By Hon. Comrade James Onifade 
I initially chose not to comment on President Bola Tinubu’s long-awaited list of ambassador-designate nominees. But after two years of suspense, the final list has stirred intense public debate and understandably so. What should have been an opportunity to rebuild Nigeria’s battered international image has instead become, in the eyes of many citizens, a catalogue of political compensation, recycled actors, and controversial figures whose reputations continue to divide public opinion.
Below is the full list of nominees as released, divided between Non-Career (political) and Career (professional) ambassadors.
Non-Career Ambassadors (17 Nominees)
– Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia)
– Reno Omokri (Delta)
– Prof. Mahmood Yakubu (Bauchi)
– Erelu Bisi Angela Adebayo (Ekiti)
– Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu)
– Tasiu Musa Maigari (Katsina)
– Yakubu N. Gambo (Plateau)
– Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut (Plateau)
– Otunba Femi Pedro (Lagos)
– Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (Osun)
– Barr. Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra)
– Fatima Florence Ajimobi (Oyo)
– Lola Akande (Lagos)
– Grace Bent (Adamawa)
– Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)
– Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo)
– Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue)
Career Ambassadors (15 Nominees)
– Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia)
– Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba)
– Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa)
– Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi)
– Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa)
– Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi)
– Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun)
– Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo)
– Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo)
– Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger)
– Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina)
– Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno)
– Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna)
– Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara)
– Ambassador Wahab –
– Adekola Akande (Osun)
A List Overshadowed by Public Concerns
In principle, an ambassadorial list should reflect Nigeria’s best: seasoned diplomats, persons of impeccable integrity, and individuals capable of negotiating Nigeria’s interests on the global stage. Instead, many Nigerians view this list as a political balancing act one defined more by loyalty and compensation than competence.
The Most Controversial Nomination: Prof. Mahmood Yakubu
The inclusion of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past INEC Chairman, stands out sharply. Given his central role in the election that brought the current administration to power, this nomination has raised ethical and moral concerns in the public space.
It blurs the separation between the referee and the beneficiary, potentially undermining the trust future INEC chairmen must command.
Regardless of where one stands politically, the symbolism is troubling. It sets a precedent that electoral umpires may eventually be rewarded by the very political actors whose contests they oversaw a slippery slope in any democracy.
Former Governors Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
The nominations of Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) have also ignited reactions. Their tenure as governors ended with mixed legacies, and their roles in the turbulent political dynamics within the PDP during the 2023 elections remain subjects of intense public debate. Recall that alliances and manoeuvres that fractured the party at a critical time, tilting the political balance in favour of the ruling APC to mention but few.
Reno Omokri: The “Renowned Critic” Turned Diplomat
Perhaps the most ironic name on the list is Reno Omokri, long known for his fiery criticisms, especially against the APC and the current administration.
Seeing him on a list he once would have vigorously attacked has left Nigerians laughing, confused, or simply resigned.
Many now believe he has been rewarded into strategic silence, a rather poetic end to one of the loudest critics of this political era. But politics, after all, is full of surprises.
A Diplomatic Corps at a Crossroads
To be clear, the list is not entirely without merit. Many of the career diplomats included are respected professionals who have served Nigeria diligently for decades. But they are overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the more politically sensitive names.
At a time when Nigeria faces serious international challenges from declining global influence to deteriorating consular services this list was expected to project strength, integrity, and renewal. Instead, it amplifies fears that our foreign missions may become resting places for political loyalists rather than engines of national interest.
The ambassadorial list reflects a broader problem in Nigeria’s political culture: key institutions and national representations are too often tied to political debts, party loyalty, or internal bargaining. Nigeria urgently needs a diplomatic corps capable of restoring confidence, negotiating trade deals, protecting citizens abroad, and strengthening global partnerships.
But with a list dominated by political figures whose reputations evoke questions rather than confidence, many fear that Nigeria may once again be sending mixed signals to the world.
In my view, the list is deeply underwhelming, and at this perilious period, Nigeria deserves far better than all these notoriously characterless nominees (Non-career).