Rochas Okorocha, Imo State governor, made a bid for the presidency in 2014

 

A Nigerian governor has created a new role for his sister - as commissioner for happiness.
Rochas Okorocha unveiled the post during the swearing-in of 27 other new commissioners for Imo State.

But his sister Ogechi Ololo later rubbished initial reports stating she would also be in charge of "couples' fulfilment" - saying it was actually "purpose fulfilment".

Either way, the announcement has been met with derision on social media.

Many questioned the need for such a role, and wondered what it would entail.

It also comes hot on the heels of other unusual decisions made by the governor in recent times.

Mr Okorocha raised eyebrows across the continent in October after he unveiled a statue dedicated to South African President Jacob Zuma - a man who has no apparent links to the south-eastern state.

Skip Twitter post by @TheDodoLover ">https://twitter.com/TheBaldBadGuy/status/938013628212695041">Skip Twitter post by @TheDodoLover

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">https://twitter.com/TheDodoLover/status/938013628212695041" data-iframe-title="Twitter Tweet" data-dt-full="%{hours12}:%{minutes} %{amPm} - %{day} %{month} %{year}" data-dt-explicit-timestamp="11:54 AM - Dec 5, 2017" data-dt-months="Jan|Feb|Mar|Apr|May|Jun|Jul|Aug|Sep|Oct|Nov|Dec" data-dt-am="AM" data-dt-pm="PM" data-dt-now="now" data-dt-s="s" data-dt-m="m" data-dt-h="h" data-dt-second="second" data-dt-seconds="seconds" data-dt-minute="minute" data-dt-minutes="minutes" data-dt-hour="hour" data-dt-hours="hours" data-dt-abbr="%{number}%{symbol}" data-dt-short="%{day} %{month}" data-dt-long="%{day} %{month} %{year}" data-scribe="page:tweet" data-twitter-event-id="3">

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— (@TheDodoLover) ">

The Night King ♚@TheDodoLover

Happiness is trending. I wanna be Happy too.

Relocate to Imo State,

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Deji Idowu | ??@ayodygeeidowu

Your Excellency,
Gov. Rochas

The "singles of Imo" feel marginalized over your appointment of a Commissioner for "Happiness and Couples’ Fulfillment.

Singles also want to be Happy and experience fulfillment.

Please appoint asap, a deputy, on Singles' Fulfillment.

Thank you

">https://twitter.com/ayodygeeidowu/status/938011776209231873" data-datetime="2017-12-05T11:46:49+0000" data-scribe="element:full_timestamp">

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AY Nigeria??@oapaynigeria

Do you need a commissioning for your Happiness and Fulfilment?

Then, go to IMO state.

Rochas Okorocha and his sister is waiting for you.

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But Mrs Ololo - who was previously her brother's chief of staff, as well as being special adviser on domestic matters - assured the BBC it was a vital role which people would understand "with time".

"Happiness is something that is still lacking," she said, while acknowledging it could "mean anything to anybody".

She added: "My role is to create positive attitudes for our Imo people."

Day to day, she explained, the ministry would be ensuring policies designed to make people happy, like free education, were being handled properly and benefiting the community.

"This ministry is policy-driven," she said, rejecting suggestions it might be an unnecessary additional layer of government.

BBC