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The success or failure of a leader largely depends on the people they choose to work with. And I’m not just talking about political appointees. Outside of government, there must also be men and women who fully understand what the leader stands for and are willing, at any moment, to step up and say, “My friend, you are not doing well.”
Too often in our country, leaders choose their team based on factors that have little to do with competence. Having observed governance as a journalist for 30 years, served as a senator for four years, and acted as a presidential adviser for eight, I have seen some infuriating reasons why people are appointed. It often comes down to friendship, family ties, religious or ethnic affiliations, and, in some cases, the simple fact that the appointee is pliant and will unquestioningly follow the leader’s orders. The few competent ones who do get appointed are often crowded out and frustrated, labeled as enemies of the leader.
For a leader to succeed in our environment, they must not only have sound ideas and ideals but also surround themselves with people who share those same values. If you want to succeed, your vice president , heads of the legislative houses, your chief of staff, your police chief, your immigration head, your intelligence director, and, of course, your ministers, Secretary to the Government, and advisers must be fully committed to your vision. Even the state governors sponsored by your party must share this conviction and not merely be resource guzzlers. It must be about the people, the country, and society at large—not about self.
It’s not enough to have people who simply say “Yes, sir” all the time, or who prostrate before you in a show of subservience. Leadership requires more than superficial loyalty. The people around you must challenge you, think critically, and be prepared to act in the interest of the public good, not personal gain.
In addition to appointing capable individuals within the government, a leader must also cultivate a circle of friends and advisors outside government—people who are not hungry for power or personal favors. These must be individuals who can remind the leader of their contract with the people when things start to veer off course.
As I reflected on this early this morning, I remembered the role I and my former colleague, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, played during the eight-year governorship of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos State.
My colleagues at The News asked me to step away from editorial duties temporarily to help manage Tinubu’s campaign office, which I did without hesitation. After he won, I chaired his transition committee alongside figures like Asue Ighodalo, Dupe Adelaja, who became minister under President Olusegun Obasanjo, journalists Funmi Iyanda and Mayor Akinpelu, Teju Phillips (daughter of the late billionaire Chief Deinde Fernandez), and media mogul Guy Murray-Bruce. We worked diligently and delivered on our mandate.
When it came time for appointments, Tinubu asked me which position I wanted. I told him I would return to journalism. He was surprised and asked why. I explained, “You need someone like me, who doesn’t want anything from you, who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth. I can come to you from time to time and tell you what’s really going on.”
This became my role for the next eight years. Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was then Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, referred to me as “our one-man opposition” because every time I showed up at the government house, it was to point out what wasn’t working.
When the security operatives around him chose “Superman” as his code name, I approached him and said, “This is not good for your mindset as a leader. You are not Superman; only God is.” We then changed the code name to “Eagle.”
On another occasion, one of his close aides falsely accused a friend of his, which made him angry. I stepped in and explained that what they claimed his friend said was not true—I had been present, and the situation was not as it had been reported to him. The aides were merely trying to distance him from a friend they felt had too much influence over him.
Six weeks into Tinubu’s term, The News published a July opinion piece titled “A Season To Do Something.” It was a hard-hitting piece written by Bayo Onanuga. It was a holistic look at democracy that Tinubu interpreted as a veiled attack on him. He called me, saying, “Femi, with friends like you, who needs enemies?” I knew he was referring to Bayo’s article but played along. “What are you talking about?” I asked. “Didn’t you read Bayo’s piece?” he replied. “Oh, that? Yes, I did. Are we your enemies now? If so, we’re proud to be.” He was stunned by my response and immediately asked to meet.
When I arrived at his office, I found three Lagos white-cap chiefs sitting with him. They seemed uncomfortable with how I addressed Tinubu, and one even stood up, demanding I show respect. But before I could respond, Tinubu intervened. “This is between me and my friend; it’s none of your business,” he said, and led me into a smaller room.
“Femi, what’s the problem? Why did Bayo write that?” he asked. I told him the hard truth: “Garbage is piling up on the streets, the roads are bad, traffic is chaotic, and people are abusing you, calling you names. What should I do?”
During the transition, we had brought in top professionals to help formulate a plan for governance. Experts and credible individuals like Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, Prince Yemisi Shyllon, Yemi Osinbajo, and other distinguished figures had chaired committees covering sectors like housing, infrastructure, health, judiciary, taxation, finance, and the arts. These committees worked diligently, producing reports that laid out short, medium, and long-term strategies, including a plan for Tinubu’s first 100 days.
“You’ve discarded these reports,” I said bluntly. “Do you still have copies?” he asked. I did, so I rushed home to retrieve the diskettes, printed them out, and walked him through the recommendations. I suspect he later took them to his cabinet. The cabinet was filled with capable people who were unafraid to stand up to him. In fact, a group of four or five commissioners often met to push their own patriotic and selfless agenda or checkmate self-serving colleagues. After this, things began to improve.
A leader, whether in or out of government, needs people who can challenge him. When leaders start being treated like gods by their appointees and friends, they are courting disaster.
