FURTHER TO THE LIES OF TINUBU'S PRESIDENCY ON THE LOPSIDEDNESS OF APPOINTMENTS IN THIS REGIME Written by KEMKA S. IBEJI

Some of us have not been interested in really looking into what this government has done on tribalism knowing fully that an average Yoruba man or woman will tilt towards his or her tribe at any given chance or opportunity. I personally got really attracted to this topic as I read the list of appointees purported to have been published by Sunday Dare few moments ago.

That list merely wished to downplay the continued marginalisation of the South-East in the scheme of things and especially in this government led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his tribal goons. It is highly offensive to read the positions they outlined as the appointments to the South-East and that led me to peep into political appointments so far awarded by the Tinubu administration with emphasis on the Yoruba and the southwest. Just read and appreciate what has happened so far and keep it for record purposes.

Below is a list of individuals from the Yoruba ethnic group and the Southwest geopolitical zone appointed by President Bola Tinubu into various offices since May 29, 2023 to date. This list might not be comprehensive but it sheds light on the situation at hand.

This list includes appointees across ministries, departments, agencies, commissions, institutions, special assistants, senior special assistants, aides, and advisors in the federal government. 

The Southwest region comprises Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states, and the Yoruba are the predominant ethnic group in this area. Note that while I strive to provide an exhaustive list based on available data, some appointments may not be fully documented or publicly detailed as of April 10, 2025.

Key Appointments from the Southwest (Yoruba Individuals)

MINISTERS

1. Wale Edun (Ogun State)  

Position: Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy 

Appointment Date: August 2023

2. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (Ondo State)  

Position: Minister of Interior  

Appointment Date: August 2023

3. Gboyega Oyetola (Osun State)  

Position: Minister of Marine and Blue Economy  

Appointment Date: August 2023

4. Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo State)  

Position: Minister of Power  

Appointment Date: August 2023

5. Dele Alake (Ekiti State)  

Position: Minister of Solid Minerals Development  

Appointment Date: August 2023

6. Bosun Tijani (Ogun State)  

Position: Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy  

Appointment Date: August 2023

7. Abubakar Momoh (Edo State, but often associated with Yoruba due to proximity and political ties)  

Position: Minister of Niger Delta Development (later renamed Ministry of Regional Development)  

Appointment Date: August 2023  

Note: Edo is in the South-South, but included due to historical Yoruba affiliations in parts of the state.

8. Jumoke Oduwole (Ogun State)  

Position: Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment  

Appointment Date: October 23, 2024 (Cabinet reshuffle)

9. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata (Osun State)  

Position: Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development  

Appointment Date: October 23, 2024 (Cabinet reshuffle)

HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES, AND COMMISSIONS 

10. Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos State)  

Position: Chief of Staff to the President  

Appointment Date: June 2, 2023

11. Kayode Egbetokun (Ogun State)  

Position: Inspector General of Police (Acting, later confirmed)  

Appointment Date: June 19, 2023

12. Adeniyi Bashir Adewale (Ogun State)  

Position: Comptroller General of Customs (Acting)  

Appointment Date: June 19, 2023

13. Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi (Lagos State)  

Position: Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)  

Appointment Date: June 2023 (served briefly before replacement)

14. Olayemi Cardoso (Lagos State)  

Position: Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria  

Appointment Date: September 22, 2023

15. Zaccheus Adedeji (Oyo State)  

Position: Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)  

Appointment Date: September 2023

16. Taiwo Oyedele (Ogun State)  

Position: Chairman, Presidential Committee on Tax Reforms  

Appointment Date: September 2023

17. Bisoye Coker-Odusote (Ogun State)  

Position: Acting Director General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)  

Appointment Date: August 2023

18. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi (Ogun State)  

Position: Director General, Department of State Services (DSS)  

Appointment Date: August 26, 2024

19. Olugbile Holloway (Lagos State)  

Position: Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments  

Appointment Date: Specific date not widely publicized, circa 2023

20. Lanre Gbajabiamila (Lagos State)  

Position: Director General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission  

Appointment Date: Specific date not widely publicized, circa 2023

21. Bayo Ojulari (Ogun State)  

Position: Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)  

Appointment Date: April 2025 (replacing Mele Kyari)

22. Raji Kazeem Kolawole (Osun State)  

Position: Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT)  

Appointment Date: Circa 2024

23. Oluwasegun Faleye (Ondo State)  

Position: Managing Director/CEO, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund  

Appointment Date: Circa 2024

24. Engr. Babatunde Fakoyede (Ekiti State)  

Position: Chairman, Federal Scholarship Board  

Appointment Date: January 2025

25. Shola Olofin (Ekiti State)  

Position: Chairman, Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund  

Appointment Date: January 2025

26. Hon. Durosimi Meseko (Ondo State)  

Position: Chairman, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute  

Appointment Date: January 2025

27. Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi (Lagos State)  

Position: Chairman, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs  

Appointment Date: January 2025

Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, and Aides

28. Hadiza Bala Usman (Born in Kaduna but raised in Lagos, Yoruba ties via marriage and career)  

Position: Special Adviser on Policy Coordination  

Appointment Date: June 19, 2023  

Note: Ethnically Hausa but included due to significant Lagos association.

29. Hannatu Musa Musawa (Raised in Lagos, Yoruba ties via education and career)  

Position: Special Adviser on Culture and Entertainment Economy  

Appointment Date: June 19, 2023  

Note: Ethnically Hausa but included due to Lagos residency and influence.

30. Tunde Rahman (Ogun State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant on Media  

Appointment Date: July 2023

31. Tope Fasua (Ekiti State)  

Position: Special Adviser on Economic Affairs  

Appointment Date: September 2023

32. Damilotun Aderemi (Osun State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant on Private Secretary  

Appointment Date: July 2023

33. Toyin Subair (Lagos State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs  

Appointment Date: July 2023

34. Demola Oshodi (Ondo State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant on Protocol  

Appointment Date: July 2023

35. Tope Ajayi (Osun State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity  

Appointment Date: July 2023

36. Yetunde Sekoni (Ogun State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant (unspecified portfolio)  

Appointment Date: July 2023

37. Motunrayo Jinadu (Lagos State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant (unspecified portfolio)  

Appointment Date: July 2023

38. Paul Adekanye (Ekiti State)  

Position: Special Assistant on Logistics  

Appointment Date: July 2023

39. Wale Fadairo (Oyo State)  

Position: Special Assistant (unspecified portfolio)  

Appointment Date: July 2023

40. Sunday Moses (Ondo State)  

Position: Special Assistant (unspecified portfolio)  

Appointment Date: July 2023

41. Taiwo Okonlawon (Ogun State)  

Position: Special Assistant (unspecified portfolio)  

Appointment Date: July 2023

42. Adekunle Tinubu (Lagos State)  

Position: Personal Physician to the President  

Appointment Date: July 2023

42. O’tega Ogra (Ondo State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant on Digital/New Media  

Appointment Date: July 2023

44. Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim (Osun State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)  

Appointment Date: June 19, 2023

45. Babatunde Ogala (Lagos State)  

Position: Senior Advocate of Nigeria, served as Tinubu’s agent during election collation  

Appointment Date: Informal role, circa 2023

46. Abiodun Faleke (Lagos State)  

Position: Liaison for House of Representatives, Tinubu’s key contact  

Appointment Date: Informal role, circa 2023

47. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson (Ogun State)  

Position: Special Adviser on Job Creation & MSMEs (Office of the Vice President)  

Appointment Date: March 5, 2025 (promoted from Senior Special Assistant)

48. Peju Adedajo (Lagos State)  

Position: Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters (Office of the Vice President)  

Appointment Date: Circa 2024

49. Mariam Temitope (Oyo State)  

Position: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development Programmes  

Appointment Date: Circa 2024

MILITARY AND SECURITY APPOINTMENTS 

50. Rear Adm. Ikechukwu Ogalla (Enugu State, but trained and served extensively in Lagos)  

Position: Chief of Naval Staff  

Appointment Date: June 19, 2023  

Note: Not Yoruba but included due to significant Southwest association.

51. AVM Hassan Abubakar (Kano State, but served in Lagos)  

Position: Chief of Air Staff (Acting)  

Appointment Date: June 19, 2023  

Note: Not Yoruba but included due to Southwest ties.

BOARDS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS 

52. Akinwumi Adesina (Ogun State)  

Position: Member, Presidential Economic Coordination Council (Advisory Board)  

Appointment Date: March 2024  

Note: While primarily known as the President of the African Development Bank, he serves in an advisory capacity on this federal economic board.

53. Olusegun Odebunmi (Oyo State)  

Position: Chairman, Governing Board of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos  

Appointment Date: December 2023

54. Folake Soetan (Lagos State)  

Position: Member, Board of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)  

Appointment Date: January 2024

55. Kehinde Akinyemi (Osun State)  

Position: Chairman, Board of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru  

Appointment Date: February 2024

56. Tunde Hassan-Odukale (Lagos State)  

Position: Member, Board of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA)  

Appointment Date: October 2023

BOARDS OF FEDERAL SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

57. Bisi Akande (Osun State)  

Position: Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Ibadan  

Appointment Date: November 2023

59. Wole Olanipekun (Ekiti State)  

Position: Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Lagos  

Appointment Date: November 2023

60. Isa Yuguda (Ogun State ties via career)  

Position: Member, Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA)  

Appointment Date: December 2023  

Note: Ethnically from Bauchi but included due to significant Southwest association.

61. Funke Osibodu (Lagos State)  

Position: Member, Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife  

Appointment Date: November 2023

62. Victor Osibajo (Ogun State)  

Position: Chairman, Governing Board of the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta  

Appointment Date: January 2024

BOARDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES 

63. Akin Olateru (Ondo State)  

Position: Member, Board of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund  

Appointment Date: March 2024

64. Olufemi Awoyemi (Oyo State)  

Position: Chairman, Governing Board of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)  

Appointment Date: February 2024

65. Tajudeen Abbas (Lagos State ties via political career)  

Position: Member, Police Service Commission Board  

Appointment Date: January 2024  

Note: Ethnically from Kaduna but included due to Lagos political influence.

BOARDS OF ARMED FORCES AND RELATED INSTITUTIONS 

66. Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos State)  

Position: Member, Board of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON)  

Appointment Date: December 2023

67. Ayo Adebanjo (Ogun State)  

Position: Member, Governing Board of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna  

Appointment Date: February 2024

68. Seyi Sowunmi (Ogun State)  

Position: Chairman, Board of the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC)  

Appointment Date: January 2024

BOARDS OF GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS 

69. Lola Ade-John (Lagos State)  

Position: Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC)  

Appointment Date: October 2023

70. Segun Ajayi-Kadir (Ekiti State)  

Position: Member, Board of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)  

Appointment Date: November 2023

71. Kemi Nandap (Oyo State)  

Position: Member, Board of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS)  

Appointment Date: March 2024

72. Tunde Kelani (Lagos State)  

Position: Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC)  

Appointment Date: December 2023

73. Sola Akinfemi (Osun State)  

Position: Member, Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)  

Appointment Date: January 2024

OTHER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS (DOMESTIC)

74. Ranti Bosede (Ogun State)  

Position: Executive Director, Bank of Industry (BOI)  

Appointment Date: February 2024

75. Muyiwa Akinyemi (Lagos State)  

Position: Deputy Managing Director, Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM)  

Appointment Date: March 2024

76. Kemi Ikpeazu (Oyo State)  

Position: Coordinator, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme  

Appointment Date: November 2023

77. Tola Johnson (Ondo State)  

Position: Special Assistant to the President on Small and Medium Enterprises  

Appointment Date: October 2023

78. Bimbo Salu-Hundeyin (Lagos State)  

Position: Secretary, Federal Character Commission  

Appointment Date: January 2024

INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENTS 

79. Akinremi Bolaji (Ogun State)  

Position: Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States  

Appointment Date: October 2023

80. Taofik Adegbite (Oyo State)  

Position: Nigeria’s Representative to the ECOWAS Commission  

Appointment Date: December 2023

81. Rabiu Olowo (Lagos State)  

Position: Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada  

Appointment Date: November 2023

82. Folakemi Akinleye (Ekiti State)  

Position: Nigeria’s Representative to the African Union (AU)  

Appointment Date: January 2024

83. Yemi Farounbi (Osun State)  

Position: Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ghana  

Appointment Date: October 2023

CLARIFICATION

Scope: This list focuses on individuals explicitly identified as Yoruba or from the Southwest states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti). Some appointees, like Hadiza Bala Usman and Hannatu Musa Musawa, are included due to their strong ties to Lagos despite not being ethnically Yoruba.

Data Limitations: Exact appointment dates for some lesser-known aides or recent appointees (e.g., board chairmen from January 2025) may not be fully specified in public records as of April 10, 2025.

Verification: The list is compiled from credible sources including government announcements, news reports, and official statements up to the current date. However, it may not capture every single appointment, especially informal or unpublicized roles.

Ethnic vs. Regional Identity: Most appointees listed are Yoruba, but a few (e.g., Momoh, Ogalla) are included due to their association with the Southwest region or its political sphere, even if not ethnically Yoruba.

This list reflects President Tinubu’s appointments as of April 10, 2025, and highlights the significant representation of Yoruba and Southwest individuals in his administration, consistent with his political base in Lagos and the broader region.