When the news of the appointment of a seasoned administrator, diplomat and scholar, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, as new chief of staff (CoS) to President Muhammadu Buhari filtered in, Wednesday, the internet, particularly, the social media had a feel of the man who will serve as a stabilising factor for the Buhari-led federal government.
The choice of Prof Gambari to replace the late Abba Kyari is one that has earned President Buhari a deafening accolade, not only because of Gambari’s pumper resume but also for the depth and strength of his character. Overwhelmingly, Nigerians have agreed with the president that at a time like this, the wealth of experience and technical know-how of Gambari is needed to further reinforce the growing credibility of the government, both locally and internationally.
Prof Gambari maintains dual personae as a reputable statesman locally and internationally. His contributions to the making of the Nigerian nation are unquantifiable. More than anyone else, Prof Gambari has contributed immensely to the fine tuning of global politics and development. This explains why his appointment has drawn so much applause for President Buhari.
Those of us who knew him as far as when he was in active service as a seasoned diplomat fondly called him ‘Baba Oba Biolorun Kosi’, meaning ‘Baba there is no king that is above God’.
The three distinguishing factors that will make Prof Gambari’s job easy are character, competence, experience and knowledge (CCEK). In terms of character, the wartime president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, famously said, “…If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Prof Gambari has had stint at the highest corridor of power, locally and internationally, and has stood the true test of his character. Like Lincoln said, he was given power and never found wanting or abused it.
Often, the success of any president is predicated on the effectiveness of his/her chief of staff (COS) because he/she is the one who works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the president. Often times, chiefs of staff act as a confidant and advisor to the president, acting as a sounding board for ideas. That is why Prof Gambari is the best man for the job.
To some, power is a means to an end, while others believe power is an end in itself. Prof Gambari belongs to the first category. One of the pillars of his work life philosophy is, “power should translate to better life for the people.” In his engagements as the anchor man of the Savanah Centre, he has demonstrated that the quality of governance should daily strive towards near perfection.
Although some have complained about his age, the question to ask in that regard is, how old is the president of the United States? The role of a chief of staff in modern times is defined by the ability to provide strategic counsel for the president. The position is an increasingly critical component in supporting a successful leadership team. At its core, a chief of staff is responsible for serving as strategic advisor and counsel to the president. Assuming day-to-day responsibility for projects and tasks as well as creating and maintaining cross-departmental relationships to enable leadership success.
The aforementioned features of some of the roles and responsibilities of a chief of staff to the president clearly indicates that it is a position expected to be occupied by a unique personality, who is flexible, well versed and an expert in local and international relations. All these are like a walk in a park for Prof Gambari because of his wealth of experience.
Three qualities will help Prof Gambari in the discharge of his duties excellently. He is highly trustworthy and is able to build trust with others in his position as a gatekeeper for President Buhari. Trust is hard earn and could be easily lost.
Trust is built by doing what you say and saying what you do. Trust is the chief of staff being the “steady rudder” in a sea of chaos. A CoS as trust builder is able to convey in a positive and assuring manner the president’s position/action at any given moment. The most important trust is between the CoS and the president.
Another key quality that will work for Prof Gambari is his sound sense of judgment. It is key to a successful CoS. Much of the work of the CoS involves independently working the gap between the president and others. Given the speed of leadership and management in Nigeria today, there will be moments that the CoS will have to make a decision and/or act with utmost overriding interest in mind.
Because of his experience and track record of service, Prof Gambari will best serve as a buffer between President Buhari and the president’s reporting system. The chief of staff generally works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the chief executive.
In his service to fatherland, as Minister for External Affairs between 1984 and 1985, coincidentally, during the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari, Gambari was unblemished. He was appointed by the secretary-general of United Nations, Ban Ki-moon and the chairperson of the African Union Commission as Joint African Union-United Nations special representative for Darfur effective from 1 January 2010.
He also served as the special adviser on International Compact with Iraq and Other Issues for the secretary-general of the United Nations. Previously, he served as the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (USG) for the Department of Political Affairs (DPA). In all these lengthy record of service, he was never found wanting.
The assassinated famous American Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr, once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” In the light of the foregoing, Prof Gambari has always stood on the side of justice and has never failed Nigerians or his people and the global community at large.
Ibrahim is director of communication and strategic planning of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC).
