In an official memo submitted on Friday, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson for the President, announced that he will be taking an indefinite leave of absence to address urgent medical concerns affecting his immediate family.
Chief Ngelale, who also serves as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, cited the worsening nature of the situation as the reason behind his decision.
In a statement, Ngelale expressed the difficulty of stepping away from his responsibilities but emphasized the necessity of focusing on his family’s health crisis.
“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home,” he said.
Ngelale acknowledged the importance of his national duties but stated that his return to full-time service would depend on “time, healing, and fate.”
The Rivers-born former broadcaster also appealed for privacy during this challenging time for his family.
Ngelale has been a crucial figure in the Bola Tinubu administration, overseeing communications and important initiatives, including climate action.
His temporary absence will undoubtedly be felt within the government, but Ngelale assured that he hopes to return when circumstances allow.
It remains unclear who will oversee Ngelale’s roles in his absence as the presidency is yet to announce his replacement.
Recall that in preparation for Nigeria’s participation in the 29th UN Climate Change Conference scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22, 2024, President Tinubu approved several measures aimed at enhancing transparency and reducing costs.
Among the key initiatives is the establishment of the Climate Accountability and Transparency Portal, which will allow the public to monitor Nigeria’s participation and ensure efficiency in the nation’s climate action efforts.
This announcement was made by Ngelale, while he served as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action.
