When Dr Bosun Tijani stood before the Senate for his ministerial screening, the atmosphere was tense. The senators had receipts—old social media posts where he had called them “morons.” They wanted answers.
However, against all odds, he walked away confirmed as the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. Why? Because President Bola Tinubu saw something others refused to acknowledge—talent beyond controversy.
At a special Iftar dinner at the Presidential Villa, Senate President Godswill Akpabio recounted how lawmakers initially opposed Tijani’s nomination.
“One senator quoted from the internet where he described all Nigerian senators as ‘morons.’ I had to stop proceedings and ask, ‘Did you write this?’ He admitted, ‘Yes, because that was how I felt then.’ So I asked, ‘And you have the audacity to stand before us and expect us to confirm you?’”
That admission alone could have ended the matter. But Akpabio said the Senate ultimately chose to trust Tinubu’s judgment. “We confirmed him because we knew you must have seen something special in him. You are never wrong when it comes to your judgment of people.”
Tinubu himself acknowledged that Tijani’s appointment was a tough sell. His own close associates objected. “When I picked him, it was tough. My very close confidantes, who had read his comments on social media, came to me and said, ‘No, never.’ But I said, ‘Yes, he is talented. Because he criticises me and pours abuse on the parliament, it does not mean he has nothing to offer. Maybe his frustration at that time will drive him to contribute more to governance. And today, he is doing that, and I am very proud of him.”
For Bosun Tijani, the appointment was unexpected. He had built a reputation as an outspoken tech entrepreneur and critic of government inefficiencies. “Before my appointment, I had never met Mr President,” he admitted.
“But after my confirmation, he told me, ‘I have looked at your records and activism, and I have seen there is something in you. I am giving you the opportunity to represent your country and contribute to making it a better place.’”
While many anticipated a stern rebuke, Tinubu’s response took even Tijani by surprise. “I was expecting a proper scolding because of my records, but the magnanimity of the President is one that I experienced for the very first time in my life.” He recalled a moment when someone tried to remind Tinubu of his past remarks. The President simply responded, “Shut it.”
The irony of Tijani’s appointment is not lost on anyone. A man who once questioned the competence of Nigerian lawmakers now has a seat as one of the country’s most important ministries.
But if his performance so far is any indication, Tinubu’s gamble may have paid off. Akpabio, once sceptical, now describes him as “one of the best-performing ministers in the cabinet.”
Tijani’s journey is a lesson in political pragmatism and second chances. It also shows a rare moment in Nigerian politics where competence trumped sentiment.
Talent, even when wrapped in controversy, can still find its place in governance.
