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Bosun Tijani, a ministerial nominee of President Bola Tinubu, has explained why he made controversial remarks in tweets that appeared to denigrate the Nigerian state.
Since he was announced as a ministerial nominee on Thursday, August 3, 2023, Tijani has been at the centre of heated arguments on social media after netizens dug out some of his old posts.
In one of the posts dated July 29, 2019, the ministerial nominee expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation of the country, suggesting that he doesn't appreciate the Nigerian passport and the country as a whole.
Meanwhile, while appearing before the senate for screening on Saturday, August 5, 2023, Tijani, an Information Technology expert, was confronted by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo State) to confirm if he still holds the same view about the country.
“I tweeted in anger,” the ministerial nominee from Ogun State admitted.
Speaking further, he also recalled the events that influenced him to make the controversial post.
Tijani, who disclosed that he holds both Nigerian and British passports, said he experienced some disappointments at the Chinese Embassy, where he went to apply for a visa a day before the tweet.
He explained that, after revealing his Nigerian nationality to the embassy officials, he was told that he would have to wait for two weeks for some extra checks to be conducted on his bank accounts.
Tijani said this development left a sour taste in his mouth hence he made the referenced tweet.
He, however, said he is very passionate about Nigeria and remains committed to the development of the country.
Senators rally round Tijani
Meanwhile, Senator Ishaku Abbo representing Adamawa North Senatorial District immediately rose to Tijani's defense, saying the nominee tweeted out of a mixture of frustration and love for Nigeria.
Likewise, Senator Solomon Adeola from Ogun West Senatorial District pleaded with his colleagues to overlook the “youthful exuberance” and “shortcoming” of the nominee from his state.
Though Adeola went on to scold Tijani, he maintained that the nominee has what it takes to deploy his skills to develop Nigeria’s IT industry, pleading that the baby should not be thrown away with the bath water.