By Fred Chukwuelobe
Doctor Betta Edu is 37. She is a Nigerian youth leader. A ministerial nominee from former Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade.
She recently testified at Shiloh 2023 that after she approached the lead pastor with a prayer request to make her a minister last year, she was truly made a minister.
She was born Betta Chimaobim Edu on October 27, 1986. Betta hails from the Abi Local government area in Cross River State. She completed her secondary education in 2001 at the Federal Government Girls College, Calabar, and obtained her first degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar in 2009.
She is a Nigerian politician who has just been suspended as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
She served as national women leader of All Progressive Congress. She was Cross River State Commissioner for Health until her resignation in 2022. She was also the National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.
She was appointed minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last August.
Within four months, she has proved that corruption has no age limit. She might not have acted alone.
Last week, local media reported on a leaked document that allegedly showed Dr Edu instructing a senior treasury official to transfer the sum of N585,198,500.00 meant for state to a private account. The money was to be transfered into the personal account of Bridget Oniyelu, the accountant for the government’s Grants for Vulnerable Groups initiative.
She denied the allegation and said those accusing her were “tarnishing” her image.
But the government agreed she did it, suspended her, and ordered for a probe.
Betta Edu is beautiful and well educated. She is a medical doctor, meaning she’s a physician. She’s a youth, those we look forward to as leaders of tomorrow.
She was supposed to be among the young ones we have been campaigning for to take over from the septuagenarians and the octogenarians who have been ruling us since 1999.
Now, it is obvious that the youths will not only take over, but they will take with them systemic and the endemic corruption, which we accuse our elders of.
Nothing is going to change. The youths have learnt under the elders the art of corruption with impunity.
So, the show goes on.
Is it not better we forget education as basis for appointments as the educated ones like Betta Edu are experts in cooking the books they learnt in schools?
Betta Edu, Better Education and Better Book Cooking.
*Chukwuelobe, a Lagos based Media icon and public affairs commentator posted this on his Facebook Page.
