President Bola Tinubu has recalled Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola.
Ishola was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2021.
However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maltama Tuggar, in a letter dated August 31, 2023, stated that the decision signalled the end of Ishola’s tenure as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United Kingdom.
“By this communication, you are now expected to commence the process of winding down your affairs, and take formal leave of your host government within sixty days and to return to Nigeria by 31st October, 2023 at the latest,” the document read said.
“I seize this opportunity to express Mr President’s appreciation for the service you have rendered in your capacity as Nigeria’s Ambassador and Principal Representative in United Kingdom.
“While looking forward to welcoming you in Abuja on your return, please allow me to join Mr President in thanking Your Excellency for your exemplary leadership and service to Nigeria. I wish you God’s continued guidance in your future endeavours.”
Chief Ishola is a technocrat with practical skills in leadership and development acquired from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Sarafa Tunji Isola, popularly called “STI”, was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State on November 25, 1960, to the family of Egba High Chiefs, Alhaji Ibrahim Isola Tairu and Alhaja Amudalat Ajiun Isola (nee Ejalonibu).
He was a pupil at the Oke-Ona United Primary School, Ilugun, Abeokuta, where he recorded academic excellence and was a member of the Drama Society.
For his secondary education, he was at Nawair-ud-Deen Grammar School, Obantoko, Abeokuta.
Upon completion of his secondary school education, young Isola began work as a Sales Clerk at Wellcome Nigeria Limited (a pharmaceutical company). In 1978, Isola wanted to learn more and grow, so he decided to study in the United Kingdom.
He commenced training programmes at the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the United Kingdom, where he obtained a Diploma in Marketing from the institution.
He took part in the Principles of Investment Course at the South West London College, Tooting Broadway, London, United Kingdom, in 1981.
Between 1978 and 1981, he went to school at the Chartered Institute of Marketing in England.
He also took the Principles of Investment Course in South West London College in 1981 and finished the Leaders in Development Course at Harvard University with flying colours in 2009.
Ishola has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ilorin in Nigeria’s Kwara State.
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The former minister started his career as a lecturer at the Department of Business Studies, Federal College of Education, Katsina between 1982 and 1983 (NYSC); and later, as a lecturer in Business Statistics, Marketing and Economics at the Federal College of Education, Katsina (1983-1986).
Between 1986 and 1990, he worked as a Sales Executive in the Commercial Services Division of the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation. This gave him a wide range of work experience.
An astute politician of national and international repute, Sarafa Tunji Ishola was Chairman, Abeokuta North Local Government, a position he held between 1997 and 1998.
During the same period, he was elected Chairman, Conference of Local Government Council Chairmen in Ogun State.
His outstanding leadership qualities singled him out for higher political responsibilities, as Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of State for Finance (1999–2003); Secretary to the Ogun State Government (2003–2007); and Nigeria’s Minister of Mines and Steel Development (2007–2008).
Ishola attended the First Consultative Committee Meeting of the Board of Governors of the African Development Bank (18–19 November 1999), in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; the Meeting of the ECOWAS Trade, Customs, and Immigration (22–23 November 1999, Lome, Togo); and the 6th Meeting of the Afrexim Advisory Group on Trade Finance and Export Development in Africa (May 9, 2000), in Tunis, Tunisia.
He was also at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in Malta (September, 2000); the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group in the Czech Republic (September, 2000); and many other international assignments.
The profile of Amb. Sarafa Tunji Ishola is one that speaks brilliance, values, capacity and capability. His rise to the national and international stages has highlighted the story of a man who has continued to rise, taking the world by storm as he works his way to the pinnacle of power.
