President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari as his new Chief of Staff last week.
He replaces the late Alhaji Abba Kyari who died on Friday, April 17, 2020.
Born into a prosperous Gambari royal family of Ilorin, Kwara State on November 24, 1944, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari who is widely experienced has an ‘intimidating’ profile and he has gained practical international work experience.
A Professor of Political Science and International Relations, he served as Minister for External Affairs between 1984 and 1985.
Agboola was also Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 1990 and 1999 and later served as Under-Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs between 2005 and 2007.
The new Chief of Staff has blue blood and he is an agnate sibling of the 9th Emir of llorin, Alhaji Zulukarnaini Gambari.
Prof Agboola Gambari is the fifth person to serve as Chief of Staff.
Interestingly, the pioneer Chief of Staff was General Abdulahi Mohammed also an illustrious son of Ilorin. The retired General who got to Presidential Villa in 1998 as General Abubakar Abdulsalami’s National Security Adviser did not leave Aso Rock until 2nd of June 2008.
Mohammed served as Chief of Staff under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and he was retained by late Alhaji Umaru Yar’ Adua.