By Teddy Nwanunobi (Sundiata Post)
Abuja – Outgoing Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, on Wednesday, assured an emotional Federal Executive Council (FEC) that Nigeria’s flag will fly high at the United Nations building in New York City, United States of America when she resumes her appointment as the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations next month (March).
Mohammed, who could not hold back her tears, following an emotional valedictory session by members of the FEC, said that her appointment is for the Nigerian women.
“I want to assure Nigerians at home and abroad that Nigeria’s flag will fly high on the 38th floor of the United Nations building when I resume.
“This (appointment) is for the young girls and women,” she said.
She thanked the Acting President, and urged him to convey her gratitude to the President, Muhammadu Buhari, for giving her the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
Mohammed is leaving her ministerial position, after serving for 15 months in the Buhari’s cabinet.
The valedictory session, which held at the end of Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, was chaired by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo.
It was very emotional for the outgoing Minister and her Minister of State in particular, as selected ministers took turns to eulogise Mohammed, who fought very hard to control her tears.
She was described as a role model for young women, an all rounder in terms of her knowledge of issues in various fields, including law and finance, but most especially environment.
The Acting President in his remarks, said he was enthralled by the level of her knowledge, which accommodates different issues, and her insightful contributions at Council meetings.
He said she has remained a role model to many young girls, including his two daughters, who described her as the best.
Osinbajo noted that Mohammed had sort his advice on accepting the job he said it would be easier to find a replacement for her as an environment minister, but a Nigerian may never have the opportunity of serving in that capacity for a long time.
He envisaged that there may be pressures on her, especially with the fact that she was coming from Nigeria, but assured her that she would be more capable to handle it.
The Minster of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, who could not hold back his tears, said the past 15 months have been one of excitement working with a near perfect team leader.
Jibrin added that the last three months have been traumatic for him as he grappled with the reality of her leaving to serve as the number two person in the United Nations.
According to him, Mohammed has added “value to what we do in Nigeria”.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, on her part, described Mohammed as a pride to womanhood, and urged the President to appoint a woman even though not as qualified as her replacement.
The Budget and Planning minister, Udoma Udo Udoma, recalled their first meeting during her confirmation at the National Assembly as a minister under the last ministration.
According to him, because of the no love lost between the executive and legislature, they had tried in vain to find fault in her, or intimidate her, but never succeeded.
He said her appointment was a celebration for excellence, and showed the quality of people in Nigeria.
He said he had mixed feelings about her appointment because it was a celebration of excellence, but also he had gotten used to her insightful contributions during cabinet meeting.
“We will all miss her. I’m sure you will be a very good ambassador,” he said.
The Minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, said Mohammed has shown passion as an activist and a professional for the past two decades that he has known her.
Her communications counterpart, Adebayo Shittu, said she was second to none on her job.
“Some of us started learning on the job, but she was a master,” he said.
He added that the country is deficient in the area of environmental management, wishing that she did not have to go.
For the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Mohammed has a way of making something very mundane very interesting.
“I will miss her contributions. Is a time you will make a Nigeria proud,” she said.
Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe, prayed that she will continue to shine like Nigeria, who, though going through tough times, will continue to be a star.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, asked the ministers to take solace in the fact that she was leaving the cabinet for higher responsibilities.
He said her daughters too see Mohammed as a role model, and he was proud to have been on the same cabinet with her.
Speaking later to the State House correspondents, Mohammed explained what Nigeria stands to benefit from her position at the United Nations.
“In tangible terms Nigeria as a member has signed on many resolutions which should give us those partnerships to bring resources and expertise on development agenda, climate change agenda, these brings different aspects that will form our priorities. So, if we are looking at the environment framework, we will say that the MDCs that came out of the climate change agreement would look at funding that will look at some of our low emissions project, it could be power, renewable energy. If we are talking about transportation, we will be looking at vehicles that are not using diesel, petrol and finding cleaner fuel.
“Also deforestation activities, where we can have huge forestation programmes to our economic benefits.
“So, being there, you are closer to some of the decision making policies. We do have some major challenges that are considered of concern to the global village, so bringing from Nigeria the real issues and some of the solutions that we know better than others can prescribed to us, will give us I believe an edge in trying to bring resolutions to those situations.
“In the next two weeks or so, the UN Security Council should be visiting Nigeria, and when it does, we will be showing them exactly what the President has been highlighting and that nexus between poverty, conflict and climate change. They will visit the north east, and they will see some of the root causes of our young people being able to dragged to a life of terrorism.
“We can talk about health and there is Global Fund and there are institutions in the United Nations that will help us to strengthen what is happening on nutrition on children, mortal health and several aspects which can be better coordinated,” she said.
It would be recalled that Mohammed was a Special Adviser to the former UN scribe, Ban Ki-Moon, before taking up her appointment as Minister of Environment.
She was also the Senior Special Assistant to the former President Goodluck Jonathan on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).