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Why I Accepted To Serve in Tinubu’s Cabinet — AGF Lateef Fagbemi

Published

2 years ago

September 24, 2023

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi has revealed why he accepted to serve in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.

According to the legal luminary, he accepted to serve in the administration of President Tinubu in order to contribute his quota to the progress and development of the country.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria who said he was surprised by his nomination as a minister because he did not lobby for it, added that the time had come for the professionals and technocrats in the country not to leave the business of governance alone to the politicians but join the fray to make a change

Fagbemi spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital at the weekend when he was hosted to a reception by members of the Emmanuel Chambers led by the leader and founder of the Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN.

The event was attended by top lawyers in the country including Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN ; Chief Niyi Akintola,SAN ; Adebayo Adenipekun,SAN and the national secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.

The minister, who was the second lawyer from the chambers to be made Attorney General of the Federation after Chief Akin Olujimi, explained that he was already collating views and ideas of stakeholders towards having a blueprint for the nation’s justice system in line with the agenda of the president for the country.

While commending his colleagues and friends for organizing the reception, he stated that the contributions of Afe Babalola to his success and achievement in the legal profession were immeasurable and unmatched, promising not to disappoint the chambers in his new role.

According to him, “I did not submit any application nor lobby to be made the minister. I know a lot of people have been insinuating and I can say that I don’t know anything about the ministerial nomination. The president told me that, ‘ don’t allow anyone to deceive you, I want you that is why I appointed you. In fact, I did not have a CV as of the time I was nominated because I have never needed it in my life and when I got to the DSS , they were surprised I didn’t have a prepared CV.

“I have accepted this responsibility and all I need is your advice. We cannot all be saying the way they(Politicians) have been doing it we don’t like it , then you leave them. I am not a politician but we should be there to make a change in our country.

“Getting to a position is not the issue but maintaining the status of such a position is the issue and that is why I said it is a challenge because I know hopes are high. As I mentioned earlier, you don’t just come out and say this is what I will do, you must also follow up with how you will do it. And that is why all the critical stakeholders are being engaged to have their inputs, harmonize their views, then come out with what I will call a blueprint, in line with the Mr President’s Renewed hope agenda.”

On the call for a transformation of the country by speakers at the event, Fagbemi emphasized the need for the three tiers of government to collaborate and bring ideas together for the effective growth and development of the nation.

“The issue of transformation of the country is not a one man business. People make the mistake of thinking that it belongs to the federal government alone, that is not correct. The correct position is to appreciate the fact that Nigeria is a federation and when you talk about a federation, each segment has to man its post.

“In order to have any meaningful impact, progress and development, you need to engage each of these tiers of government to be on the same page and sing from the same hymn so that we can all present what I will call comprehensive development or progress in the nation,” he said.

Speaking, the ABUAD founder, Afe Babalola eulogized the achievements of Fagbemi in the legal profession since he joined his Emmanuel chambers in 1985 as corps member and conferred with the rank of SAN at the age of 37.

He called on the new Attorney general to use his office to engineer the needed change in the political system in the country with a new constitution , which he said would help the nation survive its current challenges across major sectors.

The renowned lawyer said, “I know Lateef Fagbemi, he is an uncommon man doing uncommon things and achieving uncommon results. He is a pride to the chambers because he had learnt how to turn things around.

“ While the government may be studying the situation, the truth is that Nigerians are becoming more and more impatient. The age long adage is that we should not treat leprosy with the drugs meant for scabies. I repeat that what we need is a New Constitution.

“I believe that with his experience , Lateef Fagbemi can turn things around and build a new Nigeria through a new constitution under which politics shall no longer be regarded as a transactional business.”

On his part, the Ekiti state governor, Biodun Oyebanji who hailed Babalola for the achievements recorded by his chambers in the legal profession by producing two Attorneys General, urged the minister to remain committed in upholding the principle of justice, fairness and the rule of law in the country.
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FG Makes History Compulsory Subject In Primary, Secondary Schools

Published

7 hours ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government has announced the reintroduction of Nigerian History as a compulsory subject from primary to senior secondary school, 16 years after it was removed from the curriculum in 2009, under the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration.

The Federal Ministry of Education announced this in a statement posted on its X handle on Wednesday.

It said the reintroduction aimed at strengthening national identity, unity, and patriotism among diverse citizens.

“For the first time in decades, Nigerian pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS3, while SSS1–3 students will take the new Civic and Heritage Studies, integrating History with Civic Education.

“Primary 1–6: Pupils will learn about Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance.

“JSS1–3: Students will study civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values,” the statement read.

The Ministry said the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, CON, together with the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the reform.

“They emphasised that History is not merely a record of the past, but a vital foundation for shaping responsible and patriotic citizens.”

According to the Ministers, the reform is a priceless gift to the nation, reconnecting children with their roots while inspiring pride, unity, and commitment to national development.

The Ministry has released the revised curriculum and will retrain teachers, provide resources, and strengthen monitoring.

The former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led government in 2009 removed history from Nigeria’s basic education curriculum.

Then, it was justified that students were avoiding it with the claim that there were few jobs for history graduates, and that there was dearth of history teachers.

In 2022, the Ministry of Education under former Minister Adamu Adamu inaugurated the reintroduction of the subject.

The Ministry also trained history teachers at the basic education level in Abuja.

However, history has always remained optional in the few schools that offer it.

News

Police Announce Burial Arrangements For Ex-IG Arase

Published

7 hours ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has released the burial arrangements for former Inspector-General of Police Solomon Ehigiator Arase, who died on August 31, 2025, at the age of 69.

Arase, who served as the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police, was described by the Force as a dedicated officer remembered for his leadership, philanthropy and commitment to police reforms.

According to the programme of events signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, released on Wednesday, the burial rites will begin in Abuja on September 24 with a Day of Tribute at the Nigeria Police Resource Centre, Jabi.

A requiem mass will follow on September 26 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, while a lying-in-state is scheduled for September 27 at his Abuja residence. His body will then depart for Benin City, Edo State.

In his hometown, Sabongida Ora, a candlelight procession is slated for September 29.

A valedictory session organised by the Edo State judiciary and the Nigerian Bar Association will hold at the Edo State High Court, Benin, on October 2.

Other activities include a service of songs at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road, Benin, on October 2, followed by a family lying-in-state.

The funeral mass will take place on October 3 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, after which interment will be held at his private residence in Benin City.

A reception is planned at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, while a thanksgiving mass will round off the events on October 5.

Arase, who held national honours including CFR, and was also a PhD holder, was appointed Inspector-General of Police in April 2015 and retired in June 2016.

He died at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja after a brief illness.

News

Lagos Begins Monitoring As Schools Resume

Published

7 hours ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Education Quality Assurance, has commenced the monitoring of schools for compliance with standards as students resumed activities this week.

The OEQA spokesperson, Adepeju Adeyemi, said in a Wednesday statement sent to newsmen that the inspection began on Monday across the state for schools below the tertiary level.

The monitoring team, led by the Coordinating Director of OEQA, Remi Abdul, visited several schools, including Dolphin Senior High School, Lagos Island, where the team was received by the Principal/Director, Comfort Agunlejika.

Abdul explained that the purpose of the monitoring was to ensure compliance with the approved resumption date as stated in the Year 2025/2026 Harmonised Academic Calendar.

The PUNCH reports that basic and secondary schools in Lagos resumed on September 15, 2025, for the First Term of the Y2025/2026 session.

According to the approved 2025/2026 harmonised calendar made available to our correspondent, the First Half of the term is scheduled for September 15 to October 31, 2025, with a duration of 34 days. The second half will commence from November 10 to December 19, 2025, with a duration of 34 days. In between the halves are Open Day and Mid-Term Break.

Abdul noted that the monitoring team deployed was also verifying whether school administrators held pre-resumption meetings and whether key teaching and statutory records, such as lesson notes, diaries, and makeshift attendance registers, were in place for the smooth take-off of the new academic session.

“While addressing SSS 3 students, Abdul encouraged them to take their academics seriously, noting that how well they perform this term would determine their transition to higher education. He urged them to read well, stay focused, avoid skipping classes and begin early preparation for their WASSCE examinations,” the statement said.

He also encouraged teachers to remain dedicated and committed to delivering quality education.