Diezani glows in latest photo — after 8-year absence due to cancer battle

A photo of Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former minister of petroleum resources, looking healthy, has surfaced on social media after an eight-year absence from the public.

Ben Murray-Bruce, the former senator representing Bayelsa east, shared the photo of himself and Alison-Madueke on Twitter.

In the caption of the post, Murray-Bruce described Diezani as a “sassy, smart and sophisticated” woman.

He also congratulated her on the graduation of her son from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.

“Sassy, smart, and always sophisticated. Celebrating with the amazing Diezani Alison-Madueke at her son’s graduation at @UniofReading,” he wrote.

“Her son’s achievement is a testament to the power of good parenting. Excellence indeed runs in the family.”

In the photo, the 62-year-old ex-minister appeared to be in healthy condition.

In 2015, photos of ailing Diezani went viral on social media. In the footage, she appeared to be very sick, sparking rumours she was battling cancer.

But in May, the ex-minister confirmed that she was diagnosed with “the most aggressive form of breast cancer” eight years ago.

She also informed a federal high court in the Abuja division that she had been away from the country since May 2015 because of cancer treatment.

Diezani was minister of transportation – later mines and steel development — from 2007 to 2009 under the administration of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

She later served as the petroleum minister under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015.

In 2020, she was at the receiving end of social media backlash following her comments about internet fraudsters better known as ‘yahoo yahoo’.

In May, Alison-Madueke also filed a N100 billion lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for “the false, injurious, malicious and libelous publications” against her.