Lesson from the Accidental Public Servant
Without prejudice to the dispute resolution rule – to hear out all the parties involved before reaching a decision or a verdict, I make bold to say that the classical and succinct record of Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, which he compiled and entrenched in a book entitled the Accidental Public Servant, presents him to Nigerians and indeed his numerous readers all over the world simply as one bent on seeking esteemed reputation, integrity, accountability, equity, rectitude and, in fact, a good name.
He states, ab initio, a holy displeasure and disgust for anything that militates against the foregoing virtues and a tendency to become unstable or change in future is non-existing. His breed and character is not common in our part of the world. Hence, the greater esteem and value one is compelled to endow him with and indeed he effortlessly qualifies.
It will rather be unfair for anyone to ensue a smear campaign against this little and sincere effort to highlight the existence of a rare and virtuous character as demonstrated by the conduct of the author of the mentioned book in dispensing of responsibility in all his professional and public life.
This is more when one considers the fact that yours sincerely has never met Mr. El-Rufai in person and nurses no such intention to do so. In any case, if anything, I detest to like him, especially prior to reading the diligent chronicle of his stewardship as the Director General of Bureau for Public Enterprise (B.P.E) immediately followed by redeployment as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Without mincing words, throughout the volume of the book, I endeavored to make side notes of the salient passages and very vital and valid accounts and quotes, according to the author.
Most of them are roundly fascinating, if not surprisingly. Pertinent one and regarding the reputation of the author is a quote credited to India nations’ economic liberator and political emancipator Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948, viz “Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy, as they undoubtable are today.” This was followed by my rejoinder thus, ‘You are either reputed for one thing (wholesomely worthwhile) or notorious for another (disgustingly infamous), which are you, for neither can exist.’ Indeed, the clarion call for personalities of this sort in Nigeria’s echelon of leadership is presently all time loud and absolute. Earlier here, I had said that I hate to like the book’s author… I use to think a Minister who conducted his official duties in such a callous and sadistic manner, destroying, demolishing, leveling-down and evacuating what used to be both the residence and business places of harmless citizens of the land and expatriates – smacks of expropriation, a rare and controversial economic practice; such a hire is conveniently not required and incongruous at the point in time of our nation’s developmental experience.
How immature such thought could ever be further from the truth and reality on ground. “Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage,” rightly said Confucius. “To him that knows how to do good and does it not, to him it is sin,” declares the infallible scriptures. How timely and appropriate was the emergence of and patriotic, brave conduct of El-Rufai was at the time. It will interest anyone to know that this writer was equally affected and afflicted with the pains and anguish caused by El-Rufai’s impartial demolition of illegal properties in Abuja and non-tolerance to disorderliness and corrupt practices – albeit vicariously. Yet it was after the storm has calmed and dust settled that I deemed it worthwhile and really attractive, like a chaste virgin and bride, to diversify and or relocate entirely in the direction of Abuja, and be rest assured that all is well. Certain care given by the nursing parents to their young and growing immature offspring like bathing, sometimes feeding, etc are initially not considered palatable by the primary beneficiary- the child. Ditto here.
I gained tremendously from the perusal of this reformist treatise. On top of my derived lessons is what the former President Olusegun-Obasanjo persuasively told the author when the winner in him wanted to quit perhaps at the peak of overwhelming temptation and frustration, then the fiery furnace of undue pressure became agonizingly unbearable. Former President Olusegun-Obasanjo has said, “In public service, you meet people you do not like but you must learn to work with them. This is not your company… where you can choose who you work with, this is the government of Nigeria, and everyone – the good, bad and the ugly have equal right to be part of it. It is my duty to teach you…” Great leadership tips. It will be practically impossible for me here to make elaborate references hence I entreat you grab your copy and read yourself.
However, permit me to be blunt like the author’s true character – to speak the truth to your face; I must voice a specific observation which only a keen reader can detect. I have somewhat against my favorite El-Rufai. You seem to be in a haste to attach the name of or identify a given suspected culprit to any malpractice if same person hails from a particular region, whereas you suddenly turn cold feet and will be reluctant to expose the same when and especially if the villain comes from the Northern part of the country, obviously acting this in the spirit of brotherhood.
Be that as it may, I want to believe that we as mortal beings are prone to mistakes, and therefore I will regard this as such. But again, there are similar human lapses crying out to be mentioned. I found out that, despite his shown passion and relentless zeal to restore normalcy in public administration thus revive the nation’s glory in all economic, social and political sectors, that of all the author’s biological children, none of them had their, (perhaps from secondary but certainly) tertiary education within Nigeria. Irrespective of the legitimacy and strength the excuse adduced may carry, other political stalwarts and public servants who are in the habit of neglecting the quality of education obtained in Nigeria, preferring foreign studies to the one our indigenous prestigious academic institutions offer; do have their tenable reasons for such decision, as well.
If everybody continue sending their kids and dependents to be educated outside Nigeria (choosing rather to damn the consequences), how will our lectures fare and who among those saddled with the responsibility to correct the anomaly now rampart in education sector, having the required vested interest, shall address these outstanding and knotty issues passionately? Yes, you listed the disadvantages of having to study outside ones country of origin, chief among which is that, “ones children become excessively westernized and have great difficulty settling back into the society they came from to contribute to nation building. We have seen many examples of our friends who stayed too long abroad during those formative years and they have never really quite come back to face the on-the-ground realities of Nigeria. Many who returned, left Nigeria frustrated and went back to the UK and US where they felt more at home!”
Like father, like son! I submit that it behooves Nigeria legislators to enact a law prohibiting politicians and public servants from sending their biological children or sponsoring dependents to study abroad, forthwith. Failure to achieve this, the incessant and perennial (ASUU) lecturers strike shall possibly know no end. And I beg to put it to the Nigeria leaders that the economic resources, the manpower, the intellectual capability and the natural creative mind and the entire wherewithal that contributed and constituted the establishment of the prestigious primordial universities and colleges such as Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial college in the UK and Harvard, etc. – all are inherently abundant amongst us and in Nigeria here. Only inferiority complex, which is a social syndrome and or naivety, maybe with a streak of folly added and disposition to corruption, makes us look up to them. This writer, like many other entrepreneurs, may not have passed through the academic scrutiny of the mentioned universities, but I rise to challenge in a contest of intellectual prowess and academic excellence with graduants/students of these other foreign ivory towers. El-Rufai was born, bred, educated and duly academically qualified in Nigeria, but hardly will you pick at random an Oxford university product that will outsmart or outperform him. Return all yebonafide citizens of Nigeria students to your beloved father land!
The entire volume of the book promises to sort touchy issues, dispassionately and with all sense of responsibility and professionalism. I find it a manuscriptfor intending public servant candidates and, equally for the existing ones. There are a lot of entrenched misconceptions (and permit this terms) Nigerialized stereotype way of achieving set goals or general ways of doing things not necessarily with any compunction – that the internalisation of the lessons will help to chisel out, totally dispossessing you of these destructive tendencies and notions.
Worthy of mention is the pivotal role former President Obasanjo played in the life of Nasir Ahmad El-Rifai; similarly the rupturing and straining of once healthy relationship and exchange of mutual understanding existing between the two, precipitated by the inauspicious ill-fated and failed Third Term project. It is on record that if the former President Olusegun-Obasanjo had heeded the candid counsel which this eccentric if not maverick El-Rufai was said to have offered him, the credibility status and high esteem and regard which the ex-president enjoyed at a time would have remained intact and untampered with. But alas! Behold, after the third term fiasco, Obasanjo could not even hide his head in the sand like the ostrich and he became, in the light of whatever achievement creditable to him, like a blank white board/slate with a conspicuous black spot or blemish. Apparently, the 3rd term project scandal was an impossible mission, a battle that was never fought but routed from inception. Maybe the man in the eye of the storm can redeem his lost glory or gather again the remnant of it by simply confessing publicly to initiating the process, and admit the blame.
But surprisingly, with the exception of this abuse of power as demonstrated by the ex-President, he was awarded with the credit on many aspects of Nigeria infrastructural, economic and social development, throughout the remaining part of the book. This writer has had the unflagging, undying dream born out of total zeal to contribute my quota for the betterment of my dear country- to establish an a Non-Governmental-Organisations, to assist our erring and misguided Nigeria burgeoning youths so that they can redeploy, refocus and redirect their present energies, acumen and manpower from the notorious and infamous end usage of the same to something worthwhile beneficial, commendable and perpetually profitable. It takes a smart, literate and intellectually sound youth to really make a dime through scamming; it takes a healthy and mentally sound chap to swallow those wrapped illicit substance at embarkation point A later to disgorge them at disembarkation point B; it certainly takes a talent-full, vocationally equipped or business inclined intended Nigerian migrant to successfully and favorably obtain the entire travelling documents prior to relocation to a foreign country-brain drain. So what do we do?
It is my strong wish and expectation that the political sphere of Nigeria will assimilate, re-learn and exhibit rare qualities and redirect our energies to doing things appropriately and rightly no matter whose ox is gored, as suggested in the book. Then and only then, shall it be well with our country, Nigeria. So help us, God. –Steve ObumOrajiaku. obumstv@yahoo.co.uk 08087885533
I gained tremendously from the peru sal of this reformist treatise. On top of my derived lessons is what the former President Olusegun-Obasanjo persuasively told the author when the winner in him wanted to quit perhaps at the peak of overwhelming temptation and frustration, then the fiery furnace of undue pressure became agonizingly unbearable. Former President O lu se gun O ba san jo has said ,“In public service, you meet people you do not like but you must learn to work with them