Leadership that delivers

It is not in my usual character to devote this column to singing the praises of individuals. Those who have followed this discourse over the years will readily attest that I have consistently maintained a principled distance from personality glorification. My interventions have always been issue-driven rather than personality-driven, for I firmly believe that public institutions should be stronger than the individuals who temporarily occupy them. Nevertheless, there are occasions when silence itself becomes an injustice. There are moments when exceptional public service deserves to be acknowledged, not because the recipient seeks applause, but because society must learn to celebrate excellence wherever it is found.

A nation that reserves all its energy for criticising failures, while refusing to commend genuine accomplishments, inadvertently discourages innovation and excellence in public service. It is against this background that I consider it both appropriate and obligatory to recognise the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Within the relatively short period of his stewardship at the Ministry of Interior, he has demonstrated that purposeful leadership, backed by vision, courage and determination, can transform even the most cumbersome government institutions.

His impact has been felt not only by Nigerians residing within the country but also by millions of our compatriots in the diaspora whose interactions with the Nigerian state have, for many years, been characterised by frustration, delays and needless bureaucracy. Permit me to state from the outset that this intervention is not politically motivated. Neither is it an attempt to curry favour with the Minister or anyone in government. Indeed, those who know me are aware that I have never hesitated to criticise governments whenever criticism becomes necessary. Public office is a public trust, and every occupant of such office must remain accountable to the people.

However, fairness equally demands that whenever a public officer distinguishes himself through measurable performance, such performance should be publicly acknowledged. Democracy flourishes not only through constructive criticism but also through responsible commendation.Recognition of excellence is not an act of flattery; it is an instrument of motivation. It inspires the recipient to do more while simultaneously reminding others that mediocrity should never become the acceptable standard in public administration.

Ordinarily, one would never have imagined that the Ministry of Interior could become one of the most visible examples of institutional reform in Nigeria within such a short period. For decades, the Ministry and many of its agencies had become synonymous with bureaucratic bottlenecks. Whether it was passport acquisition, immigration clearance, residence permits, expatriate administration or border management, citizens often approached these services with anxiety rather than confidence. Delays were normalised. Endless queues became institutional culture. Technology remained largely absent where it was most needed.

Unfortunately, many Nigerians had resigned themselves to believing that such inefficiency was an irreversible feature of governance. Nothing could be farther from the truth. One of the greatest lessons of governance is that institutions rarely fail because solutions do not exist. More often than not, they fail because leadership lacks the courage to implement those solutions. Administrative reforms are seldom products of miracles.

They are usually products of vision, commitment and disciplined execution. It is precisely this quality that I believe has become evident in the current management of the Ministry of Interior. The first impression any visitor forms about a nation is not necessarily the magnificence of its airport terminal or the beauty of its highways. Rather, it is the quality of interaction at the point of entry into the country. Immigration officers represent the first face of government encountered by visitors.

Their efficiency or inefficiency invariably shapes perceptions about the entire country. Consequently, immigration administration goes far beyond border control; it is an essential component of national image management. For many years, our international airports painted a picture inconsistent with Nigeria’s aspirations as Africa’s leading economy. Arriving passengers routinely spent long hours standing in congested immigration halls. Departing passengers often experienced similar frustrations. Elderly travellers, nursing mothers and children were compelled to endure avoidable discomfort while waiting endlessly for manual processing that should ordinarily have taken only a few minutes.

One frequently wondered why Nigeria, blessed with enormous human and technological resources, remained unable to automate a process that had become standard practice in many parts of the world. Ironically, my attention was first drawn to the ongoing transformation not through official announcements but through members of my own family. Owing to the absence of a direct international flight to Lagos on one occasion, they arrived through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Upon their return, my youngest daughter excitedly narrated what she described as a magical experience. “Dad,” she exclaimed, “it took us barely five minutes to complete immigration formalities. Everything was done electronically through automated machines.” Like many Nigerians who have witnessed countless government promises over the years, I initially received the information with measured optimism. I wondered whether the experience had perhaps been exaggerated by youthful excitement.

However, fate soon presented me with an opportunity to verify the claim myself. Not long afterwards, I had cause to travel through Abuja for a matter before the court. To my pleasant surprise, I encountered precisely what had earlier been described to me. The introduction of automated e-Gates and self-service immigration processing had dramatically reduced waiting time. Passenger clearance had become organised, efficient and refreshingly professional. What previously consumed close to an hour or even more was now accomplished within minutes. The entire experience projected confidence, competence and modernity.Shortly afterwards, I had occasion to meet the Honourable Minister.

Half in jest and half in earnest, I asked why Lagos, being Nigeria’s busiest international gateway, had not yet enjoyed similar technological upgrades. Characteristically, he explained that the reforms were being implemented in phases and assured me that Lagos would soon benefit from the same innovation. True to his word, it was not long before similar automated facilities appeared at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Today, countless passengers are already enjoying the convenience of technology-driven immigration clearance.

The difference is not merely one of speed; it is one of dignity. Travellers no longer associate arrival in Nigeria with unnecessary exhaustion and frustration. Instead, they are increasingly welcomed by a process that reflects efficiency expected of a serious country. Perhaps even more importantly, automation has substantially reduced unnecessary physical interaction between immigration officers and travellers. This is significant because excessive human discretion has historically created opportunities for avoidable compromise, extortion and corrupt practices. Technology has therefore become not merely an instrument of convenience but also a powerful weapon against corruption. Digital governance leaves fewer opportunities for arbitrary decision-making while promoting transparency, accountability and public confidence. The transformation has not ended at the airports. The passport administration system has equally undergone remarkable reforms.

Only a few years ago, obtaining a Nigerian passport was itself a journey of endurance. Applicants routinely waited for months. Many travelled repeatedly between their homes and passport offices. Others depended upon personal connections before legitimate applications could receive attention. The unfortunate impression gradually emerged that possession of a Nigerian passport was a privilege dispensed through influence rather than a constitutional right flowing from citizenship.

Recognising the enormity of the challenge, the Minister publicly declared at the commencement of his tenure that the accumulated backlog of passport applications would be cleared. Predictably, many observers dismissed the promise as another political declaration destined for the archives of unfulfilled commitments. Yet, through sustained administrative reforms, increased production capacity, improved logistics and digital process management, the backlog has largely disappeared. Passport waiting periods have been drastically reduced, and many applicants who complete their documentation now receive their passports within days rather than months. I even understand that, in due course, Nigerians need not visit any of the Immigration offices again to process and obtain passports. Passports will henceforth, for the same fees, be delivered via courier to our various homes. This achievement may appear ordinary to those who have never experienced the old system. It is anything but ordinary.

Behind every passport issued promptly is a businessman who no longer misses an international contract, a student who catches an admission deadline, a pilgrim who undertakes a religious obligation without anxiety, a family reunited after months of separation and an investor whose confidence in Nigeria is quietly strengthened. Indeed, governance is often measured not by grand speeches but by the ease with which ordinary citizens access public services. It is in these seemingly routine interactions that governments either earn public confidence or lose it. The Ministry of Interior, under the present leadership, appears to have understood this simple but profound truth. Perhaps the most revolutionary reform, however, is the introduction of the contactless passport renewal system for eligible Nigerians in the diaspora. This singular innovation, in my respectful view, represents one of the greatest demonstrations of how technology can be deployed to bridge the distance between government and its citizens. For years, Nigerians living abroad had to endure enormous inconvenience in renewing their passports. Many travelled hundreds of kilometres to the nearest Nigerian mission. Some took time off work on multiple occasions only to discover that one document or another was missing. Others waited endlessly for appointments or resorted to seeking influential contacts to facilitate what ought ordinarily to have been a routine administrative process. I speak from personal experience. Because members of my family reside largely outside Nigeria, I have, on more than one occasion, found myself making telephone calls and appealing to friends or officials to assist in facilitating passport renewals. Indeed, I have equally intervened on behalf of numerous Nigerians abroad who found themselves in similar situations. It gradually became an unfortunate culture whereby a Nigerian passport, which ought to be an entitlement flowing naturally from citizenship, appeared to have become a privilege obtainable only through personal connections.It was therefore with great delight that I read of the contactless passport renewal initiative.

The implication is profound. Eligible Nigerians can now complete substantial parts of the renewal process online without unnecessary physical interaction with immigration officials. Apart from the obvious convenience, the reform restores dignity to Nigerians in the diaspora. Government is no longer asking citizens to come endlessly in search of services; rather, government is taking services to the citizens. That is the true essence of public administration in a modern democracy.Equally commendable are the reforms surrounding Nigeria’s visa administration. In an increasingly interconnected world, countries compete not only through economic policies but also through the efficiency of their administrative systems. Investors, tourists, researchers and business executives are naturally attracted to jurisdictions where legitimate travel is facilitated through transparent and predictable procedures. The simplification of visa processes, the expansion of electronic applications and the reduction in processing time, all contribute to improving Nigeria’s image as a country that welcomes lawful business and international engagement while maintaining the necessary safeguards for national security. The Ministry has also made appreciable progress in strengthening border management.

Our borders remain critical to national security, the control of irregular migration, the fight against transnational crimes and the facilitation of legitimate commerce. The deployment of modern technology, improved data integration and enhanced collaboration among security agencies have considerably strengthened the nation’s capacity to perform these responsibilities. While no country can claim to have completely eliminated border-related challenges, there is no doubt that the journey towards smarter and more efficient border administration has gathered considerable momentum.Another area that deserves mention is the continuing effort to reposition the Nigerian Immigration Service itself. Institutions do not become efficient merely because new machines are purchased. Sustainable reforms require a change in organisational culture. There appears to be renewed emphasis on professionalism, customer service, discipline and continuous training. These may not always attract newspaper headlines, but they remain the invisible foundations upon which lasting institutional transformation is built. The Ministry’s oversight of the Nigerian Correctional Service has likewise witnessed renewed attention. For too long, our correctional facilities were perceived merely as detention centres. Increasingly, however, emphasis is being placed on rehabilitation, vocational training, education and the reintegration of inmates into society.

While enormous challenges remain, including congestion and infrastructural deficits, the renewed policy direction reflects a more progressive understanding that correctional administration should not simply punish offenders but also prepare them for productive citizenship upon release. One of the enduring lessons emerging from these reforms is that governance is ultimately about solving practical problems confronting ordinary citizens. Far too often, public discourse focuses on political contests while paying insufficient attention to administrative efficiency. Yet it is the efficiency of public administration that determines whether a trader secures a passport on time, whether a student meets an admission deadline, whether an investor decides to bring capital into the country and whether a traveller departs with confidence rather than frustration. Good governance is experienced not only in presidential speeches but also at passport offices, airports, border posts and service counters across the nation. There is another important lesson which public office holders should embrace. Leadership is not measured by the number of committees constituted or policy statements issued. It is measured by measurable outcomes that improve the lives of citizens. The true legacy of a public servant is not the length of time spent in office but the quality of reforms institutionalised before leaving office. Public institutions must become stronger after every administration, not weaker. It is often said that Nigerians are impatient. I respectfully disagree. Nigerians are perhaps among the most patient people anywhere in the world. What they are increasingly unwilling to tolerate is avoidable inefficiency. Whenever citizens witness genuine commitment and tangible improvement, they readily acknowledge it.

This explains why many of the reforms within the Ministry of Interior have attracted widespread commendation across political, professional and social divides. Performance speaks a language that requires no translation. The lesson is simple. Public office in itself deserves neither praise nor condemnation. It is the fruits produced by those entrusted with authority that ultimately determine how history remembers them. None of this is to suggest that the work is complete. Far from it. The reforms must be consolidated through continuous investment in digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, personnel development and regular system upgrades. The automation currently enjoyed at major international gateways should progressively extend to more locations. The contactless passport initiative should continue to evolve in response to the needs of Nigerians abroad. Customer service standards must be continuously monitored, and every opportunity for corruption should be further eliminated through technology and transparent procedures. It is equally important that succeeding administrations resist the temptation to abandon reforms merely because they were initiated by predecessors. One of the recurring weaknesses of governance in developing democracies is the tendency to personalise institutions. Successful reforms should become national assets rather than political achievements.

Government is a continuum, and every administration should build upon the foundations laid by those before it. As I conclude, let me reiterate that this intervention should not be mistaken for hero worship. Those who have followed this column know that I have never hesitated to criticise governments whenever criticism was warranted. Fairness, however, demands consistency. If we condemn poor performance, we must equally commend outstanding performance. Selective objectivity is neither intellectually honest nor morally defensible. The Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has demonstrated that purposeful leadership, supported by innovation, discipline and commitment, can transform institutions that many had almost written off. His stewardship offers an important reminder that Nigeria’s developmental challenges are not always products of impossibility but often consequences of leadership deficits. Where vision meets determination, where technology complements integrity and where public service is pursued as a sacred trust rather than a personal privilege, transformation becomes inevitable. My sincere hope is that these reforms will not only endure but will continue to deepen. More importantly, I hope that they will challenge other public office holders to remember that history is ultimately kind only to those who leave institutions better than they met them. Titles fade, offices change hands and political seasons come and go. What endures is the positive difference made in the lives of citizens. That, ultimately, is the true measure of leadership and the most enduring legacy any public servant can bequeath to posterity.