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Tribute To Francis Okudi Overare

By Austin Umezurike
20 February 2015   |   11:00 pm
WE received the news about the death of Surv (Dr.) Francis Okudi Overare with shock and disbelief.  He was the general manager at Geosite Surveys Nigeria Limited now Fugro, a leading multinational surveying and geophysical company with its parent company based in the United Kingdom (UK).  Many principal surveyors today at the early stages of…

WE received the news about the death of Surv (Dr.) Francis Okudi Overare with shock and disbelief.  He was the general manager at Geosite Surveys Nigeria Limited now Fugro, a leading multinational surveying and geophysical company with its parent company based in the United Kingdom (UK).  Many principal surveyors today at the early stages of their careers had a stint and obtained their tutelage from the company. 

  FOO, as he was fondly called, was an epitome of transformational leadership.  He imbued leadership qualities in the managers, surveyors and staff under him and was known for his regular sartorial elegance. FOO as general manager inspired surveyors to improve themselves academically and encouraged them to be the best possible.

  He believed so much in education and continuous improvement that even as a general manager, he attended the University of Benin where he obtained an MBA degree and was later conferred with a doctoral degree. Other managers followed in his stead to seek higher academic degrees. He instituted educational foundation programme to award scholarships to indigent students in some of the restive swamp locations such as Bille community to enable safe and smooth survey operations.

  FOO felt that Nigerian surveyors had much potential and should be empowered to replace the expatriate surveyors within the Nigerian offshore oil sector. He demanded staff exchange programme from the UK partners, where a Nigerian surveyor would be sent to London for every expatriate that came to Nigeria. He began a programme of sponsoring surveyors to the Plymouth University in UK to major in hydrographic surveying in order to reduce the number of expatriate surveyors that were brought into the country to work in the offshore division of the company. I was one of the surveyors selected for the programme but had to yield my spot to Festus Emanerame when alongside the late Honorable Aniedi King, we were nominated for alternative senior management training in the UK. We had just been appointed operations managers for Eastern and Western operations respectively. Chris Ojukoko was sent to University of East London to obtain his degree and learn modern survey techniques. 

  FOO inspired and motivated surveyors, encouraging and responding to their operational requests and needs as well as empowering them with promotional leadership positions. He created new management positions and advancement opportunities. FOO was honoured by various professional associations including the Rotary club of Port Harcourt, Urhobo Progressive Union, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) and Nigerian Institute of Surveyors (NIS). He was invested with the fellowship of NIS. FOO was twice appointed a commissioner in Delta state where he carried out reforms in the ministries of commerce, education and information.

  FOO was elected president of NIS and in furtherance to his servant leadership maxim and pragmatic leadership style piloted the affairs of NIS creditably. As president of NIS, he ensured that Surveyor General of the Federation was placed on the same extra ministerial pedestal as the Accountant General of the Federation. He advocated proper boundary demarcation using registered surveyors and emphasised the need for surveying and mapping to be integrated into the National Population Commission’s (NPC) census enumeration programme. He also sensitised INEC on the relevance of surveying and mapping to conducting successful elections.

  FOO pursued excellence in all his undertakings and was fair in his dealing with everyone that came across his path.  

He has finally gone to be with his maker. While we miss his wise counsel and warm presence, we are encouraged by the fact that like apostle Paul at the end of his ministry, the could proudly proclaim that I have fought the good fight and I have finished the race.

•Umezurike is a Professor of Information Technology at American Public University and American Military University, USA.

 

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