President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the diplomatic posting of Barrister Chioma Priscilla Ohakim to Warsaw, as part of a broad reshuffle that will see 65 Nigerian envoys represent the country across the globe.
The appointment, announced Friday in a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, forms part of the postings of 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career ambassadors recently confirmed by the Senate.
Ohakim, a lawyer and former First Lady of Imo State, will serve as Nigeria’s ambassador to Poland, with headquarters in Warsaw, marking one of the high-profile non-career diplomatic assignments approved by the presidency.
The State House said the Senate had cleared the ambassadors-designate last December following their nomination by the president, paving the way for their deployment to strategic missions worldwide.
Among other prominent postings, former presidential aide Reno Omokri was assigned to Mexico City, while ex-Interior Minister Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau will represent Nigeria in Beijing.
Former Ekiti deputy governor Olufemi Pedro was posted to Australia, while ex-Minister of Health Isaac Folorunso Adewole will serve in Ottawa.
Also on the list, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode was appointed ambassador to Germany, while businessman and politician Jimoh Ibrahim will represent Nigeria as Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Other notable nominations include Mahmud Yakubu, who will head the Nigerian mission in Qatar, and Lateef Kayode Are, posted to the United States.
The presidency said the appointments cut across both career diplomats and political nominees, reflecting what officials described as a blend of experience in diplomacy, governance and public service.
In the career ambassador category, several seasoned diplomats were deployed to missions across Africa, Europe and Asia, including Cairo in Egypt, Brussels in Belgium, Rabat in Morocco and New Delhi in India.
The statement also disclosed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already secured agrément from the United Kingdom for Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu, who will serve as Nigeria’s High Commissioner in London.
France has also approved the appointment of Ambassador Ayo Oke as Nigeria’s envoy to Paris, according to the presidency.
President Tinubu has directed the foreign affairs ministry to immediately commence induction and orientation programmes for the ambassadors-designate ahead of their formal deployment to their respective missions.
