Adedeji: Celebrating an achiever

How time flies. It is now one full year since President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mr Zacch Adedeji as the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC). Without doubts, it has been one year of pristine, exemplary, democratic and engaging leadership. It’s been one year of innovative reforms, people-oriented and goal-specific headship.

It is also one year of robust, forward-thinking and solution-based administration. Mr Adedeji has in the last one year demystified governance, initiated brilliant reforms and put a lie to insinuations that leadership is as difficult and tasking as rocket science. Unlike other leaders who speak ill of their predecessors and also go ahead to discard their policies and programmes, Zacch never fails to acknowledge the enduring legacies, excellent contributions foresight, commitment and commendable efforts of those who held sway long before he came on board last year. He recognises and appreciates their individual and collective roles since inception. This is a rare mark of integrity.

On his first day on duty in 2021, he said, “it is hard to believe that this is a government office. Everything here looks like a private arrangement. Look at the clean environment, neat offices, good use of technology and well ventilated workplace. I must commend the innovative drive and foresight of my predecessors. I’m happy to be here”.

Without some exaggeration, even inanimate properties within the Sugar House have felt the practical impact and Midas touch of Mr Adedeji in the last one year. His words and actions, particularly as they relate to staff welfare and general administration have reemphasised the famous biblical saying that, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice”.

A lot has happened in the last one year in the council. These positive developments are clear testaments to the fact that things usually go on well and in the right direction when the right people with the needed expertise, exposure and clear foresight are saddled with leadership responsibilities.

Indeed, at the council and sugar sector, a new Sheriff is in town as seen in the initiatives so far put in place to accelerate Nigeria’s quest to attain self-sufficiency in sugar production. Even stakeholders in the sugar sector have attested to the fact that things are taking shape in the sector.

Even the seemingly untouchable industrial behemoths who hitherto held the sector by the jugular and constantly flouted rules and regulations guiding the sector with impunity have since readjusted and pledged their commitments to the implementation of the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan (NSMP). In the council and sugar sector in general, it is no longer business as usual. Operators have been told to either get serious with their individual Backward Integration Programme, which is the heart of the NSMP, or stand the risk of being sanctioned.

Adedeji has brought his enormous wealth of experience and unquestionable intellectual credentials to bear in running the affairs of the council and sugar sector as a whole. Aside having unfettered access to institutions and highly placed personalities whose buy-ins are needed to run the sector efficiently, Adedeji also relies on his contacts outside the shores of Nigeria for council to realise its corporate aspirations and goals.

Hearty congratulations to the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council, Adedeji, on the occasion of his one-year anniversary in office. Indeed, your positive imprints dot the sugar landscape and they have earned the council its pride of place in the comity of serious, working and forward-thinking government agencies. The Lord shall keep, preserve and sustain you as you continue to serve God and humanity. Once more, congratulations.

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