THE CHALLENGES OF AGBÉFÓBA By: Comrade Allen Sowore, Esq
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THE CHALLENGES OF AGBÉFÓBA By: Comrade Allen Sowore, Esq
Despite numerous obstacles, Nigerian women continue to aspire to leadership roles, demonstrating resilience in the face of systemic challenges. Those who have succeeded serve as powerful reminders of both the difficulty of leading as women and their immense potential to drive positive change in the country.
One such woman was the late Dr. Dora Akunyili, whose legacy remains indelible. In 2001, she was appointed Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo. Driven by the personal tragedy of losing her sister to fake insulin, Dr. Akunyili embarked on a mission to reform the health sector.
Upon assuming her role at NAFDAC, Akunyili was confronted with a system rife with corruption. Although the agency was staffed with qualified personnel, many lacked proper training, and the task of regulating food and drugs across Nigeria was overwhelming. Some employees engaged in unethical practices, including accepting bribes, delaying inspections, and abetting misconduct.
Similarly, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a former Minister of Finance for Nigeria, also stands out as a woman who has navigated significant challenges. Appointed in July 2011, she later became the seventh Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2021, making history as the first woman and African to hold that position. As Finance Minister and Coordinator of the Nigerian economy, she faced many hurdles, including the challenge of Agbéfóba. In a particularly painful event, her mother, Kamene Okonjo, was kidnapped in December 2012.
As Nuhu Ribadu, the first head of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, once said, “In Nigeria, when you fight corruption, it fights back” — a reality he understood after surviving two assassination attempts. This statement exemplifies the challenge of Agbéfóba: the fierce opposition that often meets efforts to reform entrenched systems of corruption.
In recent times, the Ondo State Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac, has found herself at the center of a similar struggle.
As the gatekeeper of state finances, the Commissioner oversees the inflow and outflow of government funds, advises on financial matters, and ensures that fiscal policies and plans are executed efficiently. Among her notable achievements are halting arbitrary loans, canceling unproductive running grants, (RG) and enforcing strict monitoring to ensure prudent spending of public resources.
However, in a system where shortcuts and largesse are often preferred, efforts to block financial loopholes tend to attract backlash. Mrs. Isaac has faced accusations ranging from absence at public functions to withholding funds and alleged high-handedness. Yet, these criticisms merely reflect corruption’s resistance to reform — the same “corruption fighting back” that Ribadu spoke of.
Early in this administration, I had a pending claim with the Ministry of Finance. After a Sunday service in the Government House Chapel, I approached Mrs. Isaac and requested a meeting in her office the following Monday. When she asked about the purpose of the meeting, I mentioned my pending file. She smiled and assured me I wouldn’t need to visit her office to process a legitimate claim. By the end of that week, my claim was resolved. That was my first encounter with her. While it may be challenging, we must be deliberate in allowing the system to run without interference and inducement.
Like any human, Mrs. Isaac is not without flaws, but her firm commitment to due process has earned her a wave of media attacks. The notion that she wields more power than the Governor is misguided, as all appointees serve at the discretion of the appointing authority. It’s worth considering how different the narrative might be if, instead of being accused of upholding fiscal discipline, she had been implicated in the mismanagement of state funds.
In Yoruba, the translation of “government” is Ijoba, and an Agbéfóba is an individual who works for the success of the king, always standing by the king and supporting the progress of the kingdom- Government. However, one of the challenges facing Agbéfóba is that they are not often discovered early enough.
Since assuming her role, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac has initiated several reforms. The practice of contractors influencing the Finance Commissioner to fast-track the release of funds without proper due diligence has been eliminated. The days when a level 10 officer could amass wealth and build a private empire are over. Resources have been consolidated for the execution of legacy projects, and integrity and transparency in internal revenue generation have been introduced.
One of the challenges faced by Agbéfóba is that they are often seen as obstacles to the status quo — standing against “business as usual” and the profiteering from government contracts.
In all honesty, I do not believe that the Finance Commissioner has been involved in any personal scuffle. She is simply working diligently for the success of the administration led by Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
As the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, once said, “One may be flexible about means and methods, but one must be rigid or almost immutable about principle and ideal once one is convinced one is right.”
Tomorrow if I see the Commissioner for Finance, I will whisper her new name- Madam Agbéfóba!
Comrade Allen Sowore, Esq.
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