“Everything rises and falls on leadership”- John C. Maxwell
In Kaduna state government there are three acknowledged workaholics- the master workaholic being the Lord of the Manor himself, Nasir el-Rufai. However, there has always been this debate among government officials as to which of the two Lawals – Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Secretary to the State Government and Jimi Lawal, the Senior Adviser and Counsellor to Governor el-Rufai comes second in terms of hard work. The bottom line is that there is a general consensus that the work rate of the three men belies their age.
There is absolutely no iota of doubt that a Secretary to State Government SSG), usually appointed and serves at the pleasure of the governor, has the responsibility of assisting the government achieve its socio-economic vision by coordinating the various ministries, agencies of government, can make or mar the administration depending on the experience, the world view, human relations, capacity for hard work or lack of it that he or she brings to the office due to its multifaceted nature.
Many governors who ignored these obvious requirements for the job, which also includes having a good grasp of contemporary issues, knowledgeable, focused and organised have paid dearly for treating the office with utter contempt. Only Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife is known to have derogatorily described the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) as a glorified “tea boy”, an opinion that recent events must have changed. An SGF or an SSG depending on the occupant can determine the direction of government and dispense patronage.
What Balarabe Abbas Lawal, the reappointed SSG of Kaduna state, brings to the office are institutional memory, years of extensive experience garnered from the academia and the public service, which have adequately prepared him for the onerous responsibilityof the office. Without doubt, Balarabe gave a good account of himself between 2010 and 2019 to warrant being reappointed, as el-Rufai is not known to compensate incompetence.
The second term of el-Rufai is more of putting finishing touches to most of his first term achievements, which made his re-election in the 2019 general elections possible, in spite of the boasts of the so called “professors of politics”, and the so called kingmakers who couldn’t make themselves kings, who had long fed fat like the parasites that are, on government resources. It’s the withdrawal of the access to state resources that led them to threaten the governor with electoral defeat for his conscious decision to address the needs of the common people, as opposed to the narrow interest of the political merchants, who thankfully have been permanently retired and would never again play god in the affairs of Kaduna state.
Born in Zaria on February 5, 1958, Balarabe attended the famous Kofar Kuyambana Primary School, Zaria from 1964 to 1970 where he obtained his Primary School Leaving Certificate. He was admitted into the famous elite Barewa College Zaria in 1971. It was in Barewa College the production center of who is who in the North that his path and that of el-Rufai crossed. It is remarkable that they have remained friends and this says something about the humility of Balarabe, who has severally accepted to work under his junior, who never leaves anyone in doubt as to who is the boss. Balarabe proceeded to the then Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria for his higher school.
By 1981 Balarabe was a proud graduate of Political Science from the famous Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, home of the late Bala Usman,Femi Odekunle , Patrick Wilmot, Ibrahim Gambari, Bangura, Beckmann and many other solid intellectuals who challenged and stimulated their students intellectually. It was in this academic environment that Balarabe consciously found himself that was to shape his career path from teaching to public service, which has obviously been very fulfilling.
Like the saying, to whom much is given much is expected, Balarabe is aware of the high expectations from el-Rufai by both his fanatical supporters and “political enemies” and what this means in terms of the demands on the machinery of government headed by him. The unmistaken message from the governor is that the engine of government must run and at full throttle 24/7; and that there should be no excuse(s) on the diligent implementation of strategic policies, especially peace, security, and economic development, which are very dear to him. If need be, Balarabe is expected to be ruthless in clearing any obstacle(s) against the realisation of government policies, like the confirmed incompetent teachers were kicked out.
The reorganisation of ministries, with enlarged mandate, is an indication that el-Rufai more than means business in his second term. The surgical reorganisation of the ministries, especially those considered “dumping” grounds, indicates an appetite for more successes. And a statement that in his second term only the best should be recommended for appointment and the governor availed with several policy options. Thankfully, the Team Nasir el-Rufai has the experience of the last four years to guide them.
Balarabe Abbas Lawal holds M.Sc in Political Science from ABU and has attended several courses including the General Management Course (GMC), Administrative College of Nigeria (ASCON) Topo-Badagary, Lagos, Management Trainers Course (MTC) Thames Valley College now Thames Valley University Slough UK, Privatiiation and Infrastructure Development Course at the Center for Financial Engineering and Development ( CFED) based in Washington DC, USA, the Public Private Partnership Course at the Institute of Public Private Partnership (IP3) in Washington DC USA. He also attended the Managing People Well Course in the Executive Management Development Program of Cranfield University, United Kingdom and the International Visitor Program (IVLP) of the State Department, the Leadership in Development at John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University Boston, MA, and Schulich School of Business Executive Education Centre of York University, Toronto, Canada.
Apart from teaching, which is his first love, Balarabe had also worked at ASCON, defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and was at different times a Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Education, Minister of State for Army, Ministry of Defence, and Special Assistant to the President in FCT and Chief of Staff to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Balarabe Abbas Lawal is a steady hand who has always impressed all who encounter him with his clear vision and ability to get the job done, no matter the odds. These are qualities that stand him out and why his reappointment didn’t come as a surprise to keen observers.
Ado writes from Kaduna, Kaduna state.
