Buhari Excited About 39-Year-Old Nigerian-Born UK Minister, But Fails To Appoint Youths Into Cabinet

President Muhammadu Buhari has lauded the appointment of 39-year-old Nigerian, Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch, as the Minister of Children and Families in the United Kingdom.

Badenoch, a British Conservative politician and Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden constituency, was appointed minister by the new British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, on Saturday.

Buhari, in his reaction to Badenoch’s new status, described her appointment as “well deserved”.

The President also urged her to justify the confidence reposed in her by making lasting impact.

Buhari, who spoke in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, expressed confidence that Badenoch would succeed given her academic qualifications and parliamentary experience.

The President said “it further confirms my belief that with hard work and integrity, Nigerians can excel in their chosen professions and fields of endeavour anywhere in the world.”

Meanwhile, checks indicate that the youngest out the 43 ministerial nominees Buhari recently sent to the Senate for confirmation is 44-year-old Sadiya Umar Farouq.  The Senate began the screening of the nominees on Wednesday July 24, 2019 and concluded yesterday, Tuesday.

The youngest ministerial nominee, Farouq, had previously served as the National Treasurer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) between 2013 and 2014.

Meanwhile, the African Youth Charter of 2006 defines youth as persons between the ages of 15 and 35 years. 

Whereas Nigeria’s 2009 National Youth Policy defined youth as persons between the ages of 18 to 35 years. This was however recently reviewed in May. The Revised National Youth Policy, 2019, now classifies youths in Nigeria as persons between the ages of 15-29 years.