Leadership requires a lot of commitment, perseverance, sacrifice, sincerity of purpose and patriotism. A leader without focus cannot give direction; hence, a focused, determined and truthful leader leads glowingly to the admiration of his or her people.
I can expressly avow without being immodest that one of the numerous problems presently militating against the nation of Nigeria is a lack of good leaders to steer her ship. Since independence in 1960, the most populous black nation on the surface of earth has been yearning for vision-oriented and patriotic leaders that would emancipate her people from generational bondage of poverty, squalor and political and economic quagmires.
Blessed in virtually all ramifications, yet, the country is not progressing like those in her class among the committee of nations. Governance has decayed from grassroots to the central. However, despite the failure of governance at all levels, a parastatal of government has proven that Nigeria can still excel. The transformation that the Professor Adedibu Ojerinde led Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has witnessed in the last three years is rare in a country like Nigeria. It is super-wonderful.
Funny enough, the man behind the transformation is a character known for not blowing his trumpet. He is a successful academician and leader of note who rose from nowhere to become a household name in the parlance of Elites.
Until his appointment as JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde was relatively unknown in the leadership circuit. Suave, polished, savvy and savoir-faire, Ojerinde inherited a ruined and obviously corrupt organization; a rackety. Today, Ojerinde has changed the integrity-demeaning image of JAMB from a paddock to a magnificent public corporation embedded with honor and respect.
Before the emergence of Ojerinde as JAMB registrar, the agency do release candidates’ results three months after conducting its examinations, however, in Ojerinde’s first year, JAMB results were released within ten days. The 2014 JAMB results were released within four days after the examinations were conducted while candidates gets the results of the 2015 JAMB examinations within a maximum of five hour via text message.
JAMB is now computer based (CBT). Ojerinde has systematically killed corruption in JAMB. All JAMB miracle centers have been tactically closed down without the involvement of the security forces. Owners of miracle centers were electronically jailed without being sent to prison. Ojerinde killed corruption in JAMB without shooting a soul.
Today, the sons of Esau and daughters of Jezebel making money by sending answers to JAMB candidates on examinations day via their mobile phones are now jobless. Their unholy business has been brought to a halt.
Owners of JAMB miracle centers across the country are now kicking (they will definitely kick the bucket). Their unholy source of income has died a systematic death. No more way of making evil cash. JAMB does not need much policemen and Soldiers again at its examinations’ centers.
Candidates are now to enter the examination hall and answer their questions on a well-programmed computer system. Candidates are told not to bother bringing pen or pencil into the examination hall. Today, you must read before you can pass JAMB, if you don’t read, you‘ll fail.
The era of non-appearance candidates in JAMB is gone for good. Bye-bye to rede-rede. With JAMB producing qualified candidates, Nigerian Universities and other tertiary citadels of learning will certainly be producing quality products.
Ojerinde has taught the younger generation and emerging leaders how to record marvelous and meritorious feats without much talk.
Late Dora Akunyili revolutionized the operations of the now derailed National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nuhu Ribadu brought the now toothless EFCC to limelight, Adewumi Adesina miraculously ended corruption in the nation’s fertilizer industry, Babatunde Raji Fashola cleaned up the once upon a time a criminal den called Oshodi, now, Adedibu Ojerinde has nailed corruption in JAMB. Definitely, Nigerians shall laugh one day!
My verdict today is that the nation of Nigeria need creative, patriotic, focused, committed and revolutionary leaders in the class of Ojerinde, late Akunyili, Fashola, Ribadu, Akinwumi Adesina, et al to deliver her citizens out of the current generational quagmires militating against them.
In Africa, he who does well, get praised and not meant to be persecuted. I say today that Ojerinde has done well.
Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye wrote in from Magodo, Lagos
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter handles: @adefolamax