Category: Dr John Ekundayo

“Emefiele came in as the head of the apex bank when Naira (N) was exchanging for the Dollar ($) at around N200. Where are we today? Few days ago, at the black market, N768 exchanged for $1. Virtually every effort that Emefiele made worsened the value of the Naira. Yet, the erstwhile President Buhari kept him there … One would have expected Emefiele to have closed the window … Many Nigerians today are forced to go to the parallel (black) market to access foreign exchange … Ideally, he should have closed the widening gap between the official rate and the black market because when you leave the gap wide between the two forex windows, you encourage round tripping, you encourage rent-seeking, you encourage people to make money without being involved in any form of production … (sic)” – Babajide Otitoju @ TVC Issues With Jide, 14th June 2023, available on YouTube.

Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov, was a Turkmen politician who headed Turkmenistan as a dictator from 1985 until his death in 2006. The Turkmen media, massaging his eccentric ego, referred to him with the titillating title: His Excellency Saparmurat Turkmenbasy, President of Turkmenistan and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. In his hey days, he was undoubtedly ranked as one of the world’s most despotic and dictatorial leaders surrounding himself with a cult of personality. His oddity in governance included imposing his personal eccentricity upon his country: it was mandatory for his autobiography, the Ruhnama, to be read in all schools, universities and government organizations. In fact, potential new employees, before entering government service, were interviewed based on the contents of the book. In fact, driving tests to procure drivers’ licenses were not concluded until applicants answered correctly to questions drawn from Ruhnama. His ego-centric eccentricity drove him to the extreme extent of closing down all rural libraries and hospitals outside the capital city, Ashgabat, in a country having more than 50% residing in the rural areas, making the citizens to covertly chorused derisively: “If people are ill, they can come to Ashgabat.”

Edith Sitwell, celebrated British poet pointedly put it thus: eccentricity is “often a kind of innocent pride”. She went further to state that this typology of people “are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd.” In essence, they are not unsettling or upsetting about the society’s dissatisfaction with their opinions, habits and beliefs. This week’s edition of the “Followership Challenge” will be mainly focusing on the extreme eccentricity exhibited by the embattled erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele. Howbeit, en passant, whimsical and quirky mien manifested by the erstwhile Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, would be touched upon subsequently. The strange and disturbing mannerism depicted by the two men, opportune out of millions of Nigerians, to be holding in trust public offices, leaves a sore taste in the mouth these days that “internet does not forget”.

Emefiele: Egocentric Eccentric?

“Emefiele’s CBN lent the government 22.7 trillion naira ($49bn) under the Ways and Means Advances clause that can be activated only if the government has a temporary revenue deficiency. The move led local media to dub the apex bank as a “printing press” for the government … Moreover, the CBN Act only allowed for a loan of five percent of the government’s previous year’s revenue, but the bank illegally exceeded the benchmark every year, sometimes up to 30 percent. This contributed to inflation.” – Aljazeera, 14th June 2023

The erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, threw caution to the wind and seemingly like a stupid sheep shamelessly going to the slaughter, depicted in no small measure extreme eccentricity that had never occurred in the history of the apex bank. Firstly, the CBN let down all guards in continually lending to the Federal Government in what was tagged “Ways and Means”, essentially to run the government under former President Muhammadu Buhari.  The local media mocked CBN, referring to it as the printing press of the government! The gargantuan amount, according to a report by Aljazeera, was to the tune of N22.7 trillion or ($49bn)!! This was in flagrant flouting of the CBN Act that only permitted 5% loan of the government previous year’s revenue. It was odious on the part of the almighty head of the apex bank extending, with impunity and ignominy, the percentage of the loan to as high as 30%.  This was not only erroneous but erratic thus breaching known banking ethos as the CBN ought to model the way for all other financial institutions in the country.

Significant to mention is the uproar and brouhaha that attended the implementation of the ill-fated Naira redesign policy. It was a distasteful strategic policy somersault that signalled untold pain, angst, and hardship on helpless citizens. It was on record that many businesses plummeted while some little businesses died a natural death. It is saddening recalling the needless loss of man hours as well as limbs and lives due to Naira scarcity that occurred as a result of ineffectiveness and inefficiency of the policy. Succinctly surmising the sordid scenario of the Naira redesign, the 2nd April 2023 edition of this column, opinionated:

“Ab initio, the policy was ill-timed coming close to the end of this administration. Moreover, strategically to be executed a few weeks before elections, and within elections, is dead on arrival as unscrupulous politicians, supposedly targeted to tame vote buying, would go the whole hog to frustrate the successful implementation. One may intelligently inquire or interrogate what actually took place before and even aftermath of the elections. It is indeed a truism that when two elephants fight, the grass underneath suffers the concomitant impasse and imbroglio. Hence, the poor masses bore, and are still bearing, the brunt of this policy somersault of the apex bank!”

Significant to mention was the way and manner the value of Naira was dipping while Emefiele’s efforts were exacerbating the fall unabatedly. It is instructive to state that Emefiele took over the head of the apex bank when Naira (N) was exchanging for the Dollar ($) at about N200. Available on YouTube was simple analysis by ace journalist, Babajide Otitoju. He saliently submitted:

“Emefiele came in as the head of the apex bank when Naira (N) was exchanging for the Dollar ($) at around N200. Where are we today? Few days ago, at the black market, N768 was exchanged for $1. Virtually every effort that Emefiele made worsened the value of the Naira. Yet, the erstwhile President Buhari kept him there … One would have expected Emefiele to have closed the window …(sic)” – Babajide Otitoju @ TVC Issues with Jide, 14th June 2023″

It is saddening that until the new policy by the Federal Government under the new Tinubu administration floating the Naira in the market to determine the real value, many Nigerians have been scammed at the black market while very few highly privileged people, especially top government officials, had unfettered access to get foreign exchange done at the official rate. The Governor of the Central Bank (CBN) ought to have acted swiftly and not allowed the widening gap between the parallel (black) market and official rate. He acted eccentrically thus encouraging round tripping, rent-seeking and apparently aiding privileged citizens to make humongous funds without producing any good or service.

Read Also: Court orders SSS to grant Emefiele access to family, lawyers

Moreover, it was appalling on the part of Emefiele that the apex bank and its operations were indecorously inducted into partisan politics and politicking. It has never happened in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent Governor of CBN depicted his party leaning overtly to the extent of intending to contest for a political party office without tendering his resignation letter and equally a sitting President was watching with apparent aplomb! Emefiele went to obtain the “Expression of Interest Form” of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), against all odds, in order to contest in the primary election. Eccentricity taken too far! He displayed some unethical hocus pocus or abracadabra when he perceived that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation might restrain him from contesting. Ultimately, he flopped but not without denigrating or demeaning his exalted office. What an odoriferous indecorum unbecoming of a man occupying such a seat!

Enter Eccentric El-Rufai!

“If we continue like this for 20 years, everybody will understand that we (Muslims) are in charge. If Uba finishes, we will bring another person. After 24 years, everybody will know where he belongs. They will know Muslims will not cheat them and we will live in peace. I swear, this is our agenda since we came out to look for leadership and by the grace of God and your support and prayers, we are on track,” – Erstwhile Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.

Initially, when the news broke about the untoward and unpalatable utterances of El-Rufai, on a Christian platform that I belonged to where the likes of El-Rufai were often chastised, I tagged it fake, and stood up stoutly ready to defend until I could no longer defend the indefensible! How could erstwhile Governor Nasir El-Rufai, I admire for his guts, doggedness and seeming objectivity in governance, as one can perceive an array of people from other tribes other than Hausa Fulani in his government be discovered making such indecorous statements? It is definitely a low from across the Niger for the distinctive, definitive but diminutive statesman. In my own coined diction, the speech while meeting the Muslim clerics or leaders was to say the least, un-statemanly! Without mincing words, this columnist being a grandfather and having lived, worked and traversed most states of Nigeria dropped a comment on the YouTube link for El-Rufai and his adherents taking advantage of religion and ethnicity for political settling of scores:

“It is unfortunate that in June 2023, erstwhile Governor Nasir El-Rufai is behaving un-statemanly in his utterance asserting that the template adopted in Kaduna skewing favourably towards Muslims in offering of top political positions in the state is the best way to go for the country! He will surely pay for this in the future! He better apologizes now!! Not too late!!!”

In addition, as a father of a state, referring to a section of your estate as “them” connotes, essentially, hatred and arrogance irrespective of whether they voted for you or not in any election. Specifically, it like El Rufai, formerly of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) extraction, under erstwhile Baba Obasanjo, has learnt little. Was it not the pompous PDP which boasted that the visionless party would consistently be in power for 60 years? Howbeit, with a parochial parade of pride, is the party, once on the horse back not now writhing or wallowing consistently in defeat in subsequent presidential elections from 2015 till date?

It is normally said that “internet does not forget!” Precisely, TVC News captured it vividly on the 15th of October 2021 while inaugurating a regulatory preaching council made up of senior religious leaders from the Christian and Islamic faiths, traditional leaders and public office holders, as the loquacious and non-leadership laissez-faire that El-Rufai typifies, in his style in governance, saliently and succinctly stated that religion should not be exploited to curry political or economic favours. The paradigm shift in stand and stake of El-Rufai with seeming double talk is worrisome and would be detrimental to his leadership aspiration in the future. He may be thinking he would not need something from the other faith but may be forced to eat the humble pie and make an apology to the Christian faith or he may be perceived, as some have already expressed, as a religious bigot. Will many not pander to the perception of one of his acerbic critics, Senator Shehu Sanni, who posited sarcastically and skeptically that in President Bola Tinubu not appointing El-Rufai as either Chief of Staff or Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), that the President “has dodged a poisonous snake.”

Leadership Leaning: Lessons Learnt

In the emerging field of monitoring, evaluation and learning, in which this columnist is a both scholar and author, lessons learnt exercise is carried out at the end of any tracking exercise to determine: “what works; what does not work; and why it does not work, etc?” Not throwing out the babe with the bathwater, there is something to write home about taking cognizance of the personality of Malam El-Rufai: he is astute, credible, cerebral and straight-forward. He led the way forward to the ruling party kowtowing the path of honour when the cabals in the government of former President Buhari took APC by the jugular and wanting to, through the back door, forced down our throats a pseudo-consensus candidate, palpably from the north. He reminded the party of the gentlemen’s agreement between the south and north as far back as 2015.

Howbeit, in going forward, the leadership lessons to be inculcated, especially at the centre should be: anyone that will head any Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) should abide by certain stated codes of conduct especially bordering on ethos, ethnicity and religion. Errant government officials should be seriously sanctioned; political appointees should be fired at the confirmation of such misdemeanor or indecorum! As President Bola Tinubu embarks on a herculean task of harmony, healing and reconciliation, of our fractious and fragmented country, there should be no room for depiction of any iota of eccentricity in leaders who are meant to serve the people, in humane humility, rather than lording over the citizens. Nigeria needs more servant-hearted leaders imbued with altruistic vision, values and virtues.

John Ekundayo, Ph.D. – can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

It is likely that virtually any discourse, debate or dialogue going on within Nigeria’s socio-economic and political contexts presently centres on the big elephant in the room – oil subsidy. This is a matter that affects the life of all Nigerians due to the multi-dimensional effects of gasoline (petrol) on the populace. The removal of oil subsidy touches on transportation, food, clothing, housing, logistics that will dictate and determine prices of goods and services within the economy, cost of governance, etc. It is both intriguing and interesting to consider certain facts, of recent, oozing out of the oil industry that are mind boggling. For instance, how do you juxtapose the present impasse on the sudden removal of oil subsidy with the recent discovery of the real rate of consumption? It has been unearthed that the supposed daily consumption of gasoline before the Tinubu’s administration’s recent withdrawal of subsidy was guesstimated at 69 million litres per day. However, in just one week, the daily consumption has ‘dwindled or dipped’ to 13 million litres per day! Poser: pray, where ‘went’ the 56 million litres? This depicts and displays the pervading cantankerous corruption inherent in the country’s oil industry spanning years? If our oil industry is likened to a human being suffering from this level of horrendous hemorrhage, she would have long been dead, buried and forgotten!

It is high time followers (citizens) adjusted to new normal even as fuel queues have disappeared and gasoline consumption has drastically gone down, in towns and cities, nationwide. In essence, a household possessing five cars may need to reduce to two. This columnist is aware that much needs to be done to enhance our transportation system in our cities and towns to make it efficient and effective. In essence, the federal and state governments should prioritize proactive development of infrastructure, particularly investing more in roads, rails and water transportation; the latter specifically in our riverine areas. For instance, why should some citizens not travel or ferry their goods from Lagos to Ayetoro (Ondo), Warri or Calabar or Port Harcourt by water rather than by road? Someone once told this columnist that it takes less than one hour to traverse by water from Lagos to Warri, Delta State exploiting modern boats. Is that not worth exploiting since it is time saving and might be simultaneously economical? 

Refineries: Read, Reflect and Respond

Imagine these headlines from 2017 till 2023, and no litre of refined products from our government owned refineries:  “NNPC is intensifying efforts toward rehabilitation of refineries” – Ibe Kachikwu (December 2017)

“FG begins rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refineries” – Maikanti Baru (March 2019)

“NNPC will begin full rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries by 2020″ – Mele Kyari

“The sum of $5.8 billion was spent on rehabilitation of refineries between 2015 and 2020” – NNPC

“Mele Kyari, Maikanti Baru spent $19 billion on Refineries Maintenance in 8 years” (8th June 2023)

Dear esteemed readers: If you are a business man or woman reading and reflecting on the above lines, what will be your response? It is not just the immediate administration of Muhammad Buhari that was culpable but governments before it. Should we be investing impudently humongous amount of fund in seeming drain pipes referred to as refineries which are producing no refined oil? Will it not be sagacious to think in line with the tinkering of American business mogul and investor, Abigail Johnson, who once opined: “returns matter a lot. It’s our capital.” It is weird and worrisome that workers are being paid for services bereft of output or outcome: no return or value for money! Yours sincerely was a guest on TVC News Breakfast on Wednesday 31st May 2023. Fielding questions from one of the anchors regarding our irritating refineries, without minding whose ox is gored, I retorted rationally:

“Our refineries should work, but I don’t know the magic wand the new government will put into our refineries to work … for the past 8 years of the Buhari’s administration, it is like you are putting in something and you are not getting anything out which any business man will not do; and with President Tinubu there as a financial engineer, I don’t think he will invest in such kind of moribund enterprise … Really while should we be producing crude, for crying out loud … year in year out, and carrying our crude out to a nation like Singapore that is not producing oil to refine … and bring back to us, and milking our economy? The present government should set a time frame to stop this oddity… it is a shame (sic)!” – John Ekundayo, TVC News Breakfast @ Wednesday 31st May 2023 (available on YouTube).

In addition, the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on the state of refineries in Nigeria, to the chagrin of its members, discovered that after expending a humongous amount of N11.349 trillion to rehabilitate the nation’s refineries, apart from the fact that none is functioning, there were duplication of projects and double payments! Is that not tantamount to double tragedy for a country with a bleeding economy seemingly reeling on the verge of collapse? In surmising the matters relating to the ailing refineries, President Tinubu should within the wink of an eye set up a high-powered committee to be headed by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, to initiate and negotiate the selling off of the moribund refineries. This is the sagacious strategic step in arresting further hemorrhage of the economy whilst at the same time giving incentives to investors to invest in more refineries. Reforms promised should commence with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), etc. Moreover, the government should, acting within her acclaimed actionable plans of intervention (quoting presidential spokesman, Mr. Dele Alake), set a specific timeframe for prohibition of ferrying our crude oil outside Nigeria for refining. This timeframe should be made known for all Nigerians so that the followers can track the transparency and good intention of the government in this matter. Going this route will ensue, enlist and enhance the trust of the followers (citizens) in governance.

Tangible and Timely Interventions

It is a good development that there is an on-going parley of labour with the federal government. The President and his men had also interfaced with the marketers soliciting for their cooperation in the matter of subsidy removal and in a win-win situation; the NNPC is no longer the sole importer of refined oil as marketers can join the fray as well! This is cheering!! It is remarkable that President Bola Tinubu met with all the Governors, first his party’s and then all of them together in pushing for their support; there was a consensus or unanimity in siding with oil subsidy removal. The next parley between the labour unions (the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC)) comes up on 19th June 2023. Expectedly, the government team would be coming to the table with its offerings on what was tagged as interventions rather than palliatives, according to Mr. Dele Alake, spokesman on behalf of the team. Will the government earn the trust of the followers in justifiably dispensing the accrued savings from the oil subsidy removal into tangible and distinguishable deliverables in healthcare, infrastructure, education and power? This columnist will desire that a certain portion be applied proactively to agribusiness development countrywide as a means of diversifying the economy and enhancing our country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which will ultimately shore up the value of the local currency – Naira. Will more of the followers be engaged in economic ventures thus lowering the exacerbating unemployment rate through these interventions? Will the attendant expending of the resources garner from removal of oil subsidy impact positively in moving up the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) overtime, thus shoring up the value of the Naira? Over all, will the proposed interventions, when unveiled, meet with the expectations of the citizens in cushioning the current hardship encountered by them? It is interesting to note that two states – Kwara and Edo – have made a move in reducing working days from five to three within the week. Is this a productive move even though less money will be expended by workers in coming to the office while freeing up plenty of time for the workers? However, will the public service encumbrances allow for productivity of these public servants as it should? It is high time civil service rules were relaxed to allow government workers to be involved in productive ventures other than agro-allied. The extant rule is atavistic and archaic in this regard!

Concluding Comments

“The biggest risk of all is not taking one.” — Mellody Hobson, American business woman.

President Bola Tinubu, sounding surefooted in his demeanour in his inauguration speech at Eagle Square coupled with events that followed days after, has exhibited and exemplified with candour that his administration will not just be kicking the can down the road but actually picking the can into the dustbin once and for all unlike previous administrations taking cognizance of knotty issues relating to oil subsidy removal. It is imperative on the part of the federal government to both ensure transparency and build citizens’ trust. One way to achieve this is to separate the gains from the subsidy removal into a separate or dedicated account with appropriate name tag, such as Subsidy Reinvestment Fund. The details of money going into the fund and how it is expended should be given monthly and widely published as well. Moreover, there should be proper application of monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) systems to track the progress in order to ensure and enhance value is delivered for money expended. Experts in this area of development should be involved in the strategy execution in order to ensure that tangible outcomes dovetail to real and discernible impacts, over time. There should be a consensus between the federal and state governments the specific programmes and projects to channel this fund into that will impact followers within the polity. These social intervention programmes and projects should be published periodically state by state with detailed locations for MEAL and peer review purposes. Will the government be able to take the bull by the horns in disposing off the rotting refineries that are akin to horrendous hemorrhage knowing that in the words of Mellody Hobson, American business woman, and Chairman, of Starbucks: “the biggest risk of all is not taking one”. The coming weeks will depict the distinguishing stuff, if any, of Tinubuism – strategic leadership style of Tinubu to issues relating to governance of Nigeria. We are flowing and following along as courageous exemplary followers. Feedback to issues raised here is welcome and will be highly appreciated.

• John Ekundayo, Ph.D. – can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

“You must prepare the minds of Nigerians for difficult decisions … and you have to take corrective decisions … We talk about corruption, but corruption thrives on opportunities we create for people to be corrupt, and we need to shut up those opportunities …” Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). “Nigeria has a fiscally challenging fuel subsidy regime… and provides subsidy for the sales of refined oil at the pump. At the end of 2011, a total of N1.73 trillion or US$11 billion equivalent was submitted as claims for subsidies by 143 marketers who were importing the product. These numbers seemed horrendously large … So, we decided to audit these claims … we audited about US$8.4 billion worth of claims and we found US$2.5 billion worth of fraud in these claims, i.e., many of these marketers claimed US$2.5 million fraudulently …(sic)” – Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, erstwhile Finance Minister of Nigeria.

Growing up to adulthood, I began with hindsight to appreciate the conscientious and caring role played by my adorable mother, Mama Mary Aina Ekundayo, of blessed memory. In my appearance as a guest analyst on TVC News Breakfast, precisely on Wednesday, 31st May 2023, talking about oil subsidy, a recurring episode encountered during my childhood came to light. My mother would actually bathe for me whilst consciously and curiously paying attention to all parts of my body, especially my legs, knowing my childhood attachment to turning any object to football; in the process of which I had my legs patterned with injuries. Characteristically, my mother would bathe all parts of my body and scarcely touch my legs. Howbeit, in an instant when yours sincerely thought the old woman had done with bathing, she would thrust her fingers right on the spot of the festering sore, and I would yell! Oh, the pain at that instant!! She would caringly offer me a seemingly soothing lullaby to pacify me. Thereafter, she would dress my wound and in a matter of days, healing would take place!!! Looking back, without the apparent harsh approach, there is the possibility of my legs not functioning as it was created to be. Why commencing the “Followership Challenge” of this week with this episode? This anecdote is in sync with the subsidy impasse currently witnessed in the country. Should Mr. President make this part of his inaugural address on 29th May 2023 at Eagle Square, Abuja or postpone the impending evil day? Stated succinctly and saliently, he pontificated: “subsidy is gone!” This terse statement sent jitters down the spines of marketers and stakeholders in the oil industry. Simply and squarely stated, no more business as usual! Critical question, one of the anchors on TVC News Breakfast asked me: “Is the timing right?” My response was: “it is the most auspicious”. The same way, though painful but pertinent, that my caring mother treated my sore and secured healing for me in matters of a few days; the alternative is to ignore or pamper and have those legs amputated or malfunctioning. Looking back from the military era to all the civilian administration, it is high time, Nigerians took the bitter pill and kill the nagging malaise associated with oil subsidy funding which is tantamount to nothing but a scam, This, should be done once and for all in the interest of majority of Nigerians.

Tinubu: Talking Tough?

“The days ahead will, however, demand better understanding and cooperation from all sides, because leadership will require that we take tough and hard decisions so that our people and all Nigerian workers can live more abundantly,” – President Elect, Tinubu, message to Nigeria’s workers on May Day (before he was sworn in), Punch, 2nd May 2023

Ab initio, all the leading three presidential candidates did campaign in favour of subsidy removal perceiving termination of further inflicting of wounds on the already bleeding economy of Nigeria. However, to discerning minds, President Bola Tinubu, gave a hint about his ‘leadership with no easy answers’ specifically on 1st May – Workers’ Day – when he saliently demanded a seeming fastening of seat belts by passengers as he pilots the plane of state in high altitude laced with looming cloudy storms. He pointedly pontificated to his potential passengers, then, of the need to prepare for tough and hard decisions that will, overtime, result in quality of life for workers, and by extension to Nigerians. This is in sync with the tinkering of the erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, harping on the need to “prepare the minds of Nigerians for difficult decisions … and you (Tinubu) have to take corrective decisions (sic).” It is pertinent to recall that at my TVC News appearance, yours sincerely stressed the need to cushion the immediate impact on the average Nigerian of the removal of subsidy. The onus lies on the government to strategically come out with her own actionable plans laced with timelines. This should be clear and unambiguous as to what tangible measures for public servants as well as those in the private sectors. Mr. Dele Alake, one of the men and women on the negotiation table representing the government stated succinctly of the idea of subsidy removal by the Federal Government. The initial offering is inculcation of ‘interventions’ rather than palliatives, in comparison to the approach of past governments, on the matter of subsidy severing. What sort of intervention? How will that intervention take care of people who are not on the payroll of the governments – federal, states and local? In his own words, Mr. Dele Alake, speaking on behalf of the government team, stated inter alia: “Mr. President called for a meeting of the Government and the Labour … there would be interventions … we are not calling it palliatives … so that the impact on the poorest of the poor will be minimal.” (sic) Good thinking, it sounds? In clear and concise context, how will “the poorest of the poor” be identified and impacted to cushion the immediate hardship on these followers?

Read Also: Kyari: subsidy removed to stop Nigeria from bankruptcy

Sagacious Strategic Steps

It is reassuring that the Federal Government had commenced talks with labour. How about the marketers? As at the time of going to the press, this columnist has not seen or read anything pertaining to that. Marketers are major stakeholders in this subsidy issue. Transparency should be core and crucial in the government dealing with all stakeholders particularly the ordinary man and woman on the street. To this end, there is the need to educate and enlighten followers of the nitty gritty of oil subsidy. There are still many followers within the context of Nigeria’s polity that are still ill-informed and ignorant as per the subject of subsidy, even among we elites, talk less of non-elites. Pertinent questions need to be asked and answered, such as: What is oil subsidy? Do we need to continue or cease funding subsidizing oil to citizens? Going down historical lanes, how much had been expended and to what benefits? How benefitting to the socio-economic and political well-being of Nigeria is funding subsidy? To this end, this column is proposing a Taskforce or Ad-hoc Committee on Oil Subsidy as a show of transparency and accountability on the part of the government. It would be recalled that the President in his in inaugural speech declared that henceforth after the end of the subsidy regime, funds hitherto expended on oil subsidy will be funneled to critical areas of the economy such as public infrastructures, education, health care and jobs for the teeming followers.

Concluding Comments

Conclusively, it is high time the Federal Government came out with succinct strategic actionable plans laced with human milk of kindness, that will seemingly or seamlessly be easy in operationalizing the removal of oil subsidy that many discerning Nigerians perceived as a stubborn scam perpetrated by certain corrupt government officials in cahoots with marketers to the detriment of the economic well-being of Nigeria. In two circulated video clips that have virtually gone viral on the social media, the duo of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria) and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (erstwhile Minister of Finance) lampooned the retention of subsidy regime and advocated for its removal without blinking as failure to go this route may bleed the economy to death!

In his own experience and encounter, Lamido was not mincing words talking about removal of subsidy when he equated the age long practice of funding subsidy as entrenching corruption. He stated inter alia, “… we talk about corruption, but corruption thrives on opportunities we create for people to be corrupt, and we need to shut up those opportunities …” Oil subsidy removal is a tangible tipping point in closing one of those nauseating taps of illicit flow. In her own submission, having overseen Nigeria finance portfolio under two presidents, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, painted a gory picture of the scam with just 143 marketers taking Nigeria by the jugular. She surmised the severity of the scam squarely thus: “Nigeria has a fiscally challenging fuel subsidy regime… and provides subsidy for the sales of refined oil at the pump. At the end of 2011, a total of 1.73 trillion Naira or 11 billion US Dollars equivalent was submitted as claims for subsidies by 143 marketers who were importing the product. These numbers seemed horrendously large … So, we decided to audit these claims … we audited about US$8.4 billion worth of claims and we found US$2.5 billion worth of fraud in these claims i.e., many of these marketers claimed US$2.5 million fraudulently …(sic)” – Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, erstwhile Finance Minister of Nigeria. In the second part of this piece, attention will shift to matters dealing with production, refining, supply, marketing and governmental intervention expected by followers to cushion the immediate hardship on followers within the polity. Please, dear esteemed readers, do keep a date with the “Followership Challenge” next Sunday. Meanwhile, I treasure your valuable feedback on the way forward on the issue of oil subsidy. Thankful.

•John Ekundayo, can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

“If India cannot feed herself, let India starve. If India cannot clothe herself, let India go naked.” – Mahatma Ghandi

There is no gainsaying the gamut of gargantuan matters of national importance that will welcome the President into office come 29th May 2023. There are seeming scary statistics of unsettling unemployment, hydra-headed hyperinflation, debilitating debt burden, devastating debt serving, regressing revenue, incessant insecurity, harrowing hunger, pervading poverty, cantankerous corruption in both high and low places, lackadaisical leadership leaning, wanton wastage, persistent pillage of public patrimony, etc. Candidly speaking, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown as these gory and gloomy statistics will stare the President in the face right from the first day in office. By then, in matters of hours from the time this piece will be in the public domain, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, will see clearly as day is to night the difference in the facts and figures presented to him by the Presidential Transition Council (PTC) and the real resonating matters of the moment confronting his government. Undoubtedly, the first few months will depict and describe the leadership savviness and sagacity, if any, of the man in the saddle to steer the ship of state out of the seeming squalor to a safe haven that many Nigerians, most especially we followers that braced all hordes of opposition and adversity to vote for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the 25th February 2023 presidential election. Are Nigerians anxiously angling for a turnaround – a kind of the biblical manna from heaven from the table of the president? Will they exercise patience for things to get better knowing that President Muhammadu Buhari pleaded for sacrifice and patience, which Nigerians gladly offered believing that things would turn around for good? Alas, it was unfortunate that in scoring security of lives and properties vis-à-vis fiscal and economic matters, his government, candidly, without missing words, failed the followers! Will Tinubu do things differently, in sync with the expectations of many followers, to terminate tangible troublous trails, and doing so within the nick of time?

 Terminating Troublous Trails

Of recent, this column writing under the topic: “TINUBU: Tingling Transition Titbits” succinctly and saliently stated, inter alia, ‘the coming days are in sync with a moniker made popular by the title of one of the treatises of Ronald Heifetz, one of the world’s famous authorities in the practice and teaching of leadership, which says: “leadership without easy answers”’ In tune with this leaning, the coming months, especially within 2023, will greatly signpost the quality, quantum and quick-witted nature of decision making that will signal and separate the Tinubu’s presidency from the ones followers in Nigeria are wont and wired to. Will it be tagged or termed clueless, epileptic, lacklustre, non-performing, outlandish, transactional, transformative, exemplary, servant, strategic, etc. Sure, Nigerians are adept and adroit in fixing appropriate cliché to any government measured by the way they gauge the government seeming interventions in the citizens’ wellness and welfare – positively proactive or pathetically passive! It is with this backdrop that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should, without minding whose ox is gored, resolutely terminate certain endemic troublous traits that trailed past governments and truncated their achieving apparent set targets. It is in the President’s best interest to sway to the sides of Nigerians rather than a few unpatriotic ones who are ready to keep lining their pockets whilst Nigeria abysmally goes down! The following points are worth ruminating and reflecting upon in the coming days even as the President wants to hit the ground running:

1.      Incessant insecurity: to be topmost on his list. He, as the Commander-in-Chief, should terminate the wanton and reckless killings of Nigerians going on especially in the north west, north east and north central. In addition, kidnapping should no longer be treated with kid gloves anywhere in the country. Our laws should be strengthened and enforced. In the government of President Buhari, it was seemingly a different law for a particular tribe and another for other Nigerians! President Tinubu should be candidly decisive in matters of policing, judiciary and deployment of the armed forces to arrest wanton destruction of lives and properties pervading some sections of the country. In the same vein, the south east insurrection or insurgence must be arrested through conscious and consistent dialogue and intelligence gathering. This should be paramount as he wanted to be president of all.

2.      Within the nick of time, appointments should be made into offices to engender all round development even as he had promised a government of national competence. In this line of thought, round pegs should be in round holes. Men and women of credibility, competence, capability and capacity from all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria should be appointed into positions. This will engender quality input into governance which will definitely impact developmental strides in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government. Going the same route, square pegs should be inserted in square holes regarding appointments into the armed forces and para-military (police, immigration, custom service, immigration service, civil defense and correctional service). Major appointments should be backed up with a contractual performance bond stipulating terms and conditions of continuation and exit from service. There should be “no cumbering the ground” without producing fruit or deliverables.

3.      Oil pilfering should be dealt with decisively with the government declaring open war against it! It is high time the government of the day prosecuted all erring officials involved in oil theft and illegal deals as these are punishable economic crimes. In the same vein, President Tinubu should tinker with his team on the possibility of selling the country’s hemorrhaging refineries that had refused all kinds of medicines over the decades. It is in this light that holistic policy should be taken on all national assets of monumental value rotting away such as the dilapidated Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi, Lagos. It is needful to state that the Federal Government should invest more into gas exploitation, distribution and exportation. Nigeria is replete with large deposits and the market is humongous! Therefore, a set time, to be strictly enforced, should be set against gas flaring!! It is tantamount to setting national assets on fire. It should no longer be condoned.

Read Also : Tinubu urged to focus on insecurity, human capital development

4.      Lackadaisical or laidback leaning to agribusiness should be terminated at the federal and state levels. The Federal government should encourage and partner with proactive state governments in the numerous value chains in crop and animal husbandry that will galvanize into industrialization. Malaysia, New Zealand and India are eye openers! Simply and square stated, Nigeria must within two years of Tinubu’s presidency be able to feed herself and export some items. This is in sync with the stand and stake of Mahatma Ghandi who once pontificated: “If India cannot feed herself. let India starve. If India cannot clothe herself, let India go naked.” Nigeria should follow suit! There should be no more paying lip service to agribusiness!!

5.      It is high time the list of items imported to Nigeria were revised with the mantra of “whatever we can produce, we will not import!” This is one policy to enhance our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and shore up the value of the Naira – the local currency. To show seriousness, the government should come up with a list immediately while setting a time frame for some of the items to be banned from importation. This is to commend the ban on foreign rice by the President Buhari administration. It boosted local production. Howbeit, there was not much intervention in the development of the rice value chain within Nigeria’s context.

6.      The President should commence revisiting the Oronsaye’s Report to checkmate wastage of scarce resources competing to meet citizens’ or followers’ yearnings and leanings. In this direction, a comprehensive audit to be digitally conducted should be carried out akin to what was done in Lagos at the inception of Tinubu as the then Governor. There is also the need to carry out a need assessment of cadres of government officials service-wide to decipher whether officials need to be moved from one location to the other instead of hiring. The President must know that while some followers will be harping on the need for the government to employ more citizens, the naked truth is that the elites are more of the opinion that the public service is overbloated! The wisest thing is to impart more vocational and digital skills to the bulging youths to fend for themselves and later become employers of labour. To this end, it is high time curricula were altered to allow inculcation of these skills in our educational institutions. In addition, the more investment in the value chain of agribusiness and infrastructure, the more people will be engaged or employed.

7.      It is equally vital for the Tinubu presidency to arrest the ugly rot of budget indiscipline at the federal level. This columnist was a facilitator in a 3-Day capacity building budget monitoring programme organized by the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) early 2021. The Director General, Mr., Ben Akabueze, at a point was in angst against the system wondering why the federal government cannot learn from a subnational in budget performance. Yours sincerely was there to showcase the Lagos case study that he pioneered under the then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget. It is imperative that the President must pay attention to effective Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) in the running of his administration to decipher: “what works; what doesn’t work; and why it doesn’t work.” This will repose the confidence of international financial organizations and development partners in his government. Moreover, recently Akabueze was bemoaning the parlous state of our debilitating debt. The President should put his searchlight on this promptly as a financial engineer and strategist that he is. He may need to come up with a half year budget review or supplementary budget as early as July 2023 if his government will not exacerbate the deplorable debt situation whilst attempting to make an impact in governance. How can one make noticeable developmental strides when one Recurrent Expenditure is in the region of about 70% while the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) is hovering around 30% of a country’s annual budget? This troublous trail should be terminated with robust and rigorous fiscal discipline.

8.      The abolition of the parallel market or black market was one of the campaign promises of the President. Making it happen within 30 days of his administration will be laudable. It has enriched few highly connected citizens without production of goods or services. Hence, no increase in GDP! It is therefore imperative for the government to harp on production of goods and services at all sectors to shore up the value of the Naira whilst increasing our oil and gas production, processing and exportation. The Dangote Refinery must not be under supplied with the required input of crude oil. There should be consistency in supply as well. To make this happen there should be a revving up of oil production and simultaneously keeping at bay oil thieves in the oil producing areas of the country.

Conclusively, as the President’s eyes cannot be everywhere, it cannot be gainsaid that he needs, eschewing puerile, pedestrian or partisan preference, patriotic, credible and capable men and women who know their onions as leaders in their own right who can champion his campaign promises and turn them into well-articulated policies, programmes, and projects that resonate with the longings, leanings and yearnings of the followers, most especially we followers who were at the forefront of the vanguard for his election vouching to naysayers that with his profile and pedigree in Lagos, he would not disappoint at the centre as the President. We are watching and waiting as the hand of the clock ticks!

John Ekundayo, Ph.D. – Harvard-Certified Leadership Strategist, and also a Development Consultant, can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

“My commitment to Ekiti: I cannot afford to fail … I don’t want to fail. We have to seize the opportunity … I don’t want Ekiti people to turn round and hate us – impact must be made in Ekiti. My desire is to be a Governor of all … “– John Ekundayo, in tete-a-tete with the Governor Elect, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, 30th June 2022, Lagos, Nigeria. “Remember this: You are the benchmark of your success – you define it. Don’t let anyone else define it because if you do, you will fail. Appreciate those who support you and challenge those who don’t.” – Martina Navratilova

Funnily but factually, this week edition will be commencing with an episode exemplifying an epithet that took place in a survey engineering class in the Civil Engineering Department of the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Nigeria in the early eighties. What was the epithet about? It was referred to as a ‘local attraction’. It was during the class and practice of compass surveying. Actually, local attraction is a phenomenon describing the deviation of the magnetic needle from the true magnetic north due to the presence, within the precincts of electric wires, steels rails, iron buildings, steel tapes and other magnetic materials; some, possibly, hidden under the earth. Going out to the field to carrying out our practical surveying, students, due to our youthful rascality soon ascribed local attraction to the sight of beautiful ladies within the precincts of surveying. One will start hearing; I could have got the accurate survey if not because of too much “local attraction”! What has this moniker or sobriquet got to do with this week’s edition of the “Followership Challenge”? It is significant because just as the true north in compass surveying is analogous to right direction to meeting target in fulfilling the overarching objective or arriving at your goal, so is benchmarking. What depicts a benchmark? In engineering survey, the term benchmark originally comes from the chiseled horizontal marks that surveyors created within certain stone structures within the precincts of surveying, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a “bench” for a leveling staff, thus ensuring that a leveling staff could be accurately repositioned in the same place in the future. In essence, the main objective of benchmarking is to create new methods or improve current processes to meet another higher standard; it is therefore not a one-time effort but a continuous process improvement encompassing gleaning and learning from the best organizations and institutions. In the light of this, leaders who benchmark their performance, look for inspiration and guidance from the best. In developmental terms, this is the germane nugget behind benchmarking in organizations and governments.

Ab initio, this piece started with an anecdote fixating on local attraction. How does it relate with benchmarking? One globally acknowledged giant in the game of tennis, Martina Navratilova, was emboldened and emphatic in her stand and stake, not minding whose ox was gored, when she vociferously opinionated thus: “Remember this: You are the benchmark of your success – you define it. Don’t let anyone else define it because if you do, you will fail. Appreciate those who support you and challenge those who don’t.” Candidly, one is the real benchmark or gauge or basis of one’s success or achievement in life as one has the onerous duty of defining, depicting. demonstrating and describing it. To Navratilova, one sign of failure in one’s life assignment is allowing others to define your benchmark for you. Navratilova, however, was of the view that mentors and coaches who supported you should be appreciated whilst those who see nothing good in your outing should be stunned and silenced with your performance! This is also in sync with the Holy Writ. The ancient Book states: “… but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (2 Cor 10 verse 12b). This columnist once served under a leader that would not want to hear that you have done your best. To him, you must beat your best in performance!

Benchmarking BAO’s Best

“Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has charged people of the state to stop comparing his administration with that of his predecessor, Kayode Fayemi. Oyebanji described the comparison as inappropriate and absolutely unfair in all its measures, saying he doesn’t feel good about the comparison.” -Nation, 13th May 2023.

This columnist was part of the stakeholders present at the epoch-making event of the 200 Days in office of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (aka BAO). The KOMT Hall, Ido Ekiti, venue of the stakeholders’ summit was overflowing with major stakeholders from all over Ekiti making the event resplendent with pomp and pageantry. Governor Biodun Oyebanji was both ecstatic and elated reeling out, albeit in humble mien, the report card of his administration alluding, inter alia, that Ekitikete sent him on an errand since they voted him as their chief servant on June 18th 2022. However, he was emotionally emphatic that social media crusaders and campaigners should stop comparing him with the erstwhile Governor John Kayode Fayemi who claimed is his revered leader. Even in 4-legged relay race, each runner has unique style of running his race; hence political jobbers and rabble rousers should stop comparing Oyebanji to Fayemi or Adebayo or Fayose. BAO should be allowed to run his own race, and in his own pace! This columnist will want to let BAO know, and be always reminded, that he is the only one competing with himself. In real terms, he should be prepared, in the next 100 days (reporting time table chosen by him), to better or beat his performance of 200 days in office across the 6 Strategic Actionable Pillars (SAP) stated in his social contract with Ekitikete (manifesto). Simply and squarely stated, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) is in a race with himself!

It will be recalled that BAO campaigned statewide declaring vehemently his 6 Strategic Actionable Pillars: (1) Youth Development and Job Creation; (2) Human Capital Development; (3) Agriculture and Rural Development; (4) Infrastructure and Industrialization; (5) Tourism, Arts and Culture; and (6) Governance. The state helmsman reeled out contents of his report card to the ecstatic stakeholders. Highlights of the pillar-by-pillar presentation depicted up to N31 Billion had already been paid out in form of salaries, pensions and gratuities to deserving beneficiaries from October 2022 till April 2023. On record, as part of the social investment scheme of the BAO’s administration, it was on record that 1,950 beneficiaries are receiving ten thousand Naira (N10,000) monthly as stipends. All these steps were taken to strategically, in the word of the man in the saddle, reflate the Ekiti economy. In all, BAO promised to build strong and virile institutions.  

Muttering Missing Matters

In the spirit and letter of BAO bettering his benchmark, Ekiti is adjudged the safest state in Nigeria; expectedly should be an attractive destination for investors and holiday makers even as Ikogosi Warm Resort is agog with modern facilities presently. The roads linking the resort are being upgraded and the tourist spot is soon to be linked with the national grid – possibly within the next 60 days! Cheering news!! However, in the report card of Oyebanji, little was said or stated regarding security. It is on record that within the last 3 months to the event, few infractions had been witnessed in Ekiti; kudos to proactive measures of intelligence gathering and operation of the Amotekun Corps and the Nigeria Police working synergically. Albeit, more still needs be done to completely cripple and checkmate insecurity especially and specifically within the border communities of Ekiti. In this vein, the citizens, Ekitikete, needs be reminded, just like Singaporeans were once reminded by their government, that incidence of “Low Crime Does Not Mean No Crime”. Going this route, all traditional rulers, community leaders and Ekitikete should be sensitized about security issues and relate well with security officials to avoid unnecessary impasse. In addition, it was emotional and exciting hearing BAO speaking about the role of the cooperative society her mother belonged to in ensuring his foray into tertiary education. However, conspicuously missing was the mention of cooperative farming in Ekiti. My late father lived and died in Ido Ekiti; before his demise at the age of 103. He did not benefit from any governmental support all the years of his tedious farming; likewise, many of his colleagues of that era. Moreover, this columnist will want to propose, if not already in the pipeline, an Agribusiness Summit, to possibly happen between August and October 2023 to precede the next planting. In addition, one of the giant steps taken by BAO was the recruitment of 1,300 teachers into the state’s primary schools whilst another 500 will soon be recruited into secondary schools in the state. However, there is pointy question to be asked: was there a Need Assessment (NA) study prior to this recruitment? Conducting a NA will depict where there are overcrowding of teachers, locations of dearth of teachers, factors favouring migrating to urban or rural areas, strength of teachers, cerebral acumen of teaching workforce, etc. Hence, there is the need to carry out NA before the proposed recruitment of 500 secondary school teachers, if one has not been done already.

Read Also: Stop comparing me with Fayemi, Oyebanji tells Ekiti people

Concluding Comments

Equally cheering to the ears was the news of the Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres in all the 177 Wards in the state receiving an upgrade support of N4 million within the near future. If, and when, this is accomplished, health care will come nearer the people as health is wealth. This step will lesson the burden on the general and teaching hospitals in the state. Presently, one after the other, the General Hospitals in the state are receiving a phase lift. Moreover, curricula of both primary and secondary education will soon be revamped. The next 100 Days should be decisive and definitive on this as the new session takes off in September 2023. It is useful to reiterate the need to introduce vocational and digital skills into both primary and secondary education in order to make graduates master of at least one skill useful to the society even if not going further to polytechnic or university thereafter. It was elating hearing that in regard of Youth Development and Job Creation, a whopping 80 million dollars support is on the way for Ekiti and some other states in Nigeria with a view of turning the intellect of these youths to capital. In addition, the Ekiti Sport Commission Bill is almost on its way to the Ekiti State House of Assembly (EKHA). The next stakeholders’ summit will hold in Ekiti South Senatorial District marking Oyebanji’s 300 Days in office – just 65 days short of a year in the saddle! How time flies? It is instructive for the organizer to take cognizance that the summit is owned by the stakeholders. Hence, it is imperative for them to be allotted ample time to comment, critique and question government’s interventions. Going forward, the people recognized to speak should be randomly picked so as to receive genuine feedback from the stakeholders. In fact, next time, the Governor should feel free to even beckon on few individuals not picked by the moderator; this would go a long way in adding fun and bonding with the constituents.  

 In surmising this piece, unknown to many, BAO before assuming the mantle of statesmanship on 16th October 2022, had rolled up his sleeves to serve with a difference. This columnist in a tete-a-tete with Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO), on 30th June 2022, before he was sworn in as the Governor of Ekiti, exuded so much charisma, courage and confidence as he succinctly and saliently stated: “My commitment to Ekiti: I cannot afford to fail … I don’t want to fail. We have to seize the opportunity … I don’t want Ekiti people to turn round and hate us – impact must be made in Ekiti. My desire is to be a Governor of all …” All said and done, benchmarking him against any mentor, coach or teacher is unfair and upsetting to his person, pedigree, profile, placement and position. Even in Biblical parlance, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind fed 5,000 people, excluding women and children, but it was his once timid mentee or protégé, Peter, who after receiving the baptism of fire, preached a single sermon in a day that attracted a whopping 5,000 converts. Unprecedented! It was a new record!! Did not the master and leader say, “greater works than these shall he do?” (John 14 verse 12). Breaking it down, does doing greater works tantamount to the protégé greater than the principal? Definitely, not so. Please, let BAO be BAO whilst he should strive to surpass his best! Ekitkete do not expect anything less!!

John Ekundayo, Ph.D. – Harvard-Certified Leadership Strategist, and also a Development Consultant, can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

Come 29th May 2023, there will be several inaugurations of Governors, either as new helmsmen, commencing first term in office or being sworn in for another term of four years. This will be happening all over the length and breadth of Nigeria. Particularly, interesting and intriguing to this columnist as well as many followers in the polity, is the inauguration of the de facto President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The President Elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, having constituted his transition committee and recently returned from his deserved rest and retreat in France, is gearing up, with his party chieftains and the incumbent government, working hands in gloves for a smooth and successful transition of power.  The followers constituting the bulk of the electorate are yearning and longing for real, concrete and tangible impact of governance that most of them want to see, feel, touch and embrace as the country’s economy is eclipsing, security situation is becoming scary, and political projection of our future as pseudo-federal contraption is contemptible. “Which way Nigeria? Which way to go?”, sang sonorously Sunny Okosun, the Ozzidi musical legend who saw tomorrow in one of his famous lyrics that was released four decades ago – precisely, February 2023! Gleefully and gratifying to observe from the opening page of the “Renewed Hope 2023: Action Plan for a Better Nigeria”, the President Elect, assuring Nigerians of fresh breath of air, succinctly and saliently states: “Our party, the All Progressives Congress, was founded on the premise that people of our beloved country are entitled to the benefits that only progressive good governance can procure.” Pondering and pandering to the content of these statements, it is seemingly in sync with the “Athenian Oath”, adjudged universally as a modicum, moniker and mantra of responsible leadership. It was stated in the last edition of the “Followership Challenge”, and will be rehashed or reiterated here for emphasis. In the old Greece, in the city of Athens, upon the attainment of the age of 17, certain youths took upon themselves to behave ethically and ergonomically by declaring, inter alia: “. . . thus in all ways, we will transmit this City, not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us” (Athenian Oath). Howbeit, as the saying goes: the proof of the pudding is in the eating, the followers will want to hope, with the firm faith that their hope will not be dashed, trusting that the “Renewed Hope 2023: Action Plan for a Better Nigeria” will not be another paper tiger that will over time gather dust on the shelf as others well-crafted documents of past administrations. It is instructive to note that Nigeria is not a stranger to good plans laced with great initiatives and innovations. However, implementation or execution has always been the bane!
Mimicking Malaysia
In the last edition of this column, readers were promised more depictions of the agribusiness in Malaysia and its concomitant impact on the industrial development of that country. Aggressive oil palm plantation was discussed in last week’s piece to the extent that Malaysia, exploiting research and development, is now producing diesel from processed palm oil. Moreover, there are other derivatives of palm oil such as Palm Kernel, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Fruit Oil, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Kernelate, etc. which are useful and valuable in cosmetics, food and beverages industries in Malaysia; and some are exported to other countries earning foreign exchange for the country and engaging many citizens in gainful employment. Moreover, in a seeming subterranean manner, the earlier investors in oil palm plantations are reaping hugely from estate development in Malaysia. How? Those investors, who purposely purchased plots for oil palm plantation or whose families’ owned acreages near suburbans are now being approached by estate developers to partner with them in the form of exchanging their plots for housing estate development. Many of them are acquiescing to these lucrative luring whilst migrating further into the rural areas to pile their oil palm trade or better still shift to neighbouring Indonesia where land and labour are very cheap.
This columnist departed Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2012 having completed his PhD research. It is remarkable to point out that as far back as 2010, while on a journey by road to Singapore, it was observed that oil plantations lining most of both sides of the highway were interspersed with local cattle ranches housing like 10 or 15 cattle. Hitherto, Malaysia’s oil palm farmers were not exposed to this trend! Any lessons for Nigeria here? What is stopping any state in Nigeria – north or south – from investing in cattle ranching or empowering local farmers in investing in ranching, herding of goats, breeding of fish ponds, etc.? Apart from oil palm, is it not possible and plausible for state governments, backed with the federal government support, to invest in the value-laden chain of cashew, cocoa, groundnut, rice, cassava, maize, etc? In addition, it has been guesstimated that between 30 – 50% of post-harvest losses are recorded annually of grains, fruits, vegetables and other food crops. This is sad in a country where we cannot feed ourselves adequately. In reminiscence, Malaysia preserves with a cheap technology mostly all harvested and imported agricultural products in such a way that you eat corn or potato or any fruit or vegetable all seasons of the year, whilst maintaining the taste and freshness. This was my experience and that of my wife while sojourning in both Asian countries of Singapore and Malaysia. Coming home, we can curry investors in this area to preserve these humongous losses whilst increasing our GDP and encouraging local farmers to produce more. It is expected that the incoming Tinubu – Shettima administration will make its words to be its bond as enshrined in the “Renewed Hope 2023: Action Plan for a Better Nigeria” thus: “… we shall also work with State and Local Governments (through the establishment of another incentive-based Federal Government funding program) to construct fresh produce storage facilities in major marketplaces of major cities and towns to minimise waste and better preserve perishable food items …”
Equally, it is vital to intimate the state governments with the dire need of proactive and aggressive investment in human capital development to stem the twin evils of insecurity and poverty. In this vein, there should be real and tangible inculcation of vocational and digital skill (VDS) among the populace, specifically the bulging youth population. To this end, primary and secondary school curricula should be moderated to allow for VDS development such that secondary school leavers could be engaged upon leaving school. The days of white-collar jobs in government offices are gone! It is high time the government initiated a strategic plan to stem the ever-increasing rate of unemployment in Nigeria before it consumes the whole country despite whopping spendings on security and defense as idle hands are the devil’s workshop!
Conclusion
Surmising all the aforementioned, it is imperative for the incoming government, both at the centre and state levels, to initiate an effective monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) system to track achievements against targets in all sectors, specifically in agribusiness if the “Renewed Hope” will not become a ruse taking cognizance of past governments great intentions of genuine interventions. For instance, Malaysia, for anyone interested can click on Google: “NKRA Malaysia” (standing for “National Key Results Areas”), with the prime premise: “People First, Performance Now”. NKRA allows citizens and others across the world to see, in a transparent manner, what are the priority areas (Dashboard) of government’s interventions. In this vein, it is instructive for the Tinubu – Shettima administration to adopt or adapt a sort of a dashboard to be monitored by a Special Adviser reporting directly to the president on key areas of delivery, even as the President Elect had saliently and succinctly stated that he would be heading a government of national competence. Heading this direction, it is imperative that a strong team will be constituted or outsourced to distil the points in the Renewed Hope 2023 to strategic actionable plans with key performance indicators (KPIs). The latter – KPIs – should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound (SMART). In essence, at any point, followers will be able to follow and flow along with the government on performance in an accountable and transparent manner to the constituents and beneficiaries the governments, state and federal, are meant to serve. This columnist will consequently advocate, ab initio, a week’s retreat for all appointed ministers and special advisers. In it, the helmsmen, governors and president, will intimate them with a template of performance, failure to shape up, may result in being shipped out! Furthermore, a quarterly Retreat for Ministers and PS is recommended to ensure all appointees focus on deliverables with resources allocated and in tune with Renewed Hope agenda. For example, an excerpt from Renewed Hope 2023 states thus: “Historically, Nigeria has been an agricultural nation. Even today, a little less than half the people live in rural communities, earning their livelihoods from the soil and, in the process, helping to feed the nation. However, only 35% of arable land in Nigeria is presently cultivated. Our target shall be to increase this number to 65% in four years.” How can the federal government up the ante from 35% to 65% within 4 years in Nigeria? If this will be achieved, then, it calls for actionable steps: quarterly, biannually, and annually tracked and reported; eventually, it will add up and may even surpass the target of 65%. It is doable! However, the governments – federal and state – must put their monies where their mouths are munching!!
 
•John Ekundayo, can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

The Athenian Oath: “. . . thus in all ways, we will transmit this City, not
only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.”

Having spent about four years working and studying in Singapore, this columnist was dreaming and desiring sojourning in the beautiful country of the Kiwis, New Zealand. At the conclusion of my master’s degree in Singapore (though I studied in an Australian university, Monash, whilst residing in Singapore), the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand offered yours sincerely admission to study for a PhD in Management. Alas, my visa application was turned down by Immigration New Zealand despite paying my full fees to the institution and having my first son, Samuel Ekundayo, already enrolled for his own PhD in New Zealand! This is part of the angst and albatross of carrying Nigeria’s passport!! Howbeit, it was unknown to me this would turn out to be a case of all things working together for my good. I was intuitively in tune to seek admission for my doctoral research studies in Malaysia. I was offered admission to conduct my PhD research studies in Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK), Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia. It was not accidental that my supervisor was not only curious about my research proposal and topic, he told me pointblank, at the first meeting, that my topic was archaic to modern leadership studies. Yours sincerely was aghast! He went further to inform me that I was free to switch to another supervisor anytime. I left his office resolutely refusing to switch him for another supervisor in the university. One day I went to meet him in his office, and I engaged him by asking if he was to counsel an intending applicant for doctoral research in leadership studies, what are the likely themes or topics? He sat up and straightly gazed at me. He started reeling out such topics as: transformational leadership, servant leadership, strategic leadership, followership, etc. I headed for the university library and started surfing the shelves, and ultimately, laid my hand on a newly published book written by a Harvard professor, Professor Barbara Kellerman. It was a classic treatise on followership laced with case studies globally. I could not put the book down until I consumed the entire content, and was in love with followership, an emerging and evolving topic in leadership studies. I went back to meet my supervisor, Professor Khairuddin Damhoeri. informing him that I would be going all out for followership studies for my doctoral research. Surprisingly, he got up from his seat and reached for my hand in a warm handshake Thereafter, he made certain declarations, more or less prophetic! I was amazed: he being a Muslim whilst I am a Christian. Till date, almost all the utterance of that day has come to pass. Ultimately, it was record breaking experience in the Graduate School of Business, UNIRAZAK, KL, Malaysia as yours sincerely completed his PhD research study within 3 years; there was a mutual understanding between Damhoeri and myself that he confessed to me that his colleagues were of the opinion he should not let me go so early to which he pointedly and promptly posited that yours sincerely had adhered to all his directions and dictates. In essence, there was no holding back to my being awarded my PhD with a time span of two years and ten months!

Lessons Learnt

In the emerging field of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), of which this columnist is a budding practitioner, scholar and author, there is a monicker referred to as “lessons learnt”. In essence, systematically, lessons learnt can be surmised or summed up as: what works; what does not work; why it does nor work. In my mission to Malaysia, it was not just to conduct a PhD research study in followership studies cum servant leadership but to learn and glean as an exemplary and courageous follower. In that society where I studied and resided for three years, there were certain crucial tangibles that are worth adopting or adapting, as the case may be, within Nigeria’s context. It was unsettling and upsetting rehashing in the ears of the present day digitally inclined youthful Nigerians that Malaysians came to Nigeria and having been tutored about the economic gain of the oil palm seed whilst in Nigeria, went back gleefully to their country with some of the seeds and today, Malaysia is the 2nd best palm oil producer globally. Looking at it from another perspective, Malaysians are the No. 1 palm oil producer in the world today! How? Many years ago, Malaysia, having observed keenly that land and labour were (are still) cheaper in Indonesia (neighbouring country), decided to heavily invest in humongous oil palm plantations in Indonesia. Wisdom. Reading the supposed frustration and angst in the lines penned down by Tunji Adegboyega in the Nation (Sunday) of 9th April 2023, he highlighted thus: “sweeter than crude: food for thought for incoming government: Nigeria’s abandoned palm oil sells for $600 per barrel.” Presently, this is far greater than the current global price of crude oil. In my own field experience in Malaysia, accompanied by my wife, a Malaysian volunteered to drive us from KL to oil palm plantations within Malaysia. It was both enlightening and educating seeing oil palm seedlings in nursery beds; witnessing ones that had been transplanted from nursery to the plantation; and finally, ones that had matured with fruits on top. Most memorably sweet was the species that we were told originated from a professor in Indonesia that could mature to fruiting in 24 months (2 years)! Yes, I and my wife witnessed these special species bearing up to 4 to 6 fruits on one oil palm tree at once! Moreover, a tree could produce these same sets of fruits twice per year! Furthermore, the oil palm seeds (kernels) in this special species are smaller resulting in production of more palm oil than the old species that takes upward of 4 years to fruiting. Poser: What stops Nigeria from replicating this in virtually all the southern states in Nigeria? I know that many would argue in line with old agriculture theories that are atavistic and archaic to modernity. In further research, this columnist discovered that Malaysia invested a lot in research and development (R & D) in oil palm production to the extent of ensuring that up to 70% of arable land in Malaysia has oil palm on it. This feat was achieved through the application of a special fertilizer applied to the soil from one district to the other to ensure oil palm seeds flourish unhindered. This can be adopted in the context of Nigeria’s southern states.

There are more to garner and gather in the oil palm value chain anywhere in the world. Malaysia and Indonesia are maximally tapping into these vast and veritable vaults. For instance, it was a government policy not to sell palm oil in the open market in Malaysia. The crude palm oil is processed further into refined palm oil just like crude oil is refined to petrol, diesel, kerosene, etc. It is a pity that Nigerians elatedly buy the ‘King Brand’ oil as vegetable oil (called ‘ororo’ in local Lagos parlance). Candidly, it is a refined (bleached) palm oil derivative of Malaysia imported to Nigeria. It is high time we woke up from the sore slumber that the crude ‘oil doom’ had subjected us to. In addition, biodiesel has been a by-product of oil palm in Malaysia and as far as 2019; the production of biodiesel was forecasted to reach a whopping 1.56 billion litres (Ref: https://www.malaysiakini.com/knowmypalmoil/485070). Imagine Nigeria obtaining diesel from oil palm production and processing taking cognizance of the present market price of diesel and the demand for the product locally. In the second part of this series, there will be more to write on the impact of agro-allied resulting in industrialization in Malaysia. This has further boosted the socio-economic outlook of the Asian country and endeared the rural and semi-urban dwellers to the government of the day as mass urban migration is not popular in Malaysia. My PhD supervisor, Professor Damhoeri, who once consulted for the Prime Minister’s Office, intimated me with these details whilst showing me some statistics bordering on demographics vis-à-vis direction of voting in elections on his desktop as far back as 2011. This is one key reason for the inability or difficulty of the opponents to record victory over the ruling party in any national election from the heydays of Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (Dr. M), 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia, who is referred to as “Father of Modernisation” by his teeming admirers and adherents.

Conclusion

Interestingly and intriguingly, Nigeria will be entering into an exciting phase come 29th May 2023 as the country will usher him a new president, in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the erstwhile Governor of Lagos State. He has vehemently and vividly pointed the way to a government of national competence. If his antecedent and pedigree whilst serving in Lagos State many years back will be anything to reckon with, Nigerians may be in for a surprise as to the composition, capacity and cerebral acumen of his team for the towering and titanic task of tilting the scale proactively and positively, thus ensuring steering the ship of state out of economic eclipse, political pillory and security scare that she is enmeshed in presently. In this vein, it is useful to remind the leaders that will be mounting the saddles in the executive, legislature and judiciary at the federal and state levels, of the epochal incident that occurred in ancient Athens, Greece about 2,000 years ago. The Greeks, even in biblical times, were renowned for wisdom. Historically, the young people of old Athens, Greece upon attainment of 17 years of age, would take the Athenian Oath as a mantra mandating commitment to civic responsibility and decorum. Accordingly, the outcome was a positive impact in the society that culminated in leaders across the world acquiescing to the lines of the oath as a measure of probity, transparency and accountability in public office in any clan, county, community and country. Remarkably, of the lines of the Athenian Oath, the one frequently quoted is: “. . . thus in all ways, we will transmit this City, not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.” {Ref: Organizational Assessment and Improvement In The Public Sector (American Society for Public Administration Series in Public Administration and Public Policy), authored by Kathleen M. Immordino, PhD, p. 78}. Any implication for Nigeria nascent democracy taking cognizance of the lines of this ancient oath? Time will tell, particularly, as followers watch for the steps of the incoming president. Will he exhibit and exemplify expected reflexes in good governance that will ensure that Nigeria is better than when he took over, six months or one year from now? Will a typical follower, within Nigeria’s context, be able to feel, see, touch and embrace the desired transformational change he or she longs for?

•Ekundayo, can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” – Albert Einstein “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” – Winston Churchill

Francis Bacon, English philosopher and statesman, once pointedly pontificated thus: “reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.” To some scholars, words scripted seemingly convey greater value than words vocalized; and equally, habitual reading nourishes the intellect and nurtures the reader’s imagination. In the year 2012, the trio of Sam Omatseye, Tunji Bello and Segun Ayobolu – ace writers and journalists, edited a book specifically on Tinubu’s leadership acumen in troubled times as exemplified and amplified in the Lagos context. In relevance to the topic of this edition of the “Followership Challenge”, this column will be quoting copiously pertinent and salient portions authored by celebrated columnist, Segun Ayobolu, in that treatise on Tinubu. Here it goes:

“Becoming the Governor of Lagos State after close to two decades of military dictatorship afforded Tinubu the opportunity to actualize his vision for the transformation of the state and the commencement of the radical modernization of its decayed infrastructure. The steps he took towards the systematic realization of his vision offer graphic lessons for students of leadership and those involved in engineering organizational change at all levels…they include the following: (1) As Governor Elect, he constituted 23 Transition Committees made up of experts in diverse sectors to dissect the challenges of the state and proffer solutions … (2) He appointed a Cabinet made up substantially of accomplished technocrats to optimize efficiency in policy initiation and implementation through professionalism. (3) Through a series of retreats/brainstorming sessions, the Executive Council, legislative arm and the Body of Permanent Secretaries distilled a Ten – Point Agenda based on the party’s manifesto and recommendations of the Transition Committees to reflect the priorities and guide the direction of the government …” – Segun Ayobolu, in “Asiwaju: Leadership In Troubled Times”, edited by the trio: Tunji Bello, Sam Omatseye and Segun Ayobolu, Kraft Books Limited, 2012, p.53.

 Saliently and succinctly stated, it is imperative on the President Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in departing from the “business as usual” stance in governance, associated with many occupiers of Aso Rock from 1999 till date, to turn the table in cuddling and championing core and crucial change, in a proactive and progressive mannerism that will ultimately usher in pragmatic developmental strides that majority of followers can feel, see, touch and embrace. This should be discernible in candour, colour, content and context within six months in the saddle. Yes, 180 days is enough to show positive and progressive reflexes in government if sagacious strategic actionable policy that will dovetail into programmes and projects, as a means of interventions are in place. It is germane to state without mincing words, that as rigorous and robust as the policy, programmes and projects may appear, if the drivers, heading Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), are round pegs in square holes, then one may begin to sing the dunc mittis of the administration as nothing to write home about should be expected within the four-year span. Expectedly, many followers will expect a reenactment of the developmental template of Lagos which may not be feasible at the national level due to diversity, political preferences, cultural inclinations, environmental considerations, etc. However, even with the gamut of economic, energy and security menace on the table, Tinubu’s adroitness will be tested in accordance with the postulation of Nobel Laureate, Albert Einstein, “the measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” In essence, change should be the constant and common denominator to distinguish the incoming government, and more so, if the many naysayers are to be proved wrong; and that done within the nick of time!

Time To Turnaround

Turning the table, rather than shaking the table, connotes a complete reversal of the state of affairs, adroitly adopted or adapted without uproar. First and foremost, this column will like to remind the President Elect of the promise in his acceptance speech to side with national reconciliation and healing whilst championing a government of national competence. In this vein, the “Followership Challenge”, taking cognizance of perceptions of followers, will want to intimate the incoming President not to sit on the fence regarding legislative appointments. Globally, the issue of legislative appointments is a party affair albeit cleverly and covertly done behind the public scene. This is the right time to step in and for the party to take a stand that would be based not just on which district or region delivered the highest votes but taking cognizance of inclusion and national unity as the watchword, thereby kowtowing healing and reconciliation, in word and deed! The Muslim – Muslim brouhaha cum self determination or separatist squabble are still smothering. Hence, the need to apply caution and walk in a sagacious manner as Yorubas will say: “gbogbo aso ko la nsa loorun” (meaning: not all clothes (after washing) are sun-dried in the open).

Moreover, it is expected that there would be much lobbying and jostling for appointment as ministers into key Ministries Departments & Agencies (MDAs). Yours sincerely was a guest on TVC News Breakfast recently and was asked to add my voice to the expected cabinet make up of Tinubu presidency come 29th May 2023. In it, my perception was, and is still, making a case for political appointments such that round pegs are in round holes or square pegs in square holes though many politicians labour for the President Elect’s emergence. There should be a balancing and blending of technocrats with politicians as well as constitutionally adhering to the template of at least a minister from each state. Definitely, it is a herculean task for the incoming President. In all, Tinubu should turn the table such that no section or region or tribe or religion, by and large, feel short-changed or excluded. Putting it simply and squarely, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu upon inauguration come 29th May 2023 should in the spirit of national reconciliation and healing, which he alluded to in his acceptance speech, exhibit and exemplify inclusion, in colour, content and context in all appointments. Going this route, he needs to depict in appointing credible and competent citizens that any Nigerian, irrespective of his tribe or religion, can sit on top of any MDA so far as character and competence speak for him or her. This should be the yardstick or hallmark! He did this quintessentially as Governor of Lagos State, and bequeathed this template to his successors that has today tilted the scale in placing Lagos as the 5th largest economy in Africa.

Tinubu: Tipping Point

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” – Winston Churchill

In seeing, feeling and experiencing improvement, specifically that is peculiar in governance, there should be proactive engagement in certain core and crucial sectors. There should no more paying lip service to the following: Agribusiness, Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSME), Vocational and Digital Skills (VDS) (targeted mostly at the bulging youth population); Education (inculcating VDS into the curricula from the Junior Secondary School (JSS) to the Senior Secondary School (SSS). Each student passing both theory and practical in the SSSCE in VDS should earn credit and recognition for both admission, engagement and employment. For instance, graduating students with Credit level and above in VDS could be considered for One Year paid internship in certified institutions and organizations to imbibe in them advanced professional hard and soft skills that will be attractive to organizations not just in Nigeria but globally. Living example: Omojasola, graduated from one of the old generation universities in Nigeria and was ‘unfortunate’ to secure a good employment with her first degree in electrical and electronics engineering. She was introduced into digital skill learning and within a year she acquired the skill to code, and pronto, was hired by a United States of America (USA) firm based in Dubai. She started earning in dollars and handsomely too; she is now based in Dubai and very fulfilled! This is the right and better way to japa!! Malaysia, where this columnist resided and did his doctoral research, is wont to exporting skilled citizens in certain professions to the Middle East in such a way that if you are sourcing for carpenters, bricklayers or welders, you may likely get an Indonesian or Bangladeshi serving you; same way a gardener or house maid could not be a Singaporean. Outcome is that both Malaysia and Singapore made conscious efforts many years ago to the future they desired. Today, Diaspora funds pour in for Malaysia from the Middle East and across the world.

Fixating on Agribusiness: the state governments are constitutionally concerned with proactive agricultural production. However, under the watch of the incoming government headed by Tinubu, the focus should be to innovatively move Agriculture into Agribusiness via harnessing the value chain through modern production, preservation, processing, packaging and marketing. For instance, the Oil Palm industry is a gold mine if fully explored and exploited. Presently, Palm Oil sells for $600 per barrel in the international market! This is far greater than the Crude Oil price. More to specifically write on this in my Malaysia experience of the oil palm industry in this column soon. Likewise, Nigeria could consider empowering the state via public private partnership (PPP) investment into production, processing, preserving, packaging and marketing of such crops as Cashew, Cocoa, Groundnut, Rice, Plantation, Maize, Yam, Tomato, etc. depending on the region suitable for such cultivation. The Federal Government (FG) should partner with any state proactively involved in this. The FG can initiate a template with certain core conditions that the state must meet so that relevant FG institutions will intervene. Next under agribusiness is: animal husbandry. This is a humongous industry ranging from cattle, ram, sheep, goat, poultry, fishing, etc. production. The industry is laced with a lot of value chain to enhance economic development and food security. It is high time Nigeria kick-started ranching spanning nooks and crannies of Nigeria for states willing to partake. In the same vein, the FG and her agencies should support such ventures via adherence to stipulated criteria. Likewise for all the production in other aspects of animal husbandry with the attendant value chain.

Next in line is Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) empowerment. This is crucial and germane to checkmating and crippling unemployment with the concomitant criminal tendencies as idle hands could be quasi devil’s workshops. Moreover, proper and transparent development of MSME spanning the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would enhance the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in a humongous dimension. In addition, health care delivery should take pride of place. This columnist, appearing on TVC News Breakfast aforementioned, pontificated that in the aftermath of the Covid 19 saga, there has not been any world-class hospital in place by the government at the centre as we speak. Should we wait till another pandemic or plague? It is high time the FG stopped paying lip-service to the proactive and practical development of the health sector. Acting in line with this, the next budget (1st one by the next administration) should seek to establish world-class hospitals in at least three regions of the country. Subsequently, the 2025 budget should incorporate the remaining three regions accordingly. In such a way, official overseas travelling for public officers should stop at a set time, possibly, 2027! Doable, if the country strategically plans now, knowing that failing to plan is synonymous with planning to fail!!

Conclusion

“If you’re not changing, you’re not growing. If you’re not growing, you’re not being intelligent. Humans thrive in change and expansion — yet there can be so many internal or external blocks to change. Trying to keep things as they are is a very unhealthy approach to life. Avoiding change reflects a misunderstanding of the human condition and human flourishing. Change is not to be avoided, but embraced.” – Benjamin Hardy, PhD

All said and done, if the government commencing from 29th May 2023 would be impactful, at the backend would be peer review performance mechanism that would be properly benchmarked upon key performance indicators (KPIs). This is in following the globally acclaimed theory of change as exemplified and amplified in the adroit adoption of monitoring, evaluation and learning as enshrined in the book: “Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Processes In The Public Sector: Spotlight On Lagos, Nigeria” (published 2021 by Authorhouse UK), and co-authored by this columnist. It is available on Amazon. In essence, to deliver appropriately the dividend of democracy, there should be employment of relevant, robust and rigorous tools of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) into governance at MDAs levels so that each minister should meet targets as chief servants of his or her ministry; failure to live up to expectations vis-à-vis resources of state allocated could result in the rug being pulled off the feet of such ministers. It should no longer be a tea party as appointed citizens should see themselves as servants and not demigods meant to be worshipped! The country will be waiting and watching!!

John Ekundayo, Ph.D. – Harvard-Certified Leadership Strategist, and also a Development Consultant, can be reached via +2348030598267 (WhatsApp only) and drjmoekundayo@hotmail.com