By Oyekola Abdulmuizz
Professor Tunji Olaopa, a leading public administration expert and Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, has called for a radical overhaul of the Nigerian civil service to enhance its effectiveness and contribution to good governance. In his keynote address at the inaugural reunion of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries of Oyo and Osun State (AREHSPSOOS) at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan on Wednesday, Olaopa urged the government to take decisive action to reform the civil service, warning that the nation’s future depends on a more efficient, effective, and accountable public administration.
Olaopa, a former federal permanent secretary, emphasized the critical role of the civil service in Nigeria’s governance and development. He commended AREHSPSOOS for establishing a platform to discuss and address the challenges facing the civil service, noting that the association’s expertise and experience are invaluable assets.
The professor provided a historical overview of public administration, tracing its evolution from ancient Egypt to the modern era. He then identified key challenges facing the Nigerian civil service, including bureaucratic inertia, corruption, and a lack of performance-based management.
Olaopa used a striking metaphor to illustrate the current state of the civil service: “Whereas the nation needs an administrative backend propelled by a jet engine, what it has in the bureaucracy is the engine of a Beatle car.” This analogy highlights the need for a significant overhaul to enhance the civil service’s capacity to meet the demands of modern governance.
Furthermore, Olaopa noted that the service workforce structure is characterized by inefficiencies, with too many people doing nothing or too little, and too few people doing too much. This indicates a need for a more efficient allocation of resources and personnel.
Olaopa, who described the public service as the powerhouse of bureaucracy, noted that the system, which had been hitherto powered by the engine of a Beetle car, now needs that of a jet to fire up and make progress.
The event was chaired by the former Head of Service of the Federation, Professor Oladapo Afolabi.
According to the guest lecturer, public service debilitation and reform possibilities underscore the potential for a developmental state to emerge in Nigeria. He emphasized that the idea of sustainable development is the institutional bedrock for transforming the developmental agenda of the Nigerian state.
“The ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) – the engine rooms of the public service system – must be adequately capacitated to become effective and efficient,” Olaopa stated. He called for a change management framework anchored on three critical areas: bureaucratic efficiency, service delivery and performance accountability, and professionalism.
Olaopa warned that the challenge of sustainable development and democratic governance in Nigeria demands serious reflection and significant political action. He added that a developmental state is anchored on the capability readiness of the public service system to deliver public goods and services effectively and efficiently.
The guest lecturer stressed that sustainable development requires a national productivity movement focused on waste reduction, asset/facility management, and a new national maintenance culture. He emphasized that the public bureaucracies must be transformed to become fast-moving, intelligent, professional, information-rich, flexible, adaptable, and entrepreneurial.
Olaopa cautioned that none of these reform imperatives would make sense if the public service does not facilitate a shift from an adversarial to developmental industrial relations.
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Professor Oladapo Afolabi, commended the members of the association for their initiative and passion for contributing to the efficiency and improvement of the public service. He urged them to pass down the culture of honesty, integrity, and skill to future generations.
The event concluded with the presentation of awards to ten deserving members, including Chief Tunde Afolabi, Chairman of Amni International Petroleum Development Company Ltd; Dr. Victoria Adunola-Samson, CEO of Bovas Petroleum; Eng. Dotun Jubril Sanusi, Chairman of Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resorts; and the honorary designation of Governor Seyi Makinde as the Investiture Grand Patron of the Association.
