President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
By Anietie Akpan
The Ooni of Ife, Senate President, the Ogun State Governor,Olu of Warri and other prominent leaders in Nigeria and beyond have lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, describing the choice as timely, strategic, and well-deserved.
In a message to the lawmaker, the Arole Oodua and Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, said Ibrahim, a doctorate holder from the University of Cambridge with degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Oxford, is a man of quality and substance.
His experience in global diplomacy and legislative leadership, the monarch added, makes him the right fit for the role.
The Ooni also praised President Tinubu for selecting, “a descendant of Oduduwa worthy of such a prestigious and strategic appointment.”
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, expressed his profound gratitude to President Tinubu for appointing Ibrahim, one of the Senate’s institutional memory, to the UN.
He described the appointment as a well-deserved recognition of Ibrahim’s dedication, experience, and commitment to national service, noting that his wealth of legislative and diplomatic experience makes him exceptionally suited for the role.
Akpabio added that the entire 10th Senate will continue to be grateful to President Tinubu for the honour, emphasizing that “such appointments reinforce the importance of experience, institutional knowledge, and dedication in advancing Nigeria’s interests on the global stage”.
He wished Ibrahim success in his new diplomatic assignment and pledged continued support for his work at the United Nations.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State described the appointment as recognition of Ibrahim’s distinguished career in public service, business, and governance, expressing confidence in his ability to strengthen Nigeria’s voice in global affairs.
He said Ibrahim’s extensive experience, intellectual depth, and understanding of international affairs position him to represent Nigeria effectively at the UN and advance the country’s role in global diplomacy.
In a letter to the new UN envoy, the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, congratulated Ibrahim, noting that while already serving in the Senate, he was singled out to serve Nigeria at a higher diplomatic level.
The Olu added that the appointment reflects Ibrahim’s reputation, integrity, and institutional memory on the global stage.
President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Tulia Ackson, also congratulated Ibrahim, recalling his brief tenure as Interim President of the IPU in 2023 and praising his readiness to assume the United Nations posting.
Other Nigerians from diverse backgrounds commended President Tinubu for putting “the right peg in the right hole,” noting that over the years, Ibrahim has demonstrated his extensive international diplomatic network to effectively advance Nigeria’s interests.
