By Olajide Hamzat
Anyone who’s determined to succeed at any task must understand the essential role of mentorship and mentoring. As a matter of fact, he must know that to see farther than the other, as Isaac Newton once proclaimed, he must learn to stand on the shoulders of giants. By all account, great mentors are like guides and guardians. In their best, they provide insights and foresights. And like guardian angels, they emerge to illuminate the path of the seekers and ensure mentees are insulated from things that both derail and distract.
Like a coach is to a team, a mentor ensures mentees play with passion and uphold the principles that makes the game worthwhile. In politics and business, standing on the shoulders of a giant is the surest way to see farther than the other – and to turn out wiser and better than others. Of course, the giant here is the mentor who provides the tools and tactics to navigate and negotiate one’s way out of any challenges and obstacles. First civilian Governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande was persuaded to join politics by the late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. By the time ‘Baba Kekere’, as he was fondly called by his supporters was kicked out of power by the military junta in 1983, he has transformed Lagos into a beacon of hope and prosperity.
Apart from his investment in free education, free health, integrated rural development and gainful employment, his stewardship at bridging the housing deficit stood him out of the packs of other Lagos politicians. For instance, he built the low-cost housing scheme located in areas such as Amuwo Odofin, Ijaiye, Ikorodu, Dolphin and Oke-Afa in Isolo. That alone demonstrated his efforts and vision at providing affordable housing for residents in his state. In other words, when preparation meets the right mentoring, the result is always transformational and phenomenal. While Governor Makinde of Oyo has repeatedly dismissed the claim of having a political godfather, he has kept the Governor Advisory Council to close to himself. The GAC is filled with political bigwigs who often advise the Governor on contentious state matters. While not constitutionally sanctioned, the council has helped the Governor navigate the curves and contours of the state political terrains. The result is a Governor whose approval ratings, scorecards, popularity, acceptability, and credibility have soared to a record number. “I have no godfather. God is the father”, Governor Makinde quipped sometimes in 2021. He was reacting to the news that suggest his administration was being teleguided by some powerful and influential figures in the state.
Amofin Beulah Adeoye is a firm believer in the power of mentoring and mentorship. As a son of one of Nigeria’s leading Professors of organic agriculture, he learned the act of listening to the words of elders from home. Following his success at the University of Ibadan where he graduated with a first-class degree in Law, he proceeded to Klyneld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG) for an internship. Not surprising that he was retained thereafter.
By design, internships are meant to walk graduates through the nitty gritty of works at a specified firm. Typically, they also provide avenue for smart alecs to learn from mentors. Amofin Beulah Adeoye was patience enough to learn, unlearn and relearn from various industries giants. It is no coincidence that his career has been marked by his meteoric rise in law, finance, philanthropy, leadership and certainly, politics.
Olajide Hamzat writes about the various prospect and potential of Oyo state while projecting Amofin Beulah Adeoye as a solution provider, problem solver and creative, adaptive and innovative leader and thinker with compassion and empathy.
