The swearing-in of 36 ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari has taken place, with the ceremony regaled with the nicknames of some of the appointees.
Jummai Aisha Alhassan, governor-designate of Taraba state was called with her fond name, Mama Taraba by the MC, Garba Shehu, to the applause of the audience.
But she insisted, by shaking her head in objection, that Garba call her full name while reading her short citation.
Former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi was called with the appellation General Officer Commanding, for his role as the Director-general of the Buhari-Osinbajo campaign organisation.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who has been the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress since its formation in 2013, was called ‘master of the Game’, a tribute to his yeoman’s job of tackling the then ruling government, led by the PDP.
Comrade Solomon ‘Sankara’ Dalong from Plateau State, turned the heads when he appeared in green Khaki, with a red beret to boot, looking like the popular and late President Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso.
Other ministers sworn in today were Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, Professor Folorunso Adewole.
The swearing in of the ministers was done in batches of four each, according to the alphabetic order of Nigerian states.
In the first batch were Okechukwu Enelamah, Muhammad Bello, Senator Udo Udoma and Senator Chris Ngige.
Audu Ogbeh, Adamu Adamu, Shehuri came after..
Ibe Kachikwu, Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu, Dr Osagie, Pastor Usani Uguru followed. Then came Dr Kayode Fayemi, Dr. Onyeama Geoffrey, Mrs Amina Mohammed, Prof. Anthony Onwuka.
Suleiman Adamu, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Lt. Gen Dambazzau, Senator Hadi Sirika took their turns thereafter.
Abubakar Malami, Barrister James Ocholi, Lai Mohammed who Shehu Garba, the MC described as “master of our game” and Babatunde Fashola, former governor of Lagos State were sworn in. Incidentally, both Lai Mohammed and Babatunde Fashola served as chief of staff in Lagos, under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Ibrahim Usman Jibrin, Abubakar Bawa Bwari, Kemi Adeosun, Prof Claudius Daramola were sworn in as well.
Two Aishas- Aisha Abubakar and Aisha Alhassan popularly known as Mama Taraba who was recently declared the duly elected governor of Taraba State by Elections Petition Tribunal, Hajia Khadija Ibrahim, wife of Bukar Ibrahim, former Governor of Yobe State and Dan Ali, a retired major completed last batch of Buhari’s 36 ministers