The Sunshine Group for Good Governance, led by the effervescent Gbenga Ikumapayi, has issued a clarion call to none other than the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu. Their message? Act fast, or watch as a cadre of controversial women ministers turn President Tinubu’s government into a spectacle more befitting a daytime drama than a dignified administration.
It’s as if the group is casting the First Lady in the role of the unofficial matriarch of the nation, responsible for reining in these women before they irreparably stain her husband’s presidency. The stage is set, the spotlight is on, and all eyes are now on the First Lady to see if she’ll rise to this script that the Sunshine Group has so boldly written for her.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock since May 29, 2023, you will already know that the drama unfolding in President Tinubu’s government could put the most sensational soap operas to shame! It’s like watching a high-stakes game of musical chairs, where each player is more entangled in controversy than the last.
Leading the pack is Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Edu’s tenure was like a rollercoaster that only went downhill, marked by a scandal involving a massive N585 million allegedly diverted into a private account. But wait, there’s more! Edu’s scandalous reign was marred by other allegations, like appointments into non-existent entities and the N3 billion loot saga. It’s like a labyrinth of deceit and mismanagement where every turn reveals a new shocker.
Then, there’s Hannatu Musawa, the Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, caught in a whirlwind of her own making. Musawa’s NYSC saga reads like a detective novel with missing pieces and a plot that thickens at every turn. The controversy started when she couldn’t provide evidence of her national service, leading to calls for her removal. Imagine holding a ministerial position and undergoing national service simultaneously! It’s like trying to juggle fire and ice at the same time.
But the plot thickened with Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior! Previously embroiled in a NYSC certificate controversy of his own, now also ensnared by alleged appointment racketeering involving Betta Edu’s ministry. To recap: Just when you thought the previous allegation had been successfully swept under the rug, Tunji-Ojo gets caught up in another controversy involving Betta Edu and a whopping N438.1 million. It’s like peeling an onion, each layer revealing more tears and twists. No wonder the Sunshine Group is threatening fire and brimstone! They are very angry at what they perceive as an attempt by these women to bring down one of the undisputed stars of the Tinubu government so far.
Let’s not forget Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the Minister of Women Affairs, who seems to have a knack for stirring the pot. From her involvement in a sexual harassment case to suggesting that children be employed in producing everyday items, she’s like a walking controversy magnet. And her plan to sue the United Nations for not recognizing Nigeria’s gender equality achievements? That’s like challenging Goliath to a duel with a toothpick.
With such a lineup of characters, it’s no wonder the Sunshine Group is urging the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, to step in. They must be thinking it’s high time for someone to bring order to this chaos before these controversies become the lasting legacy of President Tinubu’s government. It’s like watching a ship heading for an iceberg with the crew blissfully unaware. One can only hope that this plea doesn’t fall on deaf ears, or the ship might just hit that iceberg after all.
-Bolaji Ekundayo
