Academic media scholar and strategic communication professional, Dr. Jimoh Olorede, has praised President Bola Tinubu for the ‘correction of lopsidedness’ in appointment of qualified Nigerians into chairmanship position of Federal Character Commission (FCC).
The don’s commendation followed last week’s appointment of Alhaja Hurayat Omidiran as the chair of FCC.
He described Omidiran as an ace legislator, administrator and consultant, who, with her public and private experience, has represented Nigeria and the continent on international engagements.
“Given the antecedent of Mrs. Omidiran and her commitment to national cause, I’m sure she would deliver on the mandate of FCC, which includes promotion of national unity, fairness in distribution of public resources, and enforcement of compliance with principles of proportional sharing of bureaucratic, economic, media, and political posts”, he noted.
According to the scholar, the President deserved praise for correcting the “character” of the commission, saying the body has always violated its principles of fairness, equity and balance in ensuring regional balance of federal appointments into its headship.
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The alumnus, postgraduate and doctoral scholar of universities of Ilorin, Lagos and Benin said no southerner has ever chaired FCC since its creation by Decree No. 34 of 1996.
He said: “The pioneer Chairman of FCC, Alhaji Adamu Fika, from 1996 to 2001, was from Yobe (Northeast). His successor, Alhaji Bello Bai, popularly known as “Magayakin Katsina, who led from 2002 to 2007, hailed from Katsina (Northwest).
“Also, Prof Shuaibu Abdulraheem, who chaired FCC for two consecutive terms, from 2007 to 2018, and his successor, Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, are from Kwara (Northcentral)’’.
Olorede added: “The ‘character’ of FCC remained questionable until its correction by the President with appointment of the first southerner, Alhaja Omidiran, from Southwest, as executive chair of the 29-year old commission.”
He lauded the President for balancing FCC leadership positions with appointment of Muhammed Musa from North as secretary, since the hegemony of the North retaining the chairmanship has been eradicated with the shift of the headship to South.