Nigeria’s Minister of Inside, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has mentioned he wouldn’t need to be remembered for alleviating the worldwide passport issuance processes however for securing the nation’s borders towards exterior aggressors and actions of arms.
Mr Tunji-Ojo mentioned this on the weekend when he was hosted by his mates and previous schoolmates at Obafemi Awolowo College (OAU), Ile-Ife, the place the minister spent a session earlier than travelling to the UK for research.
“I don’t need to be remembered for addressing the bottlenecks with the issuance of worldwide passports once I depart workplace. That’s not the core mandate of my workplace. There are a lot extra. However I need to be remembered for securing Nigerian borders and enhancing inner safety,” he mentioned.
Worldwide passport without any consideration
The minister mentioned he regretted that the issuance of worldwide passport passports for certified Nigerians had for lengthy been seen as a privilege, noting that it’s a proper for deserving each Nigerian who can afford it.
He, nonetheless, mentioned the core mandates of his ministry embody the safety of Nigerians via border safety, managing the folks’s id, making the custodial centres livable, and guaranteeing that fireside incidences and different emergencies are addressed promptly and professionally.
He mentioned efforts are being made to offer the required instruments and devices at varied border posts and airports to observe real-time the actions of the motion of individuals and items “as it’s accomplished in superior international locations of the world.”
“With sufficient expertise, we are able to obtain a lot and we are going to just do that to take care of sanity and determine each particular person visiting our nation and people going in a foreign country. That’s the imaginative and prescient of President Bola Tinubu, and that is what we are going to obtain,” he added.
He pleaded with Nigerians to be affected person with Mr Tinubu-led administration, saying all “Ts” are at present being crossed and “Is” being dotted, insisting that the nation is on its half to reclaim the misplaced glory.
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On reunion
The minister, who expressed happiness to be reunited along with his previous mates and associates, famous that his love for Obafemi Awolowo College nearly discouraged him from accepting his international college admission when he had solely spent a couple of session on the campus.
He informed the gathering, which was graced by high officers of varied companies underneath his watch, that the chums who had gathered weren’t his mates as ministers however “mates of Bunmi Tunji-Ojo.”
He mentioned; “From the times of Ok Block in Angola Corridor to Awo Annex and our condominium on the town the place I lived with Abiodun Omole within the Akarabata space, the recollections of Ife can’t be simply wished away.
“I keep in mind the politics of the campus- the rivalry between the Democratic Socialist Motion (DSM) and the Pacesetters Motion, and the steering from my folks just like the then deputy speaker of the scholars’ consultant council- Bro Felix Ogunmade, amongst others.”
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The minister heaped praises on Remi Yemi-Omole- spouse of Abiodun Yemi-Omole, his roommate within the Akarabata space whereas in OAU, saying the girl who was his good friend’s girlfriend on the time, made education simpler for him by taking good care of the house.
The minister mentioned he believes nothing is an excessive amount of to do for his mates, saying as a lot as he doesn’t wish to be in Lagos all the time, he honoured one of many organisers, Mojeed Alabi, to go to Lagos twice every week.
Mr Tunji-Ojo had earlier on Monday visited the College of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, the place he was a visitor on the opening ceremony of the establishment’s third Worldwide Week convention with the theme: “Breaking the Border of Partnership.”
“That’s the energy of friendship. Mojeed efficiently introduced me to Lagos twice every week. This accounts for about 20 per cent of my journeys to Lagos in a few years,” he mentioned.
He recalled his previous relationships with lots of the mates in attendance, particularly Anthony Aregbe, now a lawyer, who he mentioned they each grew up on the identical avenue in Akure, Ondo State capital.
Why the gathering?
Talking on behalf of the chums, each Mr Ogunmade, a lawyer, and Mr Alabi, reiterated the nice recollections of the minister shared by a lot of his mates even once they had not seen him for a few years.
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In keeping with Mr Ogunmade, the minister’s brilliance, braveness and political consciousness had attracted him whereas in class and as a pupil’s union chief, he had volunteered to mentor him.
Mr Ogunmade mentioned: “So once we learnt BTO’s mom needed him to relocate overseas due to the persistent industrial strike on our campus, we plotted to discourage the previous lady, and Bunmi requested me to journey to Ibadan to debate along with his mum.
“Stupidly I went to fulfill the previous lady and mummy respectfully thanked me and informed me her struggles to get the very best for her son however that when she was accomplished with the papers, Bunmi may determine whether or not to journey or not.”
He mentioned it was at that time that he “regained his senses” that he had launched into an ill-thought-out mission.
Different mates in attendance additionally spoke glowingly in regards to the minister, recalling their previous relationship with him.
In attendance on the occasion have been the Head of Media and Exterior Relations for the United Financial institution for Africa (UBA), Ramon Nasir; the Managing Director and Chief Government Officer of Built-in Indigo Restricted, Bolaji Abimbola, and the Assistant Comptroller-Common of Nigeria Immigration Service in command of Lagos and Ogun States, Kehinde Sadiq.
Additionally in attendance have been the Commandant for the Lagos Command of the Nigeria Safety and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Usman Alfadarai; his counterpart at Nigeria’s Correctional Service, Ben-Rabbi Freedman, and the Comptroller of NIS on the Muritala Muhammed Worldwide Airport, Lagos, Adeola Adesokan, amongst others.
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