Former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has opened up about her recent dismissal by President Bola Tinubu, stating that she is unaware of the specific reasons for her removal. She revealed that during her tenure, she performed her duties with utmost dedication and has decided not to dwell on the President’s decision. Instead, she has refocused on her prior endeavors and is choosing to move forward with a positive outlook, unaffected by the speculations surrounding her exit from the cabinet.
Kennedy-Ohanenye shared her thoughts during an interview with Channels Television, where she expressed her decision not to second-guess the President's motives. “I’m not a witch to know why I was sacked, and I have decided not to think about it,” she remarked. “The important thing is that I’ve been sacked, and I’ve gone back to what I was doing before.”
Reflecting on her time in office, the former minister explained that her role often required dealing with extremely sensitive cases and advocating for vulnerable individuals. She described her responsibilities as challenging but fulfilling, emphasizing the importance of responding quickly and effectively to critical situations.
“Being a minister of women affairs at that time, I was handling sensitive cases,” she stated. “You can be in the office, and they will show you a girl who was raped. You will see the substance from the man in her. I wonder what you expect me to do.”
Kennedy-Ohanenye addressed criticisms suggesting she lacked the composure expected of a minister or could have been more diplomatic in her approach. She dismissed such claims, stating, “Some of them said, ‘she does not carry herself as a minister. She goes to the police station herself. Why can’t she be in her office and call the IGP?’ I’m sorry for some people, the way they think.”
She elaborated on her perspective, emphasizing the importance of being a servant-leader who listens to the people and takes swift action. “As a minister, you are supposed to be a servant; you listen to the people and respond quickly before things go wrong. I don’t know what people think about being diplomatic when things are damaging,” she said.
The former minister stood by her actions during her tenure, declaring, “I have no regrets in the way I did my job. I don’t have regrets. I don’t think I could have done it better. That was the highest way I could have done it. That issue of being diplomatic is what I don’t understand.”
Kennedy-Ohanenye’s dismissal occurred in October 2023 as part of a cabinet reshuffle carried out by President Bola Tinubu. Her removal came alongside four other ministers: Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth Development), Tahir Mamman (Education), and Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo (Housing and Urban Development).
Despite the setback, the former minister has remained resilient and focused on her personal and professional goals. Her reflections on her time in office and her candid remarks have sparked discussions about the expectations and challenges faced by public servants in Nigeria.
