Governor Amosun Appoints Igbo Permanent Secretary

In a rare effort at integration, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has appointed two ‘non-indigenes’ as permanent secretaries in the Civil Service of the state. One of them, Ndimele Emmanuel Ofor is Igbo from Abia State, while the other one is Ipinniwa Steve Olusegun from Kogi State.

In a society where minor disagreements between people are viewed through ethnic prism, Mr Amosun’s show of faith in non-indigenes to occupy such high offices is worthy of special notice. It may have even come to the beneficiaries themselves as a surprise.

Speaking at the occasion, the governor said,
“I believe that if someone has been serving in a place for 20, 30 years he can no longer be called a non-indigene. He has been with us and he has worked with us. He is now part of us. He cannot be called a non-indigene, and in any event, it will be unfair and unjust to deprive someone who worked for you his deserved elevation on account of where he comes from.”

Mr Ofor and Olusegun were among the 14 new Permanent Secretaries sworn in by Amosun at the State Executive Council Chambers, Governor’s office, Oke-mosan, Abeokuta. In his speech, the governor added that, “As for me, hard work rather than where you come from should be the basis for promotion.”

He noted that “This is the first time we are having non- indigenes as permanent secretaries in the state and they are part and parcel of us, irrespective of where they are from, we’ll honour them because they have proven themselves to be hard working”