FAYEMI AT 60: THE CELEBRATION BEGINS
By Olayinka Oyebode
In my early days as Chief Press Secretary to His Excellency, Dr Kayode Fayemi, then Governor of Ekiti State, members of the Governor’s media team were to undergo a three-day training programme outside the state, sponsored by one of the development partners of the state government. I had concluded the list when a powerful aide of the Governor objected to the inclusion of a particular member of the team, apparently over some disagreements. The official had argued that it would be risky to include someone whose background had become suspicious in the training programme. I was about dropping the name of the female member from the list, when I thought about seeking the Governor’s view over the development. The Governor listened to my explanation intently, and at the end simply said “Do what you consider right and defend your decision”.
He then asked if I felt the young lady deserved to be part of the training programme or not, to which I answered in the affirmative. He asked if the position of his aide was valid enough to make me drop the lady’s name, I said no. He then encouraged me to go ahead with the list regardless of the objection by the aide, adding with a little smile- “You just go ahead and do what is right and let them go and resolve their personal issues.”
At another time, it was the choice of a caretaker committee chairman in a particular council area. Some political heavyweights had gone to meet the Governor to canvass support for a candidate for the chairmanship position which had been zoned to a particular town. The Governor became curious on why those party chieftains were interested in the candidate and asked whether they actually sought the views of the leaders of the party in that town, especially the most senior government appointee from the town. They responded that they didn’t consider the view of the top appointee necessary since he was a technocrat and not a politician. “Oh, so he is now a technocrat, because you don’t want his views on the chairmanship. But, when it is time to mobilize for the party, fund the party and ensure the party wins in the town, you will not say he is not a politician. He then directed that they put a call across to him and seek his opinion on the candidate. There and then a call was put across to the appointee and the Governor heard from the other side when he told the political big wigs that the candidate they were rooting for was not the town’s choice, neither did he have his backing as the most senior government official from the town. Governor Fayemi then told the ‘technocrat’ to mention the most acceptable candidate of the town. He then told the party big wigs that it was wrong to ignore the views of a senior government officials who is regarded as the political leader of the town simply because they saw him as a technocrat. Eventually, it was the candidate that was presented by the town and supported by the technocrat that got the chairmanship position.
The famous Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh, it was who said great things are done by a series of small things brought together. These seemingly simple narratives of daily instances of insisting on level playing field, objectivity, equity and fairness are what define who Fayemi truly is, much more than the Fayemi we get to read in newspapers and watch on television. While the JKF (as he is fondly called) that is reported in national dailies is larger than life, confrontational, cerebral, workaholic, bookish and devote his life to policy formulation, advocating changes among others, the other side of him that does not get reported is his gentle side, the humane and soft side.
There was an instance JKF stopped me from releasing a very damn rejoinder I wrote to counter a statement credited to one of his opponents during the early days of his second term in office. I had shown him the draft statement containing “a very negative point about the man’s family, and was eager to publish it. But JKF knowing fully that that ‘story” was a sour point in the man’s family that is not known to the public, graciously asked me not to publish rejoinder because it was more of an attack on the man’s immediate family. He considered it quite unfair to use the unfortunate situation as part of my rejoinder, in spite of the media attack the man had sponsored against him. “That is a family issue, you don’t have to go so low with him by bringing that to the public space”, he had cautioned me, while insisting that I could simply release my statement debunking the man’s claims and avoid that personal attack.
That is quintessential Kayode Fayemi, a man who holds a doctorate degree in War Studies but believes in the biblical injunction of doing everything possible to live peaceably with all men. A leader who believes that public office is not a popularity contest, or a tool of vindictiveness, but an avenue to impact positively on the lives of the people. He believes that no development can be achieved in a rancorous environment. Thus, his actions and policies are targeted at ensuring development that is sustainable with emphasis on peace building, justice and equity as very vital ingredients.
To these attributes of brilliance, kindness, thoroughness, thoughtfulness, decency and civility should be added a number of others, too numerous to be outlined in a short tribute as this. Mention cannot but be made of his frankness, firmness, creativity, penchant for excellence, bridge building ability as well as ability to bring out the best in people, and his love for policy formulation and implementation.
Regarded as an emissary of peace, JKF demonstrated his statesmanship and penchant for peace and social justice when he accepted the outcome of the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State in 2014, where he lost his re-election bid in a controversial manner. That was the very first time a sitting governor in the country would concede an electoral defeat and bow out gloriously. He said the decision was a sacrifice he had to make in order to avert a major crisis that could have arisen as a result of the highly compromised electoral result. His reputation as a lover and promoter of peace has been on the rise since then.
And like Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century, said: “Do not follow where the path lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” For Fayemi, going where there seems to be no path is a familiar pastime. And leaving a trail- an impact, a legacy comes to him naturally.
Dr Fayemi combines integrity, creativity and sincerity with passion for excellence and development. He stated this much in one of his books: “Reclaiming The Trust”. He admits that what he has brought into governance is the kind of trust that is based on and compels competence, openness, concern and reliability. Evidently, these were the hallmark of his meritorious service as two term Governor of Ekiti State, as Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum and as President of the Forum of Regions of Africa.
As JKF marks his diamond jubilee today, it is in place to thank him for being the quintessential JKF. And we say Happy birthday sir. The celebration has just begun.