By YUSHAU A. SHUAIB

One of the most remarkable — and often underappreciated — examples of harmonious coexistence in public office was the working relationship between former President Muhammadu Buhari’s two presidential spokespersons, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu.

At the time of their appointments, many observers—including this writer—anticipated inevitable friction. In an article I wrote shortly after their emergence in June 2015 titled “The Presidential Spokespersons” (https://cutt.ly/ntVD9GYM), I had raised concerns over hierarchy, precedence, and the potential “katakata” that could arise from having two powerful media figures operating within overlapping communication responsibilities.

Traditionally, the office of Special Adviser was considered superior to that of Senior Special Assistant. Yet, contrary to fears and political predictions, both men served for eight years without any visible acrimony.

That uncommon maturity was later reflected in their best-selling memoirs—“Working with Buhari” by Adesina and “According to the President” by Shehu—both offering different yet complementary perspectives on the same administration, without bitterness or public rivalry.

Nigeria now appears to be entering another delicate institutional moment — this time within its security architecture. While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was on an official three-nation trip to France, Kenya and Rwanda, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was representing Nigeria in high-level meetings with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Acting National Security Adviser/Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, news broke announcing the appointment of retired Major General Famadewa as Adviser on Homeland Security.

The announcement generated immediate reactions within security and political circles. Though there had been speculations that some influential interests were uncomfortable with a non-military figure serving as National Security Adviser, many still considered the timing and structure of the appointment curious.

Ironically, the debate over Ribadu’s suitability began immediately after President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration in May 2023. I wrote then on “The Person Needed for President Tinubu’s NSA,” (https://cutt.ly/FtVSeT67) and later, when Ribadu was first announced as Adviser on Security Matters, I published “Nuhu Ribadu and the NSA’s Statutory Mandates” (https://cutt.ly/YtVSr2lH). In both pieces, I argued that effective national security management is not the exclusive preserve of military officers. Globally — including in the United States and the United Kingdom — many national security advisers come from legal, diplomatic, intelligence, or academic backgrounds rather than active military command. That position remains valid.

politically sensitive.

Professionally speaking, the controversy could have been avoided if a dedicated Department or Agency of Homeland Security had been created with a clearly defined operational framework — similar to the National Counter-Terrorism Centre under ONSA, which already operates effectively under a serving military general. Such an approach would have preserved institutional clarity and strengthened operational efficiency.

Politics may be transient, but institutional reputation endures. President Tinubu has demonstrated a strong commitment to tackling insecurity in the North, and Nuhu Ribadu has invested significant political and personal capital in defending the administration—often at considerable reputational cost. The recent commendation by President Donald Trump on Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts and intelligence coordination with the US military, following the elimination of ISIS/ISWAP leadership just a week after Ribadu’s visit to Washington, underscores this point.

It is therefore understandable that the latest arrangement has raised concerns about diminished authority or strategic sidelining.

Meanwhile, the Adesina–Shehu experience under Buhari shows that duplication doesn’t cause dysfunction when roles are clear and egos are managed. Our security system must be protected from turf battles, policy confusion, and political interference.

The Presidency should clarify the mandates, reassure Nigerians that the security leadership is united and focused, and likewise counter the mischievous portrayal of the appointment as ‘kishiya’ in Hausa.

Anything short of timely clarification risks giving critics room to make derogatory claims of “used and dumped.”

•Yushau A. Shuaib, author of “An Encounter with the Spymaster” and “Award-winning Crisis Communication Strategies”, yashuaib@yashuaib.com

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