Betta Edu recently celebrated her birthday on the 27th of October, 2024. However, unlike past years, very few congratulations poured in on social media. This is the reality of life; many people celebrate you when things are going well but may forget you in times of struggle.
Betta was once the shining star of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Her rise was lightning-fast—from her days as a young medical student at the University of Calabar to eventually becoming the first female minister from Cross River State and the youngest minister in the Federal Executive Council under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In August 2023, at the age of 37, she was already the youngest minister in the federal cabinet. She immediately dedicated herself to the role, approaching it with passion, energy, resilience, and skill. Those familiar with Dr. Edu’s career path—from her roles in Cross River State as Special Adviser, Director-General of the Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Commissioner for Health, National Woman Leader of the ruling APC, and finally as Minister—were not surprised by the vigor and commitment she brought to her position as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
However, in January 2024, President Bola Tinubu suspended Edu following allegations of the diversion of N585 million meant for the vulnerable into private accounts. She argues that the accounts weren’t hers and that they were project accounts meant for donations to the vulnerable. The outcry was massive; President Tinubu suspended her and directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of financial transactions related to the ministry.
Many Nigerians have been waiting for the results of the investigation. Some even believed she was still working at the ministry, though low-key. Some predicted a comeback as President Tinubu was set to rejig his cabinet. However, this did not happen; on the 23rd of October, five ministers were disengaged, and seven new names were nominated, but her name was not mentioned.
Interestingly, on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, explained that “Betta Edu is gone.” According to him, the President has appointed a replacement from Plateau State, indicating that “as far as this government is concerned, there is no place for her in this cabinet.”
Though the EFCC investigation’s results are still pending, various speculations have circulated regarding the circumstances surrounding Edu’s suspension. Some believe it stemmed from tribal and regional sentiments, while others suggest she may have made a procedural error that is commonly overlooked.
This experience serves as a reminder that positions do not define us; instead, we bring meaning to the positions we hold.
We need the Presidency to release a statement regarding those allegations—was she guilty or not? If she wasn’t, her name should be cleared, and compensation duly restored.
The temptation to cut corners and circumvent established procedures may be strong, but we must all remember that public service is loaded with landmines, and careful navigation is required to achieve success.
Till then,
Happy Birthday, Betta.
Ubong Usoro writes for Nigeria Magazine
