Otaki Mijinyawa Oyigbenu one year after

Otaki Mijinyawa Oyigbenu, an accomplished bureaucrat, came, saw and played his meritorious part. His sudden demise late last year is still fresh in my mind as if it has just happened. The incident reminds me of the philosophical words of George Elliot; “the golden moment in the stream of life rushes past us and we […]

Otaki Mijinyawa Oyigbenu, an accomplished bureaucrat, came, saw and played his meritorious part. His sudden demise late last year is still fresh in my mind as if it has just happened. The incident reminds me of the philosophical words of George Elliot; “the golden moment in the stream of life rushes past us and we see nothing but sand. The angels come to visit us and we only know them when they are gone”.

Otaki’s life has been a tumultuous, albeit an inspiring one. Typical of what a Hausaman would say, ‘namiji’!

He undoubtedly exhibited uncommon attributes that were widely acknowledged by friends and foes.

His life, in my own view can best be described as a lesson in hard work, resilience and calmness.

Otaki, scion of a veteran of the historic struggle for self determination of the Alago people of Nasarawa State, was born on October, 19 1953. His father, the Late Malam Oyigbenu Omame’s early conversion to christianity and his active involvement in the struggle for political liberation of the Alago people in the 50s, exposed him to the fact that the people could not be ignorant and free at the same time. He saw education as the only tool for liberation, hence he exhibited a touching faith on the efficacy of education as an instrument of liberation. That explained why he ensured all his eighteen children were adequately educated. He also instilled in them the virtue of hard work, self reliance and strict sense of honour and dignity which has remained the hallmark of the Oyigbenus.

Otaki began his primary education in 1958 at the then Sudan United Mission Primary School, Agwatashi, from where he proceeded to the Native Authority Primary School Keana (1959 to 1960). He returned to SUM Primary School Agwatashi, between 1962 and 1963 before proceeding to SUM Senior Primary School, Awonge, Lafia L.G.A, from 1964 to 1966.

In 1967, Mr Otaki Oyigbenu gained admission into the prestigious Government Secondary School, Abuja (Suleja) and completed in 1971. Like an early morning sun, beautiful and promising, Otaki Oyigbenu presented a perfect and sterling leadership qualities early in life. He was crowned Senior Prefect in his final year in the Secondary School.  After his secondary education, he had a brief stint with Government Secondary School Katsina Ala for the HSC and left as a pioneer student of the University of Ibadan, Jos campus, in 1973. He graduated in 1977 with a B.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Ibadan. Back then in the days, his classmates called him D.O(District Officer).

After graduation, he was posted to the defunct Borno state for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps and served with Staff Development Centre, Potiskum. The period in which the late Otaki completed his Youth Service Programme in 1978 was a historic and engaging moment in the country. The implementations of the 1976 Local Government Reforms, transition to elected civilian government in 1979 were the dominant national issues. It should be noted that the Late Otaki resisted attempt to woe him into politics after his youth service.

It was under these circumstances that he took a headlong dive into the civil service like a duck to water, in 1978. That was to be the grand herald of Otaki in government. Without any simmer of doubt, he made an appreciable impact in his almost three decades of meritorious service to his fatherland. He had held many important positions in Plateau and Nasarawa States such as Community Development Officer, Awe Local Government, 1979. He serves as principal secretary to the then Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Alh. Danladi Yakubu, 1979–1980, from where he was appointed and served as secretary to Kanam LGC 1980 – 1982, pioneer Secretary to defunct Akun LGC where he was also Sole Administrator, 1982 –1983.

In the period of the 2nd Military intervention, Otaki served as Senior Assistant Secretary, Political and Research in the cabinet office, Jos, Senior Assistant Secretary, Administration, Cabinet office, Jos, Principal Assistant Secretary, Administration, Cabinet Office Jos, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Cabinet Office, Jos, Administrative Manager to the Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP) between March 1991 and February, 1992 Otaki was appointed Director General, Government House Administration, 1992-1993. Director General EXCO and Special Bureau, Cabinet Office Jos. Director General, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Plateau State with the creation of Nasarawa state in 1996 he was redeployed in that capacity to the Ministry of Finance, Lafia. He served briefly as Acting Secretary to the State Government and Head of Service between 4th February and 12th May 1997. Otaki returned to his familiar turf as Director General, General Administration office Lafia being the most DG amongst his colleagues. From 10th December, 1997 to 30th January, 1998 providence smiled at him. He was appointed substantive Secretary to the State Government from 1998 to June 1999, In August 2001, Otaki Oyigbenu joined the Federal Civil Service as a Director on transfer of service. He was variously at the Planning, Research and Statistics Department of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Youth Development, Federal Ministry of Health as Director of Personnel Management.

On 21st December, 2005, Mr. Otaki was appointed Federal Permanent Secretary. Within four years of his tenure as a Federal permanent Secretary he had been severally redeployed to various complex ministries because of his unique ability to reach across the aisle and deal with complex issues. Mr Oyigbenu served in ministries such as Manpower Development, Office of the Head of Service (December 2005 – September 2006), Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism September, 2006-2007, Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, June 2007 – January, 2008, Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, December 2008 to January 2009, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources January to December 2009.

This is an eloquent testimony to his competence, ability and exceptional skill as a seasoned and if you like, the quintessential bureaucrat. Dedication, commitment; and punctuality were three essence of late Mr Otaki Oyigbenu. Humility, prudence and simplicity were his core values.

Providence, patience, careful planning and perseverance in the face of difficulties appeared to be some of the key qualities that have sustained his phenomenal rise in the service.

His stamina for work was phenomenal. His normal day start from 4.00am. There were occasions that meetings started by 8pm and dragged to 5am in the morning, everyone would go home with bleary eyes and exhausted body, those involved will like to catch some sleep before coming to work in the morning. Otaki would go home and make sure he attended to pending files through the night and report at 8.00am.

Cool, calm and retrospective by nature, he was a highly organized man who bidded his time in everything he did and of course, he did them well.

In all the years that I have worked closely with him, I never saw “Adongari” lose his cool or do anything malicious. He was well regarded with awe by everyone because of his exceptional conduct. He was a man who would not poke his nose into what did not concern him. He remained a humble and easily accessible man. No matter the pressure of meetings, files, memos and conferences, Otaki would always create time to attend to all the visitors in his usually crowded visitor’s room.

He never talked down on his subordinates, neither did he threaten or intimidate his staff. Where they went wrong, he put them on their toes by appealing to their good nature. When his voice rose sometimes, it was because the moment called for it.

Otaki never courted relevance. His works spoke for him. Where duty beckoned, he did it with sheer zeal for excellence. Like he would always say, he never feared challenges. Challenges were usually afraid of him.

Otaki might be all these, but he was much more especially to his people in his ancestral home of Agwatashi, in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State: A trail blazer and an inspiring hero of all season. The first graduate in Agwatashi, his home town naturally, he became a role model. He attracted beneficial community development projects which still have direct bearings on the lives of his people. A recipient of many national awards, he was conferred with Officer of the Order of Niger (OON), a Gold Award from National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) Rimin Agwatashi, Ubangarin Keana, Ogblega 1 of Yala Kingdon in cross River State and an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). He was married to Grace Onyalekwu, and they have five children, with an aged mother, Abigail Onige Oyigbenu.

On July 26, 2010, at the Awards Dinner put together as part of activities to climax the 2010 Civil Service week in Abuja, Otaki was honoured with a post humus award alongside distinguished civil servants for their meritorious service to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Everyone who knew him confirmed it was an honour well deserved.

Otaki will be remembered for his accomplishments, compassion, humility and sense of worth. Certainly, that is how I will remember him. I remain grateful to him, God knows, not only for touching me in a special way, at my worst moment of despair, but for choosing me among many of his boys to be part of his noble history.

Bala Oseba Yahuza was PA to the late Otaki Oyigbenu, Plot 1035, NIMCO ESTATE, MARARABA, [email protected]