, in Pep’s mind.
Pep and his cohorts were so sure then they smiled. The smile also came with some pinch of pride and ego. How else do you want us to show the world we are the best if we cannot bench our best defensive midfielders and our best strikers in the biggest football stage? People must know that whatever crazy strategy the great Pep put out there would always work.
Tuchel had other plans. What is that plan? Stick to his plan. Yea. As simple as that. Einstein said everything must be as simple as possible but not simpler.
Tuchel simplified the complex, while Pep complicated the simple.
Now the rest is history.
As soon as I saw Pep’s lineup before the game, I also smiled and what came to my mind immediately is what I’d be leaving you with: NA OVERSKILL DEY KILL MONKEY �

chatinent:
Observing intently...

Your area dey cow free?

Coldsperm:
They may roam in the South or West but not the East. If you are in the East and you see them roaming, there is a number to call. I believe every Easterner should have the number. I can't put it here because of all these Zombies. Roam in the East now, you die with your cows.

Wow I think if these cows are ranched everyone would benefit