Prof. Gambari, Buhari’s New CoS, A Round Peg In Round Hole?

OLUWATOBI .A. EMMANUEL

 The appointment of Prof. Ibrahim Gambari as the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari came to many as a surprise because he is not among the rumoured favoured candidate for the plum job.

The media broken the news to the world on Tuesday, 12 May, 2020, but not until the following day that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha announced Professor Gambari’s appointment before the start of the Federal Executive Council meeting.

A former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Gambari’s appointment came weeks after the demise of the former Chief of staff to the President, Abba Kyari, who died from the complications of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on 17 April, 2020..

That President Buhari could pick on the erudite diplomat as his Chief of Staff was a welcome development to many across the country, even known oppositions of the president applauded the choice of the Kwara State-born former Minister.

 Professor Gambari served as the country’s Minister of External Affairs between 1984 and 1985. While the news of Gambari’s appointment is still making rounds, here are seven things you should know about President Buhari’s new Chief of Staff:

1. A seasoned Scholar

President Buhari’s new Chief of Staff started off his teaching career in 1969 at City University of New York. It was after working with the University of Albany before he returned home to lecture at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State.

He was also a visiting Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Georgetown University and Howard University, all in Washington DC between 1986 and 1989.

Also, Professor Gambari had served as a Research Fellow at the Brookings Institution and was a Resident Scholar at Bellagio Study and Conference Centre.

 The then Governor of kwara State Abdulfatah Ahmad appointed him as the first Chancellor of the Kwara State University in 2013.

2. Royal Blood

 Born in Ilorin, Kwara State on November 24, 1944. Professor Gambari is related to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari. The 75 years old Ilorin Prince is also the Wambai of Ilorin Emirate.

3. Started off education in Nigeria

The seasoned scholar attended the Provincial (now Government Secondary School, Ilorin). He later moved to King’s College in Lagos from where he went ahead to obtain his B.Sc in Economics at the London School of Economics (1968) with a specialty in International Relations.

Gambari’s educational sojourn also saw him bagging an M.A (1970) and Ph. D. (1974) degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Columbia University, New York USA.

4. Long time ally to Buhari

 Between 1984 and 1985, the Ilorin Prince served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during President Buhari’s reign as the country’s military leader.  He is believed to have had a strong relationship with the Nigerian leader during his first administration of the West African nation so much so that the duo met daily to discuss the country’s affairs.

5. Democratic Ambassador

 Over the years, Professor Gambari who has a wife, Mrs Fatimah Gambari and three children, had published many books, essays, articles and journals on governance and democracy and its challenges in Africa. He is also the Pro- Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

6. He has been honoured at home and abroad

Gambari has received several awards both at home and abroad.  The new Chief of Staff  has been honoured as a Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR), Nigeria’s third highest honour and was in 2002 awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) by the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

In 2006 the Farleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey in the US also awarded him a Doctor or Humane Letters (honoris causa).

The Co-chair of the Albright Gambari Commission got South Africa’s highest national honour conferred on non citizens. The Order of the Companions of O.R.Tambo on October 26, 2012, was conferred on him by the then South African President Jacob Zuma.

7. A renowned and vastly experienced Diplomat

Gambari worked as the Joint AU/UN Special Representative in Dafur and Head of UNAMID (2010-2012). Also, he was the First United Nations Under- Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary General of UN on Africa between 1995 and 2005 and had before then, 1990-1994 chaired the United Nations Special Committee Against Aparthied.

He functioned as the head of the global body’s Department of Political Affairs 2005-2007 and was the chairman of the UN’s Special Committee on Peace- Keeping Operations (1990-1999). From 1990 to 1999, he holds the record of being the longest serving Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations, serving under five Heads of State and Presidents

 Until his appointment as President Buhari’s Chief of Staff, the scholar was a Chairperson of the panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and previously worked as UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy in Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar and Special Representative in Angola. (Channelstv.com)

In conclusion, Professor Ibrahim Gambari’s wealth of experience serving in several positions at international level is one area that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will look forward to tapping into, and reshape the direction of his administration between now and 2023, but time will tell if these will be achievable.

Oluwatobi A. Emmanuel writes this piece from Lagos, Nigeria