| Intro | Minister of Defence of Nigeria | ||
| Is |
Politician Diplomat |
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| From | Nigeria | ||
| Type | Politics | ||
| Gender | male | ||
| Birth | Kaduna, Nigeria | ||
| Family |
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Thomas “Tom” Aguiyi-Ironsi is a career diplomat and former Defence Minister of Nigeria. He is the son of former military leader Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, and was the ambassador to Togo before former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him to succeed Roland Oritsejafor as Defence Minister. Aguiyi-Ironsi is from Umuahia, Abia State.
While Aguiyi-Ironsi was ambassador to Togo, the choices to replace the outgoing Foreign Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, were reportedly narrowed down to him and Joy Ogwu. However, after Obasanjo fired Oritsejafor, Aguiyi-Ironsi received the job of Defence Minister while Ogwu became foreign minister. The two were sworn in on August 30, 2006.
On January 24, 2007, Aguiyi-Ironsi announced that Nigeria would send a battalion of peacekeeping troops to Somalia.