Last week, Prof. Yemi Osibajo, the acting president, approved some appointments including, notably, that of Kayode Pitan as Managing Director, Bank of Industry. Without prejudice to his qualification and suitability for the job with corporate and banking experience spanning over 25years, Pitan was the pioneer pastor of Olive Tree Parish in Banana Island, Ikoyi, between November 1996 and October 2010, when he was promoted assistant pastor and transferred to Tabernacle of David, Ajah, Lagos.
This is the crux of the matter. Pitan handed over to Osibajo as pastor at the Olive Tree Parish which prides itself as ‘a place where professionals, entrepreneurs and politicians are transformed and empowered to take their place in the nation and in the world and one where purpose is discovered, vision is received and destiny fulfilled.’ Last April, Alex Okoh, a former Managing Director/CEO of NNB International Bank Plc and Managing Partner of Ashford & McGuire Consulting Ltd, a wholly indigenous consulting firm, was appointed Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
Incidentally, Okoh took over as pastor of the same church from Osibajo. When life happened and Osibajo was elected Vice President, he handed over to Okechukwu Enelamah, a medical doctor and current Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. Enelamah was the only candidate nominated by Osibajo as Minister in 2015. It is now crystal clear that attending the influential Redeemed Church parish is a sure-fire ticket to getting a federal government appointment. Or, does Acting President Osibajo think otherwise?
