Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President, has announced that he is proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to focus on pressing medical concerns affecting his immediate family.
Ngelale conveyed this decision on Friday, September 7, 2024, in a memo submitted to the Chief of Staff to the President.
The memo highlights that the decision to pause his official duties came after extensive consultations with his family, given the increasing severity of the health situation at home.
Chief Ngelale, who also serves as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, expressed deep concern about balancing his personal responsibilities with his official role in government.
“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home,” Chief Ngelale stated.
Ngelale expressed his commitment to national service, expressing hope for a return when circumstances permit. “I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit,” he said, while also appealing for privacy during this challenging period.
The leave of absence marks a temporary pause in Ngelale’s key role in the administration, where he has been instrumental in shaping the President’s communication strategies, particularly on media and climate action policies.
Chief Ngelale’s absence leaves a temporary void in the presidency’s media and publicity machinery, but he reassured the nation of his dedication to resuming his duties when the situation allows.
In the meantime, he has requested privacy for himself and his family, signalling the deeply personal nature of the circumstances that have led to his decision.
INN-HOUSE☆ 