A round peg in a round hole- Shittu, Edike hail Tinubu on Adeniyi’s appointment as Ag. Customs CG

There was jubilation among clearing agents, serving and retired Customs officers on Monday following the appointment of DCG Adewale Adeniyi as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs by President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu announced Adeniyi’s appointment following the sack of the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali and all the Service Chiefs appointed by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking in a chat with Maritime Today Online, immediate past President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, hailed the President for appointing Adeniyi as the new Acting Comptroller General of Customs.

Shittu described the appointment of Adeniyi as placing a round peg in a round hole considering his vast experience and passion for the job.

He expressed optimism that Adeniyi’s appointment will help transform the Nigeria Customs Service and ensure efficiency in service delivery.

He said, “Adeniyi is a round peg in a round role with all the experience we need to count on. His appointment is the best thing that can happen to the industry. He is an all-rounder, well-educated and he knows the job well. We are very happy for him.”

Shittu noted that the sack of Hameed Ali, a retired military officer, was long overdue, warning that Customs should not be an organization that is run by experiment.

He said, “They have always used Customs as a sort of experiment forgetting that Customs is more technical. We need a core career Customs officer to run the NCS and that is what the President has given us in the person of Wale Adeniyi.”

Also speaking, retired Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Charles Edike expressed delight at Adeniyi’s appointment describing it as well deserved.

Edike said having worked with Adeniyi during his days as Commandant of the Customs Staff college in Gwagwalada, he has no doubt that he will deliver and bring his wealth of experience to bear in running the NCS.

“There is so much joy in me with the news of Adeniyi’s appointment. Wale worked with me in the Customs college. When I was the Commandant, he was my deputy commandant so I know his capability.  Adeniyi is intelligent and a fine officer. My mind is full of joy for him and I wish him the very best,” he said.

Adewale Adeniyi has over 30 years experience in Customs Administration covering strategic and operational responsibilities.

He served as Customs spokesman for almost two decades until January 2017 when he was redeployed to the Apapa Area Command.

He was promoted to the rank of Comptroller in 2017 and appointed Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

In 2019 he was redeployed to serve as the Controller in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, Lagos.

He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Comptroller General in February 2020 shortly after he supervised the seizure of $8.07 million cash being illegally taken out of Nigeria through the E-Wing of the international airport tarmac. He was subsequently posted to head the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja as Commandant.

He was conferred National Honour of Member of the Order of Federal Republic (MFR) by former President Mohammadu Buhari in 2022.

Some of his accomplishments included: Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, August 2022.

• Comptroller – General of Customs Award for seizure of $8,065,612 million cash at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, January 2020.

• Large College Crest Award for Excellence in Service as Deputy Commandant, NCCSC Gwagwalada December 2019.

• World Customs Organization Award of Excellence as Project Team Leader, Securité Par Collaboration (SPC++), a Customs Regional Security Project, January 2018.

• Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Presidential Award, April 2018
• Joint winner of Burson –Marsteller Award for the Best Research Project on “Reputation Management in Nigeria Customs Service” in partial fulfillment of the award of Masters of Science in Communications, USI, Lugano Switzerland, November 2013.

• Best Customs Public Relations Officer 200– 2007.