Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, has described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as ` a man to follow.’
Osinbajo, who was born on March 8, 1957, turned 64 on Monday.
Akande shared insight into Osinbajo’s leadership qualities in an interaction with newsmen on Sunday night shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari described the vice president as `a reliable and dedicated deputy.”
The spokesman said that the kind of relationship that existed between the president and the vice president inspired many and could energise significant national rebirth and development.
He said that by following the president dutifully and faithfully, Osinbajo had demonstrated that good leaders were first good followers and to use the word of the president, ‘reliable’ team members.
“Because Osinbajo is reliable in the discharge of his duties and cool-headed as the president noted, he becomes an example that many are so willing to follow and emulate in life. I do.
“The reason why many younger people seek after Osinbajo and their quest to have him attend to issues is because many see him as someone who is believable and they can relate with.
“The vice president has effortlessly and managed quite comfortably to connect with the younger people and his messages easily resonate with them.
“Even his peers and in many instances those older than him also find him exemplary, all you need to do is to review what many of these or those ahead of him have said about him publicly.
“ The latest is from the president when he said his deputy `is an incredibly patient politician who demonstrates remarkable intellectual and mental energy in the discharge of his duties’.”
According to Akande, greatness comes in twin pieces– following well, learning and leading well; working hard and understanding the value of reward.
He said that Osinbajo was following well and working hard.
“So in moments when the seat is hot and the atmosphere is charged, people like Osinbajo, endowed with an incredible manifestation of the Grace of God, can stay in the game and show us as a nation and a people to what is increasingly possible when we follow right and lead well.
“Happy birthday my dear Prof.,’’ he said.
NAN
