(The White Orator)
Everyone can be a leader, yet only a select few can become a great leader. Regardless of whether you have worked your way up the corporate ladder, the route to leadership is never an easy one. Essentially, you will encounter various types of situations and emotions; there will be the good times, stressful ones, and even terrible times. However, a great leader is always able to lead a team to success, regardless of the situation they are facing. This is the overriding principle behind our today’s celebrant, a quintessential leader, an inimitable hero, very resourceful engineer, First Class Commissioner, the best commissioner Kogi State ever produced, a pragmatic and multitalented hope of the hopeless, pillar of prominence and one of the most dependable ally in the New Direction Government, an all encompassing humanist and goodhearted guru, his eminent, Alh. (Egnr.) Abubakar Sadiq Ohere (FNSE), Kogi State Honourable Commissioner for Works and Housing.
Behavioral theories suggest that leadership skills are not ingrained and can be taught – people can obtain good leadership qualities through teaching and learning these skills over time. Nevertheless, the most important qualities of a good leader include integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity.
In the words of Steve Jobs, “management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”
While Warren Bennis understands “leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality,” Max De Pree said “the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” No wonder Napoleon Bonaparte postulated that “a leader is a dealer in hope.”
For Theodore Roosevelt, “the best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
Ideally, men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. All these and more had Commissioner Ohere as a First Class Commissioner.
Months have passed as the second term of present Kogi State Government as led by Yahaya Bello’s administration traverses from greatness upon greatness. The research which measured the influence of GYB’s political appointees in the Let’s Do More Administration did not only found Hon. (Egnr.) Abubakar Ohere (FNSE) as the Commissioner to beat. He rose as a First Class Commissioner, first of its kind in the political discourse of Kogi State. This is built around his spontaneous discharge of duties and extensive stretch of hands, especially when dealing with societal needs, all targeted at making the administration of GYB-led administration achieve success.
One wonders if Egnr. Ohere is the only appointee in the five years administration of the young man from Agassa. Many wonder why Ohere seemed to understand beneath it all, the characteristics and expectations of good leaders. A rare gem in Adiyaya’s regalia, he (Ohere) has penchants for youth’s development. Say it all, we have an honest, communicative, confident, committed, positive attitude, creative, inspiring, empathetic, accountable, enthusiastic, focus and driven responsible father and leader in Kogi’s First Class Commissioner and FNSE, Hon. Abubakar Sadiq Ohere.
History will never make us forget his earliest commitment in the state’s Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. While serving as its Special Adviser and later Honourable Commissioner, Ohere created a Ministry that will stand the test of time. Briefly, he reawakened the dormancy in the almost neglected commission and impacted a very conscious effort which grew beyond photo shots with traditional rulers and one-sided administration. Put succinctly, the impact of Ohere was felt in the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State. We appreciate his Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for placing so much trust on the character and capacity of Ohere. It is the result we are seeing today.
Milard and Linda Fuller opine that “what the poor need is not charity but capital, not caseworkers but co-workers. And what the rich need is a wise, honourable, and just way of divesting themselves of their overabundance.”
Ohere exhibited compassionate behaviours such as individualised volunteering, commitment to political/regulatory reform, and strategic planned giving. Among correlations cited by an increasing number of research studies, the charitable Ohere has in his name, increased happiness, decreased depression, social connections, the fostering of meaningful relationships and the promotion of healthy human adjustment. Aren’t we proud of the young man from Agassa for placing so much responsibilities on our father and leader?
Ohere sees beyond social media show and praise-singing. He is not an impressionist neither is he in competition with any fellow. Instead, he showcases the practice of leadership as propounded in the Holy Quran, his ever career guide in humanity. He (Ohere) understands for GYB’s success, they are the keepers of legacy and guided by this principle, the GYB-administration defeated the threats denying greater effort, cooperation and understanding between her stakeholders. They work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming and safe confluence state for national development.
Historically, Local Government Administration in Nigeria has been in existence since 1972. For Kogi State joining her in 1991 was not a crime but following its creation, its inefficiency and ineffectiveness in addressing the primary needs and wants of the people at the grassroots made the third tiers of government in Kogi state irrelevant for the sixteen years maladministration of the previous administration to the people. What the Audu-Ibro-Wada’s regime failed to understand was that the efficient and effective provision of basic amenities and social infrastructures for the people at the grassroots is key factors to the existence of any government. This was greatly tied together in the New Direction Administration, courtesy of Abubakar Ohere’s imprints in the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. Verily, you cannot comment on this man without showcasing his achievements in this ministry.
To further comment on the weakness of the office Ohere was initially appointed, corruption was the greatest bane that confronted local government administration in Kogi State. At the grassroots level, corruption was been canonically accommodated, entertained and celebrated within the system. For the failed administration of the past, corruption thrived, progressed and flourished unabated. Corruption was institutionalised to the point of accepting it as part of the system. Albeit corruption is ubiquitous, it is found all over the world, but the degree of its manifestation during PDP administration varies from system to system.
There was lack of job satisfaction that can keep them in the local governments. This forced the 21 local governments to depend on unskilled labour. For example, some are diploma and certificate holders who cannot defend the certificates they hold. These circumstances posed great challenge to the local government’s efficiency.
It was clearly discovered by Hon. Abubakar Ohere that previous local government administration in the state failed in meeting the basic needs of the people – good roads, metro-transport, potable water, regular electricity supply, sanitations and rehabilitation of local road under their local jurisdiction, qualitative healthcare delivery and education. Close on the heels of this was poor or non-maintenance of existing social services.
The previous government really appeared to have failed in this respect thereby leading to strong voice for the cancelation or eradication of the third tiers of government in the state until the coming of Alh. Yahaya Bello that saddled the technocrat, Hon. (Engnr) Abubakar Ohere who will later change these narratives by enhancing the overall effect and improving the wellbeing of the general populace of the 21 local governments. He (Ohere) understood politically that local government serves as a ground for inculcating democratic political ideas and a training ground for future political leaders with correct democratic ideas and values that can continue to move and project the state forward from its inherited beg off as third tiers of government in the confluence state.
When we look upon factors upon factors, changing, modification and upgrading of the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Yahaya Bello-led government recognised these landslide achievements by reappointing Ohere to serve in another most fitting Ministry (Ministry for Works and Housing). Immediately, he started spreading the tentacles by producing an all-inclusive blueprint which has birthed completed, rehabilitated and ongoing massive constructions in roads and housing across the three senatorial districts of the confluence state.
Good governance in Ohere’s reform policies implies that processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society, while making the best use of available resources at their disposal. At this level, when the record of the Ministry for Works and Housing is looked upon, its current atmospheric condition, commissioners upon commissioners, Senior Special Assistants and Special Advisers coming to tap knowledge from Ohere, the way the strength of the Ministry has changed within few years, it shows that somebody is in the office; when we look at the pattern of engagement and administrative structure, it shows that a technocrat is there working. Truly, it was a well deserved recognition for GYB reappointing him to serve in the Works and Housing Minsity. This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. What is demanded, then, is a return to these truths. What was required of Ohere was a new era of responsibility — a recognition on the part of every Ohere that he has duties to the state, the nation and the world; duties that he does not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of hid character than giving his all to a difficult task.
Ya Allah! we are so grateful to be living in a democracy where many play a part in making sure the needs and desires of the nation’s citizens are heard and met. As GYB work to find solutions to difficult problems and making the state governable with Commissioner Ohere and relevant stakeholders, we ask You guide them to speak respectfully and with humility to one another. Help them to show human-like love to those they interact with and be an advocate for their constituents and others.
The New Direction Blueprint is the best Kogi State ever deserved. It is for the governor’s thrust on Ohere at all times by assigning him with sensitive focus and challenges in line with his vision with clear cut enablement which made the First Class Commissioner successful in all given schedule.
So far, in the Works and Housing office, Ohere has guaranteed balanced development between urban areas and rural areas in order to achieve the aim of growth with equity in line with the country’s urbanisation policy. He equally ensured community development programmes are implemented in a more integrated way, which included programmes pertaining to infrastructural facilities, utilities, social amenities and human capital development. He also complemented the systematic development of infrastructural, human and economic facilities in the three senatorial districts of the state which has attained a more effective outcome. Verily, he wouldn’t have achieved any of these without the governor’s support always urging him to do more.
In modern times, the citizens demand from their leaders, basic social amenities that would not only guarantee their happiness and welfare but also promote the security and socio-economic development of the nation or state.
Kogi State Government have recorded tremendous success in the restoration and modernisation of the state’s road network which was achieved through the public-private partnership in road sector development designed to provide better and safer road. Yet, Ohere is striving greatly in his new portfolio as Honourable Commissioner for Works and Housing towards ensuring adequate expectations of the Let’s Do More required of him. All these, he embarked upon for the GYB-led administration actualising her vision of making Kogi State a peace loving and secured state in Nigieria.
On this his auspicious 55th birthday, I wish him the very best in life. There are no enough words to describe the love you show us. It is clear to just see how devoted you are to your family, clan, friends, political associates and the society in general. Your love for us continues to grow deeper and deeper everyday. However, we cannot find the right words to express our love for you, nor can we ever do enough to thank you for all you do for us! Happy 55th birthday, father, leader, mentor and role model!
Farouk Ozigi Onimisi writes from FCT Universal Basic Education, Abuja
