Tinubu appoints former DSS chief, Kayode Are, as ambassador to US

Kayode Are, former director-general of the Department of State Services, will represent Nigeria in Washington as the country’s ambassador to the United States.

President Bola Tinubu approved Are’s posting alongside three other ambassador-designates on Thursday, according to a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.

The other postings include Ayodele Oke to France, Amin Dalhatu to the United Kingdom, and Usman Dakingari to Turkey. Dakingari, a former governor of Kebbi State, is expected to take up his position ahead of President Tinubu’s state visit to Turkey next week.

Are, who hails from Ogun State, was among the first batch of ambassadorial nominees that President Tinubu sent to the Senate in November, ending nearly two years of vacancies at Nigerian missions abroad.

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The appointments come as Nigeria works to restore its diplomatic presence worldwide. Last month, the Senate confirmed Are, Oke and Mr Dalhatu alongside 64 other nominees, bringing the total number of confirmed ambassadors to 67.

Senator Sani Bello, who chairs the Senate committee on foreign affairs, said the nominees were thoroughly screened and found suitable for diplomatic assignments.

The 67 confirmed ambassadors comprise 34 career diplomats and 33 non-career appointees. Career ambassadors are professional diplomats who rise through the foreign service ranks, while non-career ambassadors are typically selected for their expertise outside diplomacy or political connections.

Among the high-profile non-career nominees confirmed in December were Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide; Mahmood Yakubu, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission; Femi Fani-Kayode, former aviation minister; and Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Oyo first lady.

According to Onanuga, the ambassadors will be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains strategic bilateral relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa and Kenya. Others will serve at permanent missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union.

The president has also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to notify the governments of the four countries about the latest ambassador-designates in accordance with diplomatic procedures.

Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe is a writer and journalist who covers business, finance, technology, and the changing forces shaping Nigeria’s economy. He focuses on turning complex ideas into clear, compelling stories.

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