Former Special Assistant to the President on Digital and Creative Economy, Fegho Umunubo, has reacted to his dismissal from the President Bola Tinubu administration, describing his time in office as an honour and hinting at his plans to move on.
The Presidency on Monday confirmed QEDNG’s earlier report that Umunubo had been on suspension for over two months amid allegations of abuse of office, announcing that his appointment had now been terminated with immediate effect.
Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House, made the announcement in a statement, warning stakeholders in the digital and creative economy against further dealings with Umunubo in the name of the administration.
“Stakeholders and constituents of the digital and creative economy, at home and abroad, as well as the general public are hereby notified that Fegho John Umunubo, who hitherto had served as the Special Assistant to the President on Digital and Creative Economy (Office of the Vice President), has been disengaged with immediate effect,” the statement read.
It further cautioned, “Kindly note that he no longer represents this administration in any capacity. Henceforth, anyone who interfaces with him in the name of President Tinubu’s administration does so at his or her own risk.”
Reacting via Instagram Story shortly after the announcement, Umunubo wrote: “It has been my honor to serve this country and the Creative Industry. Now I am free to fly.”
Umunubo’s appointment was part of President Tinubu’s effort to strengthen Nigeria’s digital and creative sectors, considered vital to economic diversification.
His dismissal comes just a week after QEDNG reported that he had been suspended while investigations were ongoing into several allegations against him.
A presidency source told QEDNG at the time, “He has been suspended for more than two months now. Not sure he is coming back.”
Among the allegations were claims that Umunubo signed agreements on behalf of the Nigerian government without proper authorisation and interfered with agencies under the Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy.
Minister Hannatu Musawa was said to have petitioned the Presidency over his actions, accusing him of overstepping his mandate.
Umunubo also allegedly used the $617 million Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises Programme (iDICE) and the N5 billion Creative Fund as tools to gain influence among creatives and bolster his personal image.
While the presidency was probing these allegations, Fegho Umunubo became embroiled in a public spat with filmmaker Arese Ugwu, producer of The Smart Money Woman and Lara Unlimited.
Ugwu accused him on social media of failing to deliver on a financial agreement, claiming he owed her N10 million in sponsorship. She further alleged that he leveraged his position to win the trust of industry stakeholders and boost his profile.
