Since Betta Edu, the disgraced former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, was removed from office following her alleged involvement in a high-level corruption case, little has been heard of her. But all of that changed when she made a sudden appearance recently at the University of Calabar’s 50th anniversary.

She received an award for her outstanding service to humanity.  It was surprising to many that the woman who messed up her name in her short stint as a minister showed up at the event with a broad smile on her face, with her name in the institution‘s Hall of Fame, an honour reserved for people of high moral standards and values.

The award set tongues wagging, with many condemning it. Many think that the Cross River State-born ex-minister should have covered her face in shame and shouldn’t be seen with people of integrity.  Many others said she should have been punished for the corruption charge she was involved in.

Edu was suspended from office by President Bola Tinubu over an alleged N585 million scandal in her ministry.

Until she had her hand in the cookie jar, Edu commanded a lot of respect, and her popularity soared across the country. She was generally regarded as one of the top ministers in the present regime on account of the sensitivity of her job and the impact on our nation. Those close to her proclaimed that she was such a generous woman as she spent money like sand.

But little did many who idolised and adored her know that her ways were allegedly not what they believed. Edu was initially suspended in January 2024 over the alleged diversion of $640,000 of public money into a personal bank account.

President Tinubu then ordered an investigation into her ministry.

The president would later direct the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.

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