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By Brown Chimezie
A member of the 11th Governing Council of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic (RUGIPO), Owo, Ondo State, Mr. Andrew Aroloye, has described the chairman of the council, Mr. Banji Alabi, as a leader who leads from the front.
Aroloye, who was the oldest among the members of the council, ascribed the successes recorded by the governing council to Alabi’s unique style of leadership applied during their tenure.
Describing the council chairman as a man who believed in collective teamwork, Aroloye revealed that Alabi gave every member the opportunity to make their impact in terms of ideas and contributions towards policies and decision-making.
Aroloye, who likened Alabi to “an Israeli army general” in an open letter to Alabi said: “A leader, charts the course and allows his followers to do the grading and tarring of the road. Israeli army general is always in front to give his followers confidence in the pursuit of their goal. That is why you have been at the forefront of the attack on our four-year stay at RUGIPO.
“The good leader that you are made you seek for advice at critical times, to give credence to your belief. (Like Moshe Dayan sought Golder Miers advice on when to strike the enemy during the Six-Day war).
“As our leader, therefore, I see you as a conceptualist. This is something more than an idea man only as you do not claim to know everything. You have the vision and time to drive home your belief for the destiny of RUGIPO through the group you led.
“As the man in front, you were able to distinguish between leadership and management. You saw yourself as someone who leads people to do the right things thereby making, us, your followers, people who do things right. As a coordinator of ideas, you at every council meeting, made everyone contribute to each item of discussion. It takes time and makes meetings long, but that is the right thing to do.
“I did not know you from Adam, but I have times without number, told you of how at our first meeting, “something prompted” me to give room to study who you are.
“I give credit for your leadership to the man – Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who chose you to lead us. It was a well-forethought decision. I thank him for this.”
Aroloye noted that Alabi isn’t an infallible man, but admitted and apologized for his mistakes.
According to him, “Serving under you as a member of the 11th Governing Council of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (2018- 2022) has not been all a rosy one.
“On two occasions of this, after an error was pointed out to you by people who noted them, you sent me long apologies on WhatsApp. On the 3rd occasion which was on 10/12/20 during the debate online on the need of holding our “Regular A&P Exercise for 2020”, after noting a gap on the floor of the house at our last meeting of 20/10/21, everyone (after you stood up to apologize publicly) joined in the rather unusual mother of all “Apology”. I was near tears, having broken my rule of not getting annoyed with you openly at our meetings. It does happen like that once in a while because we are humans.
“You relied on your team to achieve whatever we have achieved. You have a willing and understanding team that believes in you. You are a lucky person indeed.
“Most of the issues you raised online are philosophical in nature, but you achieved much through the cooperation of your team.
“We were lucky to have you, a lawyer as our leader who crafted all our joint ideas in the best legal terms, even understood by us “the unlearned” ones. This is a letter from my heart, and I am delighted to write it now as we are about to come to the end of our stay at RUGIPO as co-council members.”
