BY TAIWO F. AKERELE
On the 4th of April 2002, I wrote an article published by Business Day and Thisday newspapers to celebrate your 50th birthday. Then I had not met you one on one.
On the 2nd of December 2002, I invited you to be the keynote speaker at Prof. Pat Utomi’s Professorial Celebration and colloquium in Victoria Island, Lagos and you honoured our invitation as NLC (Nigerian Labour Congress) president.
Sometime in February 2009, I wrote an article published by the Punch and Business Day newspapers marking your 100 days in office as governor of Edo state. This was seven years after we first met.
On the 2nd of March 2009, you appointed me as SSA (Senior Special Assistant) on Economic Planning after the EXCO retreat where Prof Utomi and I met with you briefly as a resource person.
In May 2011, you promoted me as the World Bank Project Coordinator for Edo State for a five-year tenure.
In 2011, you gladly accepted to sponsor me to Canada for a one-month course at Carleton University, Ottawa.
Comrade, you ensured that all of us who worked with you had special relationship with you, you cared for us, and empowered us with the requisite tools to enhance our efficiency.
You made us proud with verifiable and concrete infrastructure spread across the state. You were accessible; you gave us the freedom to carry out our functions without external or undue interference by consultants or unknown persons. The civil service was strong and protected under your supervision.
You remained the people’s person, you invested in us, you spoke the people’s language, you were with the people all the time, you served us instead of you been served.
We will forever remain grateful for the opportunity given to us to work with you even without us having godfathers.
We disagreed on critical issues but you always allowed the superior argument to prevail. For instance, we disagreed on the draft Procurement and Fiscal Responsibility Bill in 2011 but you demonstrated leadership.
I remember those days before budget presentations when yourself, the late Olaitan Oyerinde, Dr Godswill Ogbogodo, and I will sit late into the night to go all over your speech before it is presented to the House of Assembly. I remember the beautiful moments of laughter and Camaraderie
At 70, you have impacted millions of people with your courage, ability, agility, and performance in the office.
You had your faults as a real and normal human being but you have always been guided by humility and good conscience.
Congratulations and happy 70 years birthday Sir.
TAIWO AND ONAYIMI AKERELE
Former SSA on Economic planning, Former SEEFOR (State Employment and Expenditure for Results) and Development Policy Operations (DPO) manager and former Chief of Staff Edo state.
