By Abba Alkali Goni, PhD.
Considering many youths in Nigeria who have failed in different leadership positions, I am obliged to acknowledge with admiration the efforts of the young but mighty Executive Secretary of BOGIS, Engr. Adam Bukar Bababe, in demonstrating exemplary leadership and concern for youths to prosper in Borno State. Engr Bababe came to leadership limelight under the administration of his mentor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, six years ago (2019), but his impact remains indelible and a challenge to many long-serving leaders with less tangible impacts on the ground.
Today, aside from his unprecedented legacies at BOGIS and educational interventions under the Bababe Educational Foundation, I would like to commend his personal attributes of generosity, largeheartedness, and the love to reward loyalty unconditionally. He is blessed with a large heart; a heart that gives generously and appreciates loyalty. His leadership style is characterized by a deep sense of appreciation for loyalty, which is rare to find nowadays.
His recent car gifts and securing of appointments for his loyalists and mentees are among the few reported gestures of Bababe. He has been doing more than these, especially behind the cameras. Engr Bababe believes in nurturing talent and creating platforms for young people to prosper. His efforts have instilled a sense of purpose and belonging in the youths, who now feel that one of them is at the top, performing wonders and creating platforms for them to excel in life.
Unlike others who exploit the youths and tie them to token amounts, Engr. Bababe builds them to be independent, thereby driving pleasure in seeing them reach greater heights in life. He is also the brain behind the development of Maiduguri GSM Market, a business hub for thousands of youths in Borno.
Just like every public officer, Engr. Bababe may not be immune to public criticism and dubious aspersions, particularly from certain quarters who feel threatened by his impactful legacies. His decisive leadership style, akin to that of Prof. Zulum, serves as a reminder that even the briefest of moments can have a lasting impact on the right leadership. The discovery of Engr Bababe by Gov Zulum remains one of the unforgetable legacies of His Excellency because it is only great leaders who discover and nurture leaders.
If Engr. Bababe could touch so many lives, particularly those of youths, within these few years as ES of BOGIS, one may wonder how many lives he would have touched by now, had it been he is in a higher position than his current status.
Just like an exceptional student who must be accelerated to the next class to avoid demoralizing him, I dare to say that Engr. Bababe deserves to be promoted to the next level of governance. He is just unputdownable in the equation of governance.
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