Ramat Mohammed: Fired But Not Hired?

On January 12, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced a list of appointments that seemed to inject fresh ideas into the Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.

Among those announced was Ramatu Abonbo Mohammed as the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

Unfortunately, in spite of the announcement that was made public, Mohammed was never handed an appointment letter let alone resume at her new desk. In fact, close family sources said she had been out of the country on medical ground for some time.

However, about two months after her appointment was announced, precisely Thursday, March 21, Ngelale, in yet another statement, announced the appointment of Mr. Olugbile Holloway as the new Director-General for the same position – the National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

Although in fairness to the presidency, there was no mention of Mohammed as either being sacked, seconded elsewhere or ever existed in the agency, the interpretation accorded the new appointment – suggesting that she was sacked for Holloway – has stoked an entirely new debate on the character of the government. 

It is that either mischief-makers intentionally orchestrated the news to suit a premeditated intention or a clear manifestation of treacherous political undertone. But, really, who fires the person they did not hire? 

Indeed, some staff of the agency allegedly shuddered at the claim of sacking someone, who was never at her desk for a day. In other words, there’s more to ignoring her and pretentiously moving on.

But, does Ramat Abonbo Mohammed, have anything to worry about? Maybe not. For a woman, who had always made her marks anytime she was called to serve, this particular incident can’t define her or sculpt an obnoxious narrative around her person.