Jimoh Ibrahim: Before we blow our tops
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations has raised eyebrows about the appointee’s past business entanglements, without judging him holistically
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations has raised eyebrows about the appointee’s past business entanglements, without judging him holistically and without regard to his recent successful political engagements. The venomous attack against the appointment by some critics makes it difficult to distinguish between holding the government to account and engaging in the toxic soup of opposition politics. A comprehensive appraisal of Ibrahim’s resume cautions against a rush to judgement.
I know Jimoh Ibrahim. He is highly educated, well credentialed, and widely travelled. He trained successively in law, business, and war studies. He also is a very good negotiator. At close quarters, it is easy to discover the comprehensiveness of his knowledge of law, global affairs, diplomacy, and the world of business.
Over the years, Senator Ibrahim deployed his energy into three apparently conflicting ventures: (a) acquiring more knowledge through academic training, including two doctorates; (b) travelling far and wide and (c) building or acquiring one business venture or the other. The fecundity of his business knowledge often led him to run ahead of himself: He hardly brough one business into full bloom before venturing into another. No wonder he plunged himself into negotiations with banks, employees, and arbitrators, some of which took advantage of him. For example, he got a landmark N400 billion judgement against Union Bank in the celebrated AMCON case. The truth, really, is that no court has found him guilty of any crime in his business dealings. Yes, his business judgement may be questioned; but failed businesses are not a crime.
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In any case, Senator Ibrahim may have come full circle with the world of business and transferred his skills to the political arena. Since his election to Senate in 2023, Senator Ibrahim’s performance has been stellar. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, he has already proved his mettle as a legislator. He sponsored the Bitumen Bill and called for national security summits, His peers recognized his capacity early and supported his role as Interim President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva.
At the UN, the challenges are no longer about oil rigs or insurance portfolios; they are about climate change, development finance, and global security. Dr. Ibrahim has already proved he can transition from the turbulence of the boardroom to the measured discipline of high-level diplomacy. Nigeria deserves a voice that is confident, informed, and unbowed. President Tinubu knows that Senator Ibrahim has already fought his way through several businesses and predator banks. He chose a man who understands that power is not just given; it is negotiated, defended, and intellectualized, where necessary.
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To be sure, there are better candidates for the job. In politics, there are always better candidates. There is also a process for targeting a position of power and working toward it. That Senator Ibrahim got the job is an indication of his power of negotiation. The job is for the President to give, and he has given it to Senator Ibrahim.
Some would argue that repeated business failures pose a challenge for values. Members of my generation would think so too. However, when Senator Ibrahim’s business failures are placed within the wider context of contemporary business dealings at home and abroad, it is easy to conclude that we are indeed in a post-value world. Take the case of the leader of the free world today. Not only did he engage in repeated business failures over the years, but he was also convicted for falsified business records and tax evasion. He was equally convicted for sexual harassment. He paid heavy fines for both. Yet, the felon was elected President by over 77 million votes.
Senator Ibrahim is going to represent Nigeria in this same President’s country. If that President could survive the world press over his atrocities, then Senator Ibrahim should be allowed to face the headwinds of the international press in New York. I do not doubt his ability to survive the press and subsequently do a good job at the United Nations.
