President Tinubu, Thank You for Betta Edu

Udeme Bisong Udeme

I have followed the activities of the Tinubu Administration since inception with keen interest. As a Nigerian, whether I have partisan leanings or not, the decisions and activities of the Governnent in power affects me so I am invested in the success of the Tinubu administration.

Like most Nigerians, I waited eagerly for the unveiling of the ministerial list. Happily, Ministers have now been sworn in. One person that has caught my attention is the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr. Betta Edu.

Her ethereal looks, poise and charm naturally captures the attention but almost immediately, you are made aware of her other sterling qualities and you know that this is easily one of the most inspired Ministerial choices made by President.

You glance through her CV and you’re in a daze. You preview her professional trajectory and you’re in awe. Of a truth, thoughts of every other ancillary consideration for her nomination vanishes. She’s a youth. Well, yes but what she has packed into her youth, people twice her age are still working towards half. Well, she’s a woman. Of course. By gender identification and it ends there. You dare not leave her in a tokenistic box. She is a force of nature who moves with her own atmosphere. You have to notice when she walks in.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs have had a bad rap since inception. For such a young Ministry, it has caused ruckus and left a sour taste in the mouth of many. Most of its pronouncements of job done are met with heckles and boos of disbelief. The Ministry is weighed down by a monumental trust-deficit overhang.

This is the milieu Dr. Edu has jumped into fully armed. She leaves you in no doubt that she came prepared. Since her swearing in, she has been making the rounds of media houses trying to sell her initiatives and debunk some of the fallacies that have been hung on the Ministry. Not an easy task. Enough to weigh down the faint-hearted but Dr. Edu is by no means faint of heart. She is an Amazon through and true.

Watching her passionately talk about the work ahead, you are left in no doubt that this Minister knows clearly what she came to do. This one will not wait to read the body language of Oga at the top. If it needs to be done, Dr. Edu will do it and do it well.

I understand she has been holding a retreat with her Directors and Heads of Department all week. What are you supposed to be doing? What have you done? What is preventing you from doing what you’re supposed to be doing? I hear it’s been a tough session. I wish her directors well. If I were them, I’d eschew the famed Civil Service taciturnity, protectionism and games and embrace this Minister. They all have a lot to gain from helping her succeed.

The thing however is that the Dr. Edu I’m seeing does not look like she will ask permission for you to fall in line. It’s in your best interest otherwise, well…

Dear Dr. Edu, eyes are on you. Expectations are high. Hope rests on you. The youths. Women, several other demographics. I will not ask you not to let them down. You don’t look like it is within your contemplation. I therefore live you with a simple prayer. Godspeed.

Udeme Bisong, a Social Com mentator, writes from Guzape, Abuja