Leading By The Renewed Hope Template: The Shining Footprints Of ECN Boss, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi 

George Washington Carver, the black America agricultural chemist, agronomist, experimenter and scientist who invented more than 300 uses for the peanut once said, “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” This, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR made clear when he coined the catchphrase for his campaign – Renewed Hope. The undernamed recalls shortly before the official kick-off of the 2023 presidential election campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC), during an event where the manifesto was officially unveiled, there was a near-slip of tongue error where the anchor mentioned ‘Hope Renewed’ as the campaign shibboleth or what is popularly referred to as ‘slogan’. That was to be quickly corrected ‘Renewed Hope’. It clearly revealed that Mr. President was intentional about his vision for running for the numero uno seat.

And like Theodore Hesburgh, renowned American priest and academic once said, “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” Then APC Presidential candidate and man cosmopolitan as Jagaban Borgu had to correct the anchors of the event. That was leadership in action. A prove of a man prepared for leadership. An evidence that the then Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was mentally alert to happenings around him. His vision woven around hope that then seemed forlorn with the truncation of the ‘Hope’93’ championed by the late business mogul and philanthropist, Bashorun Moshood Kashimaawo Olawale Abiola, winner of the country’s freest election ever had suddenly been re-invented in Asiwaju Tinubu’s aspiration. Having been an ally of the late politician and a member of his political think-tank, Jagaban saw the need to bring back the hope, and its possibility. Hence, the ‘Renewed Hope’ locution that was to become the new song across the country.

The APC candidate in his determination to secure victory did manage every situation, deploying every strategy within his arsenal, applying many rules of Robert Greene’s ’48 Rules of Power’, a best-seller masterpiece on power and politics. While concealing his intentions like Greene mentioned in Rule 3, he was picky and kept to Rule 4 that says, ‘Always say less than necessary’. And if at all he would talk during the campaigns, he would say things that would keep his name on the tongue of everybody. He exploited the Rule #6 to his advantage by courting attention at all cost. Everyone still remembers his famous words in Jos, Plateau like the ‘PDAPC’ or is it the ‘Bala Blu Bulaba’ at some other platforms? Asiwaju Bola Tinubu sure knew what he was going into. He understood quite well the murky waters of Nigerian politics having passed through the tutelage of Major General Musa Yar’Adua and M.K.O Abiola both of blessed memory.

On assumption of office, (now) President Bola Tinubu saw, akin to the words of Max De Pree, American businessman and writer, that, “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality…” The reality that dawned on him as the country’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces was the huge expectation from Nigerians for him to navigate the country through her murky waters of uncertainties. He knew the first thing would be to get the right people on board that would help him accentuate his Renewed Hope agenda. Having successfully managed the election, it was time to put round pegs in round holes. As reflected in the words of Stephen Covey, one of America’s best-selling authors, “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success. Leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”

One of the appointments made by Mr. President which today has been described in several quarters as most apropos was that of Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN). Since his appointment in October 2023, barely 5 months after Mr. President took oath of office, the Energy boss has been firing from all cylinders. He has hitherto created a footprint of measurable milestones in a sector that was barely known in its over 4 decades of existence until his arrival. Dr. Abdullahi has repeatedly proved that the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr. President is not a fluke! Every of his activities one way or the other has been that which would advance President Tinubu’s promises in his 84-page manifesto, especially in the area of policy implementation of the energy sector.

Barely 3 months ago, May 8 precisely, the ECN numero uno unveiled a twin document on National Energy Policy (NEP) and National Energy Master Plan (NEMP). The first time in the Commission’s over 40 years of existence. The event which held at the Main Auditorium of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) building had in attendance critical stakeholders from the Energy sector including Ministers of the Federal Republic, private sector, practitioners and the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Energy, Ms. Olubukola Arowolo Verheijen. These 2 documents would go on to provide pathway for what was to come afterwards in the area of deliverables on his mandate. Today, Dr. Abdullahi has not stopped in breaking limits unlike what the situation was before his assumption of office.

Only 21 days ago, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) under Dr. Abdullahi performed a groundbreaking ceremony of Assembly Plant construction at Ihunekwagu Autonomous Community, Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. The event came up as a corollary of the need to boost access to affordable electricity in the country, and to take several communities off the national grid. In addressing the electricity menace therefore, the visionary Chief Executive of the Energy Commission saw an opportunity in photovoltaic (PV) electricity to provide alternative energy to millions of households. Hence, consolidating the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr. President. Such solar PV module assembling plant will provide sustainable, reliable, and decentralized power source capable of reaching the remotest part of the country – thereby giving light and hope to Nigerians.

As if the above were not enough, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) scored another record-breaking milestone barely 10 days ago. The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abdullahi took the public by surprise with history as he held another epoch-making groundbreaking ceremony of Barefoot Renewable Energy College (BRE College), Osara, Kogi State. The concept of a Renewable Energy College was in line with the manifesto of President Tinubu whose part agenda is to explore various energy potential of the country. The college is a leap further into transitioning from fossil-based energy resources to renewable energy. So, when Kogi State Governor, Ministers, State party functionaries, royal fathers gathered on Saturday, August 10 at the Confluence University of Science and Technology, venue of the event, it was the era of a new dawn in his (Dr. Abdullahi’s) leadership journey towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly and economically vibrant future.

Ostensibly, the Barefoot Renewable Energy College aims to bridge the energy manpower gap, drive innovation, competence, and self-reliance in the renewable energy sector. The future is assured with a safer environment and a cleaner energy. The man, Dr. Abdullahi does not look like somebody who is going back down anytime soon. For him, the task of helping Mr. President achieve his aim of reworking and retooling Nigeria for Nigerians is a cause that cannot be compromised. And there is no stopping. Not now, not anytime soon.

.

OMOGBOLAHAN L.A. BABAWALE is the Special Assistant, Strategy and Communications to the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN).

He writes from Abuja and can be reached via riches.babs@gmail.com/officialczar2@gmail.com