By Dawood Ajetunmobi, Esq

In these climes of ours, where people are often quick to condemn political office holders whenever they fall short of our expectations, I believe that when a public office holder does something commendable, it is only fair that such good deed should also be announced to the world.

It is not sycophancy. It is not eye service. It is certainly not an attempt to curry favour. It is simply an act of appreciation and gratitude. After all, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught us that whoever is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah.

It is against this background that I wish to sincerely and publicly appreciate Engr. Abdurrahmon Olalekan Badmus, Ph.D., the Executive Director of Marine and Operations, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), for being an instrument of favour through whom my wife eventually secured a Federal Government appointment.

These days, getting a federal appointment in Nigeria can sometimes seem more difficult than a camel sauntering through the eye of a needle. There are countless stories of brilliant graduates who possess B.Sc., M.Sc. and even higher qualifications, yet remain without employment years after leaving the four walls of the university. My wife’s story was, unfortunately, no different.

Perhaps the most painful aspect of the situation is the expectation that comes with being perceived as someone who has access to people in positions of influence. Family and friends naturally assume that if you know people in government—and people know that you know them—getting an opportunity for your own family should be relatively easy.

But experience has taught me otherwise.It is not always a question of lack of effort or absence of connections. Sometimes, the people we know simply cannot—or will not—help when the moment comes.

I remember an encounter with the Chief Medical Director of one of our institutions. I had approached him concerning a possible employment opportunity for my wife. He asked about her qualifications. I told him she was rounding off her thesis for an M.Sc. in Statistics and Demography at Obafemi Awolowo University.
His response left me completely bewildered.

He told me there was actually a vacancy in the establishment, but that he would not employ her. According to him, he was approaching the end of his tenure and, if he employed her at that stage, his detractors might accuse him of filling the institution with his own people.I was flabbergasted and thoroughly downcast.

Seeing my disappointment, he offered what I considered rather needless consolation: “After her M.Sc., let her enrol for a Ph.D. Then we will look for a placement for her.” At that point, I simply gave up.

But the struggle continued.Then, sometime earlier this year, a professional colleague asked me to convey his appreciation to Engr. Lekan Badmus for facilitating a Federal Government appointment for one of his friends at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
When I conveyed the message to Engr. Lekan, I did something I have become quite accustomed to doing—I mounted considerable pressure on him to extend the same favour to my wife.

I explained to him that the NBS was, in many ways, her dream establishment. Both of her parents had retired from the organisation, and she herself had obtained an OND from the School of Statistics established by the NBS. In other words, NBS was not merely another place of employment for her; it was an institution with which her academic and family history was already intertwined.

Through my interactions with Engr. Lekan and his Personal Assistant, Dr. Dare, I subsequently discovered something that made me appreciate the man even more. There was a long list of people who had benefited from his interventions and employment facilitation—from the National Hospital, Abuja, to JAMB, to NBS, to NPA, and several others.The list seemed to go on.Naturally, knowing this only made me increase the pressure on the ED.

But his response was characteristically simple:
“Let us put everything in the hands of Almighty Allah.”

There is profound wisdom in those words.When a person genuinely places his affairs in the hands of Almighty Allah, one begins to see the hand of Allah in the unfolding of those affairs. And perhaps that is why, after years of expectations, countless requests and several disappointments, Allah eventually chose Dr. Olamilekan Badmus as an instrument through whom an old expectation finally became a reality.

Today, therefore, I do not want to take the favour for granted.
Lekan has done this—and we did appreciate it.

On behalf of my family, I say a very big thank you to Engr. Abdurrahmon Olalekan Badmus, Ph.D. May Almighty Allah continue to enlarge his coast, bless his endeavours, protect him from the machinations of those who wish him ill, and make him a continuing source of favour to others.

I sincerely hope that other politicians and public officials will take a cue from this. There is dignity in using one’s position to open doors for deserving people. There is honour in helping those who genuinely need help. And there is something profoundly beautiful about becoming an instrument through which another person’s long-awaited prayer is answered.

And to our Baba, Asiwaju Khamis Olatunde Badmus, we also say thank you for providing the platform upon which many of these opportunities and interventions have been made possible.

Agba yoo dale ooo.

May Allah continue to bless and preserve you.
LEKAN HAS DONE THIS.
AND WE DID APPRECIATE IT.