Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari.

By John O. Ifediora.

The appointment of Professor Ibrahim Gambari as the new Chief of Staff to President Buhari of Nigeria is a wise decision. It is an important position that can only be occupied by an important person, and professor Gambari, by all meaningful standards, is an important person. His tenure at the United Nations as the Under-Secretary for Africa, his service to Nigeria as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, his last position as the Pro-Chancellor of Bayero University, in addition to the intermediate positions he occupied in various Nigerian administrations attest to his selfless dedication to Nigeria and the well-being of its citizenry. Beside his service credentials, his educational qualifications are just as impressive; he did his undergraduate studies at the London School of Economics, and received his doctorate from Columbia university in New York.

Professor Gambari brings to his new position an unparalleled gravitas grounded on practiced and exercised diplomacy only accessible through experience and temperament. His humble beginnings have and continue to serve him well; this has made him a favorite personality in diplomatic circles around the world, and a sought-after expert in international conferences. At the Council on African Security and Development, we have had the pleasure of having him in two of our international conferences on Development and security in Nigeria, and the state of higher education in Nigeria, where he delivered the keynote addresses; in both instances the audiences left with informed analysis of the problems and possible solutions. We remain confident that in his new position at the presidency, President Buhari would enjoy the same competent analysis of national problems and informed solutions Professor Gambari can bring to bear.