NGO Names Ambassador Hassan Ardo Tukur As Patriot of the Month

Ambassador Hassan Ardo Tukur, MFR, OFR, has been honored as the Patriot of the Month by the Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative (URNI) for May 2024. Born on January 3, 1957, in Kilbawo, Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria, Tukur’s distinguished career in diplomacy and public service has significantly contributed to Nigeria’s development and international standing.

According to the Spokesperson, Mr. Moses Banjo he noted that Tukur’s academic journey spanned from 1964 to 1980, culminating in a B.Sc. in Political Science from Bayero University, Kano. His early career saw him serve as the Chief Examiner for Government at Government College, Bida, during the 1980/81 session, where his leadership resulted in a remarkable 98% pass rate in the School Certificate Examinations.

Joining the Ministry of External Affairs in August 1981, Tukur’s first international posting was as a Foreign Service Officer at the Nigerian Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His career includes significant roles such as Principal Protocol Officer to the Head of State in Lagos (1984-1985), and various postings in London and Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Notably, as Charge d’Affaires in Malabo, he successfully led negotiations on maritime boundary demarcations and oil field unitization with Equatorial Guinea, resulting in a key treaty.

Tukur played a pivotal role in the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) Treaty negotiations between Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe, earning him a position as one of the pioneering directors of the Nigeria-São Tomé and Príncipe Joint Development Authority. His expertise extended to international election monitoring, being part of the UN Election Team in Namibia that facilitated SWAPO’s victory and Namibia’s independence.

In 2005, upon his return to Nigeria, Tukur was appointed Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. He later served as Secretary of the National Energy Council and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Energy Partnership from 2007 to 2010. His tenure as Principal Secretary to President Goodluck Jonathan began in 2011.

Tukur’s contributions have been recognized with national honors, including the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2004 and Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2011. His recent accomplishment as chair of the High Powered Presidential Committee (HPPC) on Nigeria’s Extended Continental Shelf Project under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) earned him the URNI Patriot of the Month recognition. The project successfully extended Nigeria’s maritime boundaries by approximately 16,300 square kilometers without conflict.

Currently, Ambassador Tukur serves as the Patron of the Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative, an NGO dedicated to fostering patriotism through community engagement and technological advancement.

“If Nigeria will be great, then it’s up to Nigerians to make it happen,” Tukur stated, embodying the spirit of URNI’s mission to rediscover Nigeria by Nigerians.