Perhaps the greatest achievement of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 was the support he gave to his Chief of Staff, Babatunde Raji Fasola (BRT), SAN, to succeed him as Governor.
Excerpts from the biography of Raji Fashola has indicated the trouble Tinubu went through before making known his preferred successor from among numerous other suitably qualified candidates. Funny enough the man of destiny, BRF, had no personal ambition to be Governor. In its stead, he had preference for two other colleagues as possible successors to their boss, Tinubu.
BRF later went on to serve creditably as Governor from 2007 to 2015. He is in the 8th year of his national service as Honourable Minister first of Power, Works and Housing and now as Minister of Works and Housing.
Then, from the Northeastern corner of our great country, Kashim Ibrahim Shettima had a successful two-term stint as Governor of Borno from 2011 to 2019. When it was time to step down he did a lot of introspection and searched among his top lieutenants for a possible successor and settled for one of his incorruptible, humble and efficient State Commissioners, Prof Zulum. Happily Professor Babagana Zulum is distinguishing himself as a star performer.
The recognition of talent and greatness in others is a mark of leadership. Moreover there is no success without a successor who will outperform the outgone office holder.
Good luck to the Ibadan Alum, Senator Shettima for recognising another fellow Ibadan Alum Zulum as Borno Governor. Best wishes in your current aspiration as Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Idowu Olayinka was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan 2015-2020)
