The cap fits Prof Gambari

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, on Wednesday announced the appointment of a renowned academic and diplomat, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari as the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Boss made the announcement in Abuja at a virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which had few of its members in attendance.

Gambari is to replace Mallam Abba Kyari who passed away on April 17, this year, after succumbing to complications from COVID-19.

Mr Kyari was a powerful presidential aide, technocrat, journalist, administrator, banker and politician.

Although the position of Chief of Staff ordinarily means head of staff of either a complex organization or the coordinator of the supporting staff to an important individual, such as a president or a senior military officer, the tenure of late Kyari made the office of Chief of Staff in the Presidency very glamorous and much sought after as he wielded more powers than mere head of staff in the Presidency.

That was why after the death of Abba Kyari, politically conscious Nigerians were curious about his likely successor.

There were therefore speculations, at various times, that President Buhari was planning to replace Kyari with Babagana Kingibe, later, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs, Hammed Alli and then, the incumbent Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, but all turned out to be untrue.

Even when the news came on Tuesday that Buhari had settled for the retired diplomat, Ibrahim Gambari, the media were cautious until the SGF made the official announcement.

Prof. Gambari, 75, is a Nigerian scholar, diplomat and an indigene of Kwara State.

Gambari, who has the national title of CFR was born November 24, 1944, in Ilorin, Kwara State. He was educated at King’s College, Lagos.

He later went to London School of Economics where he obtained his B.Sc. (Economics) degree (1968) with specialization in International Relations. In 1970, he obtained M.A. from Columbia University, New York and a PhD in the same school in 1974.

Gambari had held various offices in diplomatic fields and other governance roles over the years.

Professor Ibrahim Gambari served Nigeria’s former military heads of state, including General Muhammadu Buhari. He was Buhari’s foreign affairs minister in 1984-1985, after serving as the DG of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.

He later went on to become Nigeria’s permanent representative at the United Nations from 1990-1999 at a time two of Nigeria’s infamous dictators were in full bloom.

Institutions Gambari served before becoming President Buhari’s Chief of Staff

He was Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Special Adviser on Africa and many other diplomatic assignments.

He was a recipient of the third highest National Honour, Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Also, Mr Gambari was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) from the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut (2002) and Farleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey (2006).

He also had Honorary Doctorate of Public Service, Chatham University (May 2008) and Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), University of Ibadan, Nigeria (November 2011).

In 2012, Mr Gambari received South Africa’s highest national honour conferred on non-citizens, the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo, which was conferred to him personally by President Jacob Zuma on October 26, 2012.

He was also appointed as the first Chancellor, Kwara State University in March 2013.

From his rich profile, we believe that Prof Gambari has a proven track record. By his education and the position he had held in life, he is, no doubt, a man of ability with necessary pedigree to discharge the responsibilities of his new office.

We therefore heartily congratulate Prof Gambari on his well deserved appointment even as we expect him not only to continue the work of his predecessor but also ensure that sensitive documents emanating from the Presidency are well vetted before they are released to the public.