By Modupe Gbadeyanka

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, swore in Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the new Minister of Power and Mr Sola Enikanolaiye as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, last night disclosed that the exercise took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in the presence of the ministers’ spouses and senior government officials.

The new Ministers took the oaths of office yesterday after they were cleared by the Senate for the appointments on May 6, 2026.

Mr Tegbe was chosen to replace Mr Adebayo Adelabu, who resigned from the position to pursue a governorship ambition in Oyo State, while Mr Enikanolaiye was drafted to the current post after the elevation of Mrs Bianca Ojukwu to the position of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the resignation of Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who tried to clinch the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State.

Mr Tegbe, born in Ibadan, Oyo State, is a renowned fiscal, economic and institutional reform strategist and stakeholder engagement expert with over 35 years of professional experience across the public and private sectors.

He holds a First Class Degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Switzerland) and a Master’s degree in Public Administration (Birmingham).

He worked as a Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG in Africa, where he led transformational initiatives, including the design and implementation of major presidential reforms, the articulation and implementation of a strategy for subnational governments.

The Power Minister was also involved in fiscal policy restructuring at all levels of Government. He has worked with organisations such as the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Revenue Service, Shell, Huawei, General Electric, MTN, and Odu’a Group, among others.

On his part, Mr Enikanolaiye from Igbagun, Kogi State, holds a First Class Degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and won the Dean’s Prize as the best student in his faculty. He also obtained a Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos with Distinction.

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 1982 and rose to the position of Director. He was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in 2016, from which he retired on August 4, 2017, after 35 years in service.

As a career diplomat, Mr Enikanolaiye served in many of Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, notably Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Belgrade (Serbia), Ottawa (Canada) and London (UK). His last foreign service posting was as Nigeria’s Head of Mission in New Delhi (India).

He is a recipient of several merit awards, including the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, the Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award, and a Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College, among others.

Mr Enikanolaiye was, until his appointment, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) powerhouse, UAC Foods Limited, has promoted its Chief Financial Officer, Mrs Temitope Omodele, to the position of chief executive.

The company, a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria Plc (UACN), officially made the announcement on its official LinkedIn page.

The ex-KPMG executive has a big task ahead of her, particularly with UAC Foods now a N340 billion revenue company buoyed by its recent acquisition of CHI Limited. With the new appointment, the company positions the seasoned finance executive as the driving force to further increase the value of brands like Gala Sausage Roll, Supreme Ice Cream, Swan Natural Spring Water, and Funtime Chips.

In its announcement, UAC Foods described the appointment as “an exciting new chapter,” affirming that Mrs Omodele will continue to “drive operational excellence, innovation, sustainable growth and long-term

Mrs Omodele began her career at KPMG Professional Services, where she rose through the ranks, from Senior Associate to Senior Manager, providing audit and assurance services across Nigeria’s financial services, FMCG, power and utilities, and energy and natural resources sectors.

Her time at KPMG was marked by an unusual distinction where she was seconded to the Department of Professional Practice at KPMG Inc. South Africa, gaining cross-border exposure to international standards and methodologies.

Following her return to Nigeria, she helped found the Department of Professional Practice for KPMG Professional Services Nigeria.

She joined the UAC of Nigeria Plc group in September 2020, initially as Technical Accounting and Reporting Lead and quickly advanced to Senior Vice President of Finance, with oversight of group-wide finance operations and reporting for the holding company. In this role, she served as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Livestock Feeds Plc, a fellow UACN subsidiary.

She was then promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer at UAC Foods Limited, expanding her operating-company exposure particularly around brand strategy, supply chain economics, and P&L accountability.

Mrs Omodele holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Lagos, supplemented by an Executive MBA from Lagos Business School at Pan-Atlantic University. She further completed Executive Education in data analytics and emerging technologies at the W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Originally established as the United African Company in 1879, the company has evolved into one of Nigeria’s oldest and firmest companies. The UAC Foods unit was formally constituted in 2010 through a joint venture with Tiger Brands, the South African packaged food giant. In 2021, UACN acquired Tiger Brands’ minority stake, assuming full ownership and with it, full strategic responsibility for the subsidiary’s future.

The company is best known for its flagship Gala Sausage Roll, which has led Nigeria’s sausage roll market for over 60 years, alongside other popular brands including Supreme Ice Cream, Swan Natural Spring Water, and Funtime Chips.

In 2025, UACN’s consolidated revenue surged further to N340.47 billion, bolstered by the landmark acquisition of CHI Limited (the maker of Chivita juice and Hollandia dairy products), though profitability came under pressure from elevated financing costs tied to that acquisition.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State in collaboration with the state government.

This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Sunday.

The recruitment follows a visit to Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State by a high-powered federal government delegation on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

The team, led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, was in the local council following the abduction of pupils and teachers from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School on May 15, 2026.

Residents of the communities were promised the safe return of the victims. They were also informed that their request for the establishment of a military base in the area would be conveyed to the President for consideration and approval.

In addition, Mr Tinubu has directed a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

Mr Gbajabiamila, while addressing residents in both English and Yoruba, said the President’s decision to dispatch the nation’s top security leadership to the affected communities reflected his determination to deploy every available resource towards securing the victims’ release.

“Mr President is deeply troubled by this incident. Whatever it takes, our children and teachers will be brought back home safely. He has issued all necessary directives and is providing every support required by our security agencies to achieve that objective.

“Your pain and anxiety are understood. By the grace of God, your children will return safely to your arms.

“Mr President also saw the appeals from some parents and community members urging caution in the rescue efforts. Let me assure you that the operation will be intelligence-led and carefully coordinated, deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to secure the safe return of the victims,” he said.

The delegation was also at the palace of the Soun of Ogbomoso land, Mr Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, to commiserate with him and his people. The group also met with the wife of the deceased school teacher, Mrs Mary Oyedokun, and her two children.

Other members of the team were the National Security Adviser, Mr Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Tunji Disu; the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa; and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Mr Sunday Dare.