Kunle Adelabu
The Conference of Igbogbo Indigenes in Public Service (COIIPS) has honoured the Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Builder Seasan Daini and other senior public officers with Excellence awards.
Also honoured were Mrs Sunkanmi Oyegbola, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service; Arc. Odusanya Adebayo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Alhaji Ganiu Oduntan, Deputy Director, Operations, CBN.
Others were: Engr. Olugbenga Adegbite Ogunlewe, Director, Mechanical & Electrical, Public Works Corporation; Prince Dapo Ogunlewe, Deputy Director, Ministry of Lands; Com. Fakolade Oluwafemi Oluwaseun, Deputy Director, Ministry of Education and Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Ikorodu branch, and Mr Lekan Faniyi, Assistant Director, LIRS.
Late Alhaji Abdul – Jelil Abubakri (Hasbunallah), was honooured with a posthumous award for his effort in the formation of COIIPS and Public Service Day.
The honourees were honoured for their respective contributions to the development of the public service, both at the state and national levels, at the 4th Public Service Day of the annual Igbogbo Day Celebration held at the HRM Oba Abdul-Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali Hall, Rotary Centre, Igbogbo, on Friday, November 17, 2023.
In its tradition, this year’s Public Service Day themed, “Career Movement in 21st Century Public Service”, also provided employees of the government another informed and refreshing opportunity about their careers as senior resource public servants charged them on rules governing their respective chosen fields and how they can navigate them.
The retired Director, Public Affairs Office, PSSDC, Magodo, Lagos, Mr T.O. Ajetunmobi, charged public servants to be well – informed and educated in delivering their services to the public who are highly informed and sophisticated with the 21st century knowledge.
“If it is three or two or one year that you plan to serve in the public service, you are in the 21st century and you cannot have a mindset of the 20th century. We must continue to upgrade ourselves; we must continue to update our knowledge so that we do not serve last year’s menu to those who are coming to our tables now”, the guest lecturer said.
“The public service is the engine room of any government. It is administrative, and the machinery of government and it is where all of the actions, plans and programmes of the government come to fruition.
“Even if the public does not get to meet with Mr Governor or any of the top functionaries, they will have the opportunity of meeting anyone of us and the way we deal with them; the way we relate with them; the service delivery that we do is what they talk about the government.
“Without a virile public service, no government can function effectively, but an effective public service for the 21st century will be one that is knowledgeable; one that is deeply intellectual; one that knows his onion inside out and is one that can compete with other public services that are within its category in the comity of public services”, Mr Ajetunmobi said.
Mr Waheed Kasali, the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Special Adviser of Education, in his contribution, charged members of COIIPS to always develop themselves educationally by going for further degrees, courses that would improve and expand their knowledge.
He enjoined public servants in academic lines to always pursue higher degrees, and also charged civil servants to endeavor to go for professional courses and update their ICT knowledge.
Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, commended the guest speaker for the informed and well – articulated lecture, and pledged that the palace will continue to be part of the COIIPS’ programmes.
“I appreciate everybody for coming and as a matter of fact, this is a homecoming event for all of us. This is a gathering that I belong and will continue to associate with it till eternity. I want to appreciate the executive members that made today a reality”.
The royal father, who is a retired public servant, commended the awardees for their roles in the developing the public service space.
Also at the Olori Sekinat Kasali, Olori Kafayat Kasali, Mr Gbenga Odunniyi, former President, IYÇ Asiwaju Lateef Oduguwa, former Chairman, NUT, Ikorodu, Mr Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA) and Mr Kazeem Ogunmuyiwa President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition among others
