FRIN DG, when the hunter becomes the hunted! By Hon Saheed Adekola

President Bola Tinubu's unquenchable appetite for excellent service delivery in all facets of government, inclusive of ministries, department and agencies, has indeed given rise to mischievous individuals hiding under such development to witch-hunt their perceived enemies in positions. This best explains the motive behind the campaign of calumny that is being waged against the Director General of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria,  Zachariah Buba Yaduma.

Interestingly, Yaduma, though appointed by former president Muhammadu Buhari, was a relentless BATist, who stood firm and campaigned vigorously for the emergence of President Tinubu. It is interesting to note how the hunter (a BATist) has eventually become the hunted after the election victory of  his mentor!

Of course, the war is more from internal (FRIN) than external; the same way civil servants connived with merchants and saboteurs to wage wars against our amiable Kemi Adeosun in the ministry of finance and the revolutionary reformer in the National Health Insurance Scheme in the previous administration.

An APC chieftain, Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje has earlier called the attention of the presidency to this orchestrated witch-hunt few weeks ago in a national daily, in what he called pull-him-down syndrome of an astute public servant.

In a statement, Alawuje remarked that what was going on is clearly a witch-hunt, saying, how can anyone question the capability of a man who has devoted many years of his life to the advancement of wildlife research and management in the country.

According to him, it is time for every stakeholder desirous of good governance in the country to stand up and disregard baseless accusations against an innocent man, stressing that, “the accusations against Yaduma are unfair, unjust and untrue, it lacks social and ideological validity”.

 

“As the nation continues on its path of development, voices of support for Yaduma are set to become even more pronounced. With his experience, qualifications, and dedication, Professor Zachariah Yaduma is poised to take the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria to new heights, symbolising the nation’s commitment to excellence and progress under the visionary leadership of President Tinubu.

Alawuje urged those who want good governance in Nigeria to stand up and disregard baseless accusations against an innocent man.

He also warned those calling for the sack of Yaduma to be wary of portraying President Tinubu as a tribalist and a president who witch-hunts his predecessor,  saying:: "What’s wrong with his appointment as the Director General of FRIN by the former president? It’s time to prioritize merit, capacity, and capability. Even if he wasn’t appointed by the previous administration, he deserves consideration from this current administration. He is a respectable individual who should be encouraged to contribute to the government.

“Now is the time to move beyond ethnic divisions, promote unity and place high premium on capacity and capability. Let us eschew pull-him-down syndrome, put aside baseless accusations and rally behind a man who is well-qualified and experienced".

Countering the doubts that have been cast on Yaduma’s ability to lead FRIN, the APC chieftain queried: “How can anyone question the capabilities of a man who has devoted 50 years of his life to vigorously advancing wildlife research and management?” Yaduma’s qualifications and expertise make him an ideal candidate to lead FRIN, an institution at the forefront of forestry research and conservation efforts. The naysayers’ skepticism is met with strong opposition from those who have witnessed Yaduma’s tireless dedication to the field.

“Months into his tenure, Yaduma has already showcased impressive leadership skills. It’s time for those who doubted his abilities to redirect their focus elsewhere.

“The ongoing discourse centers around the essence of meritocracy, capacity, and capability. We are in an era where leadership appointments should be based on qualifications and experience. Professor Yaduma embodies these qualities and is undoubtedly the right person to lead FRIN".

Alawuje noted that the nationwide pulse is that  Zachariah Yaduma’s leadership at FRIN aligns with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu. The public increasing endorsement of Yaduma’s appointment underscores the need for unity and progress in national institutions,” the statement said.

From the above arguments, what should be paramount here is capacity, competence and continuity beyond the periodic change of government as long as the FRIN Act was followed. Even Yaduma's critics agreed that Mr President approved his candidature based on the strong recommendation of the honorable minister,  which was done by the former Minister of Environment and forwarded to Mr President through the Secretary to the Government of Federation (Boss Mustapha).

The argument of his critics that  Yaduma was brought from outside FRIN holds no water because President Buhari also appointed Comptroller General of Customs, just as he appointed for Executive Director of NIHORT who are not staff of National Horticultural Research (NIHORT).

President Tinubu is not a tribalistic president and he will never be. Buhari appointed a Southerner as the immediate past DG of FRIN. So, if the immediate past DG was Southerner, what is wrong in having Zacharia Buba Yaduma, a Northerner as Director General of FRIN.

Let's jettison tribalism or regionalism and allow the institute and its staff to continue to enjoy the fresh air that is currently being breathed.

FRIN Act is in support of Yaduma's appointment, having followed the due process; and what's more, Yaduma himself was trained by FRIN, which made him more qualified above all candidates. The former minister did recommend for a radical change in the institute and Nigerians have indeed witnessed a refreshing change within his short period in office.