Former Minister of Women Affairs Confirms She Was Sacked by President Tinubu
Barr. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the former Minister of Women Affairs, has clarified the circumstances surrounding her exit from the cabinet, asserting that she was indeed sacked by President Bola Tinubu. Her dismissal, which occurred in October, was part of a larger cabinet reshuffle that also affected four other ministers. Among those relieved of their positions were the former Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; the former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; the former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo; and the former Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim.
In the aftermath of their dismissals, the Presidency sought to redefine the narrative, with Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s special adviser on information and strategy, asserting that the term “sacked” was not an appropriate descriptor. Nevertheless, during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Kennedy was unequivocal in her stance, stating, “I was sacked, but my vision remains; my visions are not sacked; it still remains.”
The former minister acknowledged that both her appointment and her subsequent dismissal held significance, yet humorously refrained from delving into the specific reasons behind her removal, quipping, “I’m not a witch to know why I was sacked.” Her comments resonate with the ongoing discourse about women’s representation and leadership roles in Nigeria, reflecting the complexity and challenges faced by women in political positions.
