Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo caused a wave of public conversation after directing that no commissioner will be admitted to Executive Council meetings unless they wear the “Asiwaju cap”—a cap associated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The instruction was delivered during the swearing-in of 20 commissioners and members of state boards, where the governor framed the directive as both a sign of loyalty and an expectation of discipline among his appointees.
Supporters say the move is an attempt to visibly align state executives with the national leadership and foster collective purpose; critics argue it blurs the line between personal symbols and public office and risks reducing governance to performative loyalty. Constitutional commentators note that while governors may set administrative rules for their cabinets, instructions based on partisan symbols can undermine inclusive governance and raise ethical questions about freedom of conscience in public service.
This directive prompts critical questions for public servants and citizens alike: does symbolic conformity improve coordination across tiers of government, or does it weaken democratic pluralism by making loyalty a matter of attire rather than performance?