SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO LATE KEMI JABARU

GOD BE WITH US TILL WE MEET YOU AGAIN:

Kemi Atoyebi-Jabaru, I know you would have said "broda mi, kole to yen now" but it's actually more than that. We have heard and seen leadership from the pulpit but you simply demonstrated the preachings from the pew. You led us from the congregation and showed us in a rather shocking way as Christians, that our exits can happen anytime and we must be found faithful. You were not just my loyal Facebook friend, you were my wife's closest sister in the ushering department and church, her best customer and marketer, you were the HOD of welfare dept while I was overseeing minister. You were a great well-wisher of my politicking and your moderations were known to all. 

How I wish you can read this write-up and hear all everyone has been saying about how much you have impacted their lives within this short while. From many books I have read and the few opportunities at motivational speaking, I know a life of impact is not really how long but how well, however, no one in my (church) circle of influence has demonstrated this so well.

You are a champion of faith. You were indeed more than conqueror, a winner and triumphant in all ramifications. I really feel like writing a book about the lessons taught by your graceful but rather short life. You were an epitome of grace, humility, big heart, giving, joy unspeakable, yet you were living in so much pains and a day at a time. 

God be with us till we meet you again in paradise because you have fought a good fight, finished your (sprint) race and we know you deserve your price. It's us, the remaining brethren that need prayers to finish (our desired marathon) strong like you have done, to serve God till the last moment.

 God be with us as we take care of our children, scold them but in love. Go about our daily, weekly, monthly routines and other responsibilities; not knowing which one will be the last one. Yes, we trust God we will be around for long but who knows for sure?

God be with us as we relate with our spouses, make love, quarrel over issues (both petty and serious), take decisions concerning the children education and welfare, plan the rest of the future of the children and ours together, not knowing which might be the last one we do. Yes, we trust God we will sleep together for many more years, raise our children and see our children's children but who knows for sure?

God be with us as we serve humanity, take care of the needy, use our talents and resources to blessed lives around us, sacrificing our time and energy to bring smile to other people's faces, when we make lasting impression on all around us as if it's the last we would do. Yes, we pray we will make more impacts and live long lives of impact, but who can be so sure?

God be with us in serving Him; as we play our roles in the body of Christ, serving in various departments, cleaning the church, standing and walking about as ushers so that others can sit comfortably, so that the service can be orderly; though we feel tired and weak. Serving as HOD of welfare department, even though we need welfare too, we have health and other challenges. Spending and being spent for the furtherance of the kingdom. Yes, we pray and believe because we are so active in service, we must live long; who can be so sure?

God be with us as we smile and laugh, not because we are really amused but because we know they go a long way in making others feel better and brighten their moments. You have done that more than anyone I know but not from convenience. Yes, we wish to smile and find reasons to laugh but what about doing it because others can be lifted by seeing our smiles and laughter and who knows which one will be our last moment with these people.

As your former minister in charge of welfare, while you were the HOD, I think I have learnt more from your life of giving and humility. You always call me "Oga mi or broda mi" and I discovered that anyone older than you in the church is either "Aunty mi, Oga mi or Egbon mi". Very generous with your smile, time and energy. My wife, as your friend, your fashion designer and closest co-usher and HOD ushering is grieving and I know you would have scolded me teasingly that why can't I console her, but how can I give what I don't have in this situation. Kemi, you see why God must be with us till we see you again at paradise because we pray and trust God we won't lose anyone this important again but who can be so sure?

Sincerely, if I feel like this about your departure (you are not dead) at least we knew you had the visa and you prepared our minds that we are going to miss you for a while; I wonder what your husband is going through. I wonder what Mayowa, your ten year old son and his siblings are wondering; not understanding yet how to handle the information. I wonder what your siblings and others that have known you all your life are going through. I wonder what those lives that depend on you are going through. I am not superstitious but you can see why God must be with them till they meet you again in paradise.

Kemi, you led from the pew, not the pulpit:As a Christian sister, you were too busy serving God that you didn't care who is not doing what.You were too committed to giving that we barely see your needs.You were too full of grace that no one noticed your weakness.You were laughing all the way and no one knew how much pains you endured behind those adoring smiles.

Oh Kemi, God must be with your husband, your children, your parents, your relations, the church and friends till we meet again, again at paradise, where we hope to spend eternity without pains, sorrows or loss but in everlasting joy and worship of our Lord and Maker.

Good bye Kemi Jabaru, the amiable wife of gentle Tunji Jabaru, the mother of Mayowa (Son), Mayokun and Motunrayo. God be with us all till we meet you again at paradise. Amen. 

Adieu Kemi Oyebola Jabaru (Nee Atoyebi).

Buhari and APC fail #100days Integrity test.

  

FRIDAY LEADERSHIP NUGGET: BUHARI & APC FAIL 100 DAYS INTEGRITY TEST

The FeBuhari and March4Buhari goodwill garnered by the present administration and the ruling party are not well managed and though it is human to be imperfect, it takes integrity in leadership to admit same. In today's issue, we are using the denial of 100 days  in office promises and the likely implications.

The first lesson I learnt in public relations management of integrity as it relates to public leadership was during the Lewinsky/Clinton crisis; the more President Clinton denied any "inappropriate relationship" with the White House intern, the more the tension grew. He got the best lawyers; Afro-American lady and physically challenged guy on wheelchair but neither could douse the tension nor exonerate him of any wrong doing. However, when Mr. Clinton came to the public to admit "inappropriate relationship" with the intern and ask for forgiveness, the opinion poll changed and instead of castigation, it turned to national pity. That was a worst scenario of personal integrity where freedom and public integrity were well monitored but was well managed by his public relations consultants.

Mr. President disappointed many when he refused to make any comment on the issues of agitations of the people about the domination of the appointments so far by the President's region of the country; he purposely ignored them as "rating", when the appointees took oath of office. A statement to address the issue should have accompanied the press release and when that didn't happen, the next opportunity by Mr. President to address any public should have settled the matter. To make matters worse, within the same week, the ruling party denied any 100 days in office electoral promises. Denial by politicians has been the normal practice but following the normal practice suggests to the people in a rather blatant way that nothing has really changed.

The expectations of the people from the Presidency are very high, expecting a kind of supernatural results and failing to meet up with such is human but admitting around 90 days would have made better impression or a 100 days in office media chat. Remember, we are dealing with a President with burden of religious and tribal bigotry but suppressed by the propaganda of the party, a dictator that jailed former governors in the southwest but put the northerner counterparts in house-arrest. With that kind of burden, the body language of the President and nonchalant attitude towards the agitations suggest even the fight against corruption could be loop-sided. 

IMPLICATIONS:

● People will consider the region of the other appointees before the merits.

● Not everything Mr President says would be taken hook, line and sinker

● There will be suspicion that people from southern region will suffer more in the fight against corruption

● Eyebrows will now the raised about Mr President's religious tolerance

● The discipline once attributed to Mr President could now be seen as dictatorial traits

● Propaganda from the opposition can produce better results now; if your words are not consistent, anyone can prove you to be a liar. 

There's a Yoruba song that say: "Eni ba jale lekansoso, koda ko fi Aran bori, aso ole lo dabora" (the man that steals once and stops, even if he puts on an expensive robe, it is believed to be a stolen one).

No doubt, Buhari still excels many politicians in integrity but his team have not managed this 100 days well. Remember, no one has come to list what exactly this Presidency has achieved in 100 days. Yes, there is better power supply but what exactly was done by this administration to improve it within that short time and what was done to improve fuel supplies? Effective public communications by the leader (ruling party) goes beyond propaganda, media noise/alarm.

With the body language of Mr President the last two weeks, it is very easy for the opposition (whether within the party or outside) to hijack the goodwill of this administration; remember, that goodwill was not gotten overnight. 

It is not enough for the leader to be a person of integrity, it must be seen by all as such. Like love, you must keep reminding your followers/subjects whether directly or subtly that the integrity is intact. It is natural to doubt the leader's integrity but the leader must help his people through regular reassurance. 

Leadership Quote: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.  -Anonymous.