“It’s Fake Diplomatic Jollof”: Prof. Kperogi Reacts to Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees List
A list of ambassadorial nominees allegedly being circulated by two national newspapers over the past week has been labeled a “fake diplomatic jollof” by Nigerian-American scholar and columnist Prof. Farooq Kperogi, who dismissed it as completely fabricated.
The alleged list had named several high-profile figures, including former Kaduna State senator Shehu Sani, ex-presidential aide Reno Omokri, and former governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, as well as former banking mogul Fola Adeola, ex-Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Pedro, and former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode, among others, as President Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees.
Reports had suggested that the Department of State Services (DSS) was screening the nominees, with the final list expected to be made public after security clearance.
The ambiguity surrounding the new appointments is further compounded by the recall of the country’s ambassadors last year, with no replacements made. Additionally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs had indicated that the federal government was on the verge of announcing new ambassadors.
However, Prof. Kperogi refuted the authenticity of the list, claiming it was false. On Monday morning, he took to his Facebook page, recounting his experience when he reached out to one of the supposed nominees to offer congratulations. The individual in question categorically denied the news, revealing that there was no truth to the viral reports.
Kperogi shared his exchange, writing, “A major newspaper reported that certain past critics of the Bola Tinubu administration had been nominated for ambassadorial positions and were being screened by security agencies. Naturally, I assumed it was true and congratulated one of these ‘new ambassadors.’ But he told me that there wasn’t an ounce of truth to the news.”
He humorously questioned the origins of the fabricated list, adding, “Who cooked up this deliciously fake diplomatic jollof? And why are the supposed nominees not stepping forward to deny the rumors?”
