Bianca Ojukwu tops the list of new minister brought into government as President Tinubu announced reshuffle

LATE Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu's widow Bianca has joined the Nigerian government after President Bola Tinubu named her as the new minister of state for foreign in affairs in a long-awaited mid-term cabinet reshuffle that saw him bringing in five new faces.

Over the last few weeks, cabinet ministers intensified lobbying as fear gripped Abuja ahead of plans by President Bola Tinubu to reshuffle his cabinet and drop non-performing members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). After about a year-and-a-half in office, President Tinubu had decided on a cabinet shake-up, to purge the FEC of ministers who are not performing.

To do this without any interference, he recently travelled out of the country to the UK and France, where he apparently remained incommunicado. Now, the presidency has finally revealed the details of the shake-up, with Bianca Ojukwu, who served as an ambassador to Spain under President Goodluck Jonathan, appointed as the number two minister in the foreign ministry.

Bianca, born on 5 August 1968, is the widow of former Biafra leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. She is also a multiple international pageant titleholder, having won Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Miss Africa and Miss Intercontinental and in the past, she has worked as a former presidential advisor and was Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana and Spain.

Other changes include Barrister Bello Goronyo, who currently serves as the minister of state for water resources and sanitation, being moved to become the minister of state for works. Dr Morufu Alausa, who previously served as the minister of state for health, has now taken on the role of education minister.

Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who previously served as the minister of state for police affairs, has become the minister of women affairs. Senator John Owan Enoh, who currently serves as the minister of sports development, has now taken on the role of minister of state for trade and investment.

Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, who serves as the minister of industry, trade and investment, has now been appointed as the new minister of state for finance. Ayodele Olawande, the minister of state for youth development, has been promoted to the position of minister for youth development.

As part of the reshuffle, five ministers have been dropped from the cabinet. Those affected include the minister for women affairs Uju-Ken Ohanenye, tourism minister Lola Ade-John, education minister Professor Tahir Mamman, the minister of state for housing and urban development Abdullahi Gwarzo and the minister of youth development Dr Jamila Ibrahim.

Presidential spokesman Dada Olusegun, said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate implementation of eight far-reaching actions to reinvigorate the administration’s capacity for optimal efficiency pursuant of his commitment to deliver on his promises to Nigerians.”

These eight actions approved by the president include the renaming of the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development to the Ministry of Regional Development to oversee the activities of all the regional development commissions. It also includes the transfer of the functions of the sports ministry to the National Sports Commission and the merger of the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to become the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.

In total, 10 ministers were reassigned to new ministerial portfolios. Among the major changes are the appointment of Shehu Dikko as the chairman of the National Sports Commission and the appointment of Sunday Dare as special adviser to the president on public communication and orientation.

Dr Nentawe Yilwatda was appointed as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction while Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi was named as the minister of labour and employment. Idi Maiha was appointed as the minister of livestock development. while Yusuf Abdullahi Ata was named as minister of state for housing and urban development, with Suwaiba Ahmad appointed as minister of state for education.