Personality in Focus
Justice Kanyip Appoints Ubani Public Trustee for Nigeria Civil Service Union
The President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Hon Justice B.B. Kanyip PHD has appointed a Public Trustee in the person of the former Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Monday O. Ubani to run the affairs of Nigeria’s oldest industrial Union, Nigeria Civil Service Union following the nullification of the union’s January 2018 National Delegates Conference in which Comrade Lawrence Amaechi-led executive was purportedly elected in a brazen violation of a valid court order that status quo be maintained pending the determination of the substantive suit”.
The Public Trustee’s initial attempt to resume duty this January having accepted the appointment was frustrated by the said Comrade Amaechi’s led Executive until the 29th of January, 2021 when the appointment was enforced by the Public Trustee with the support of the Court and the Nigerian Police.
The appointment letter from the Industrial Court, dated 29th of December, 2020 stated that Mr Ubani’s appointment is sequel to the Order contained in the judgement delivered on the 25th October, 2019 by His Lordship, the Honourable Justice Sanusi Kado of the Abuja Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court in the suit between Comrade Benson Ekasa and 1 other v. Comrade Kiri Mohammed (the then National President of the Union). The letter reads “pursuant to Section 19(c) of the National Industrial Court Act, 2006; Order 59 of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria(Civil Procedure) Rule, 2017 and the Order contained in the judgement delivered on the 25th October, 2019 by His Lordship Hon Justice Sanusi Kado, in the above subject matter suit, I hereby appoint you, Monday O. Ubani Esq, as the Public Trustee for the Nigeria Civil Service Union(herein after referred to as the “Union” for an initial period of three(3) months, effective from the date of your acceptance of the appointment, on the following terms:
1. To oversee and superitend the running of the administration and finances of the Union.
2. To convene National Delegates Conference of the National Civil Service Union and organise election to elect new executive members in line with the constitution of the Union.
3. To render account of your activities within the above specified period in a report to be forwarded to the Court immediately after the expiration of the tenure.
4. To forward a copy of the report to the Honourable Minister of Labour.
5. In the event that you are not able to conclude your assignment within the three months period stated above, you may apply for re-appointment for another three months. In this event, you shall be requested to provide satisfactory reasons why you may be so re-appointed.”
Mr Ubani who enforced his resumption on the 29th of January after the initial resistance by the illegal exco of Mr Amaechi has received the commitment of the various Heads of the staff who are running the administration before this appointment. They all promised to support the Public Trustee to succeed in the onerous task that is placed before him.
Nature abhors a vacuum hence the appointment of a Public Trustee by the Industrial Court to help conduct free, fair election and enthrone leadership acceptable to all and sundry including restoring sanity and stability to the operations of the union. It is hoped that all the warring factions will sheath their sword and give Mr Ubani who was the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch and the former 2nd Vice President of Nigerian Bar Association and a Senior Member of the Bar the needed support to actualize the objectives as set out in his letter of appointment.
Mr Ubani has since paid a visit to the Ministry of Labour and Employment where he saw the Junior Minister of the Ministry Mr Festus Keyamo SAN and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in the person of Dr Yerima Tarfa PHD to intimate them of his appointment by the Court. He has also submitted his letter of notification and acceptance to the Senior Minister of the Ministry in the person of Distinguished Senator Chris Ngige.
Former Presidential Spokesperson, Doyin Okupe has reportedly passed away.
TheNewsGuru reports that the senior adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan and, recently, the Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign died at 71, after a long struggle with cancer.
In October 2023, Okupe was hospitalized with prostate cancer and was flown to Israel for treatment.
However, it was learnt that his condition did not improve as expected.
Okupe had a history of prostate cancer, first diagnosed 16 years ago, and a later bout with sarcoma in his right shoulder.
Following his milestone achievements as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), the Chairman/CEO of Executive Group, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan has been officially announced as the Patron of the Police advocacy initiative in Lagos State, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
The POCACOV is the Nigeria Police Force advocacy initiative to help young people avoid cultism and other vices. It uses advocacy, awareness, and sensitization to help young people avoid vices by conducting community outreaches to schools, inner cities, rural areas, and urban centres. It also helps to rehabilitate and reintegrate those who have been cut in the web of cultism, crimes, and social vices.
It would be recalled that Dr. Ayo Ogunsan took up the Chairmanship job about a year ago and was able to use his grand standing as the Board Member of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), prime supporter of security news beat association National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), and leadership of non-profit initiative, AKEM Foundation to champion his work and various impacting activities in the past one year. This is why POCACOV through its National Coordinator, ACP Olabisi Oluseyi Okuwobi on behalf of the Inspector General of Police announced his official elevation into the role of Patron of POCACOV in Lagos State.
The United Nations POLAC International Peace Advocate, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan expressed his gratitude to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the National Coordinator, ACP Okuwobi for the new role and promised to give direction to the new Chairman, Mr. Moses Oladimeji which will lead to improved performance of POCACOV in Lagos.
‘I will keep raiding our communities with love. We will give them food, shelter, etc. Police will do the Police work but I will do the policing of love’, Ogunsan affirmed.
This piece is contributed by Oki Samson
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Shamsedeen Ogunjimi as the new Accountant General of the Federation after a rigorous selection process.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga said his appointment, approved on Tuesday, takes effect from 7th March 2025, the same day the incumbent Oluwatoyin Madehin will retire.
Ogunjimi, 57, was first named as Madehin’s successor last December.
“A selection committee later chose him through a competitive, rigorous, and merit-based process involving Directors of Accounts in the Federal Civil Service. The committee conducted the process through three stages: a written assessment, an ICT proficiency test, and oral interviews.
“The selection process underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to promoting transparency, excellence, and competence in key public service positions,” the statement read in part.
Ogunjimi graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.
He also obtained a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lagos.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
President Tinubu congratulated Ogunjimi on his appointment, and urged him to discharge his duties in the service with integrity, professionalism, and dedication to Nigeria’s service.
