Leadership with Purpose: How Hon. Wole Oke is Repositioning Nigeria’s Foreign Relations Amid Baseless Attacks

 

By Otunba Kunle Bolarinde

Senior Legislative Aide (SLA) to the Speaker, House of Representatives, National Assembly, Abuja

At a time when Nigeria seeks to reclaim its rightful stature among the community of nations, one legislator has continued to exemplify leadership defined by vision, depth, and purpose. Hon. Busayo Oluwole Oke, a ranking member of the Nigerian Parliament and current Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, is charting a new course for Nigeria’s diplomacy anchored on accountability, engagement, and reform.

Appointed by the 10th National Assembly under the distinguished leadership of Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Hon. Oke assumed the Foreign Affairs portfolio after a brief but impactful tenure as Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary. During that period, he championed the welfare of judicial officers, advocating improved remuneration, better working conditions, and reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s justice system.

A seasoned parliamentarian, Hon. Oke’s legislative career spans service as Chairman of several critical committees - Public Procurement, Defence, and Public Accounts, where his record of integrity, strategic oversight, and administrative competence has earned him respect across party lines and among Nigeria’s development partners.

Today, under his leadership, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s diplomatic rejuvenation. In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Committee has intensified its oversight functions to ensure that Nigeria’s foreign missions align with constitutional mandates and operate with efficiency, transparency, and national interest at heart.

The Committee’s proactive engagements with heads of Nigerian missions worldwide reflect a deliberate shift from symbolic diplomacy to purposeful representation. Its work includes advisory collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, trade and investment facilitation, and strengthening diplomatic cooperation for global peace and socio-economic development.

In reciprocal diplomatic recognition, the Committee has hosted numerous envoys and delegations, including those from the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, China, and North Korea, signifying renewed international confidence in Nigeria’s parliamentary diplomacy.

Nigeria’s foreign policy, coordinated under the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has also witnessed strategic redirection under Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar. The synergy between the Ministry and the House Committee has brought fresh energy to the nation’s international image and strengthened bilateral and multilateral engagements.

It bears reiterating that the constitutional duties of legislators are clear law-making, oversight, and representation. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs, under Hon. Oke’s leadership, has remained within this mandate, focusing on ensuring that Nigeria’s diplomatic institutions operate effectively, accountably, and in alignment with global best practices.

Amid unwarranted distractions and baseless criticisms, Hon. Oke’s commitment to Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives remains unshaken. His leadership embodies the essence of public service, visionary, disciplined, and devoted to national progress.

The Committee will continue to pursue its legislative oversight with diligence and patriotism, ensuring Nigeria’s foreign missions serve as true ambassadors of the nation’s values and aspirations.

Indeed, leadership with purpose remains the strongest response to cynicism, and Hon. Wole Oke’s steady reformist stride stands as a testament to that truth.