The Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has defended her decision to accept a ministerial position in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet while still undergoing the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday, Musawa asserted that she did not violate any laws by accepting the role.
When questioned about how she became a minister without completing the NYSC program—a requirement for public office—Musawa responded that the situation had been “adjudicated” and that she plans to provide a comprehensive explanation in the future.
“There have been so many different accounts of that particular situation. The fact that I’m sat here should tell you that I did not do anything wrong,” Musawa said.
“I have not come out to set the records straight as to what really happened. The social media has just run rife with different accounts. The matter has been adjudicated, and one day, I will come out with my own account.”
When asked whether she owed Nigerians an explanation for the NYSC saga, the minister reiterated that she had done nothing unlawful.
“I did not break the law. I did NYSC and finished. I can assure you that nothing was done to break the law or regulation. Everything that I did was in accordance with the law,” she explained.
The controversy surrounding Musawa’s NYSC status first surfaced in August 2023 when the NYSC management confirmed that she was still serving as a corps member.
This followed claims from the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil society group, that Musawa was simultaneously serving the country and holding a cabinet position.
Musawa was appointed as a minister in the same month, and during her senate screening, no questions were raised about her NYSC certificate.
This was not the first time Musawa’s NYSC status had drawn attention. In September 2020, former President Muhammadu Buhari nominated her as a national commissioner representing the north-west geopolitical zone on the National Pension Commission Board.
However, her nomination was rejected by the senate in October 2020 after the committee on establishment and public service matters revealed that she had failed to provide an NYSC certificate or exemption letter.
In a related development, in April 2024, a federal high court in Abuja dismissed a lawsuit seeking Musawa’s removal from office due to the NYSC controversy.
The suit, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Concerned Nigeria, Patrick Eholor, and Thomas Marcus, was thrown out, clearing the way for her continued service as a minister.
Boluwatife Enome
Source: the cable
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