Nigeria’s President Tinubu Reshuffles Cabinet, Appoints New Education Minister
In a significant move, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has reshuffled his cabinet, dismissing some ministers and reassigning others to different ministries. The president also merged some ministries to achieve optimal efficiency. One of the key changes is the appointment of a new Minister of Education, Tunji Alaussa, and a Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad.
At the Ministry of Education, President Tinubu removed Tahir Mamman, a professor, and reassigned the Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The new Minister of Education, Tunji Alaussa, is a successful medical doctor with a strong background in the field. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Lagos in 1993 and practiced as a Nephrologist in the United States for many years.
Mr. Alaussa has an impressive track record, having served as Chief Medical Resident at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, and as an Assistant Professor at the Rush University Medical School. He was named one of America’s Best Physicians in 2007, 2012, and 2020. Before his latest appointment, he served as the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare. As a personal physician to President Tinubu, Mr. Alaussa has been involved in the decisions around the education sector behind the scenes since the new administration appointed him as the Minister of State for Health.
Many stakeholders in the education sector have welcomed the President’s decision, describing Mr. Alaussa as a perfect replacement for Mr. Mamman. His appointment is seen as a positive move, given his strong background in the field and his experience in the health sector.
In addition to Mr. Alaussa’s appointment, President Tinubu also appointed Suwaiba Ahmad as the Minister of State for Education. Ms. Ahmad is an associate professor of education with extensive experience in the sector. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education and Chemistry from Bayero University, Kano, in 2003 and her Master of Education in Curriculum Studies from the same university in 2009. She also obtained her doctorate in Science Education from Ahmadu Bello University in 2014.
Ms. Ahmad has worked as an academic staffer at the Bayero University Kano since 2004 and is also an associate of the Policy Practice, an organization working on political economy analysis on governance, conflict, and fragility, economic development, and social development. She has held various positions, including Director of the Centre for Gender Studies at BUK, and has worked as a consultant on several projects, including the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) and the Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) flagship.
The appointments of Mr. Alaussa and Ms. Ahmad are seen as a positive move towards improving the education sector in Nigeria. With their strong backgrounds and experience, they are expected to bring significant changes and improvements to the sector.