Book Title: Leadership in the Nigerian Civil Service – Five Decades of Lessons in Performance, Encounters and Triumphs
Number of Pages: 420
Author: Goke Adegoroye
Publisher: Kachifo Limited, Lagos, Nigeria
Year of Publication: 2025
Price: Not stated
Reviewer: Abdullahi Shehu

This scintillating 12-chapter book dedicated to Nigeria, acknowledges the contributions of various individuals and organizations that shaped the author’s profile in public service, especially his advocacy for leadership integrity, which he termed ‘my Ministry’. The preface of the book, written by the author himself, begins with a captivating statement that “leadership remains the single important determinant in management and governance” and that is why he anchored his “service on a commitment to integrity as the foundation for leadership.” He, however, recognised from the outset that “leadership is neither a straight path nor an easy sail.”

The author did not leave anyone in doubt regarding the purpose of his writing the book – which is to “provide learning material to today’s and tomorrow’s leaders”. This is commendable not only because of the courage to reflect on some of the difficult and challenging moments in his career, but also because of the dearth of proper account of professional experiences and legacies that senior public servants could provide to enrich the reservoir of knowledge on leadership and governance.

The book is structured into 12 chapters, each focusing on a specific and pertinent issue of leadership and effectiveness of the civil service. Leadership is about mentoring – the transmission of values. The author gives an account of his journey in leadership in chapter one, including the values that shaped his vision and career development. He recalled the episode that reinforced his conviction that “leadership must balance accountability with compassion” (p.6) and rolled out his transformation from ‘science and academic to civil service not by design or personal ambition, but by sheer accident of circumstances’. To that extent, we can say that Dr. Adegoroye was an ‘accidental civil servant’ and his account is a testament that people who carve a niche in different fields and make tremendous impacts are probably accidental this and that.

The author gives an account of his transition into environmental management at the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) to his regularisation into the main stream civil service, which began with two women: Dr. Selina Adjebeng Assem and Mrs. Comfort Owolabi who helped to redirect his path from science and academic to public service. Dr. Selina Assem recommended him to participate in an expert meeting at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), in Kenya, which launched him on the international stage; while Mrs. Owolabi, then a staff of FEPA, was the person who encouraged him to apply for a job as Assistant Director in FEPA which eventually launched him into the environment policy space.

Chapter two brings out Dr. Adegoroye’s trait as a ‘midwife of change and reform’. He chronicles his appointment as the pioneer Director of General of the Bureau of Public Service Reform (BPSR) and his travails and remarkable achievements in that capacity with gratitude to God and appreciation to his mentor (Yayale Ahmed) and some of his colleagues who influenced him one way or another during his leadership role in the civil service. He attributed his success to his cognate experience in academia and environmental management, as well as his five years serving in advisory capacity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), which exposed him to the intrigues and rigours of public service. His landmark achievements as DG, BPSR included:

Development of Generic Guidelines for the Reform of MDAs
Review and Revision of the Public Service Rules and Financial Regulations
Creation of the Nigerian Public Service Integrity at Work CD/DVD as a training tool for ethics and integrity

Installation of the Integrated payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS); and
Financial Prudence, among others.

The author further availed the reader with his experience in managing the politics of reform, as well as the travails and triumphs he went through in driving reforms. He recounted one of his successes in midwifing change and reforms but, not without facing intense trials. He recalled the “divide and rule tactics” by Yayale Ahmed, his mentor, which contributed in his perceptible transformation as “a tormentor” and acknowledged that “the truth is that many bosses do play this game – it’s a classic tactic to maintain control and neutralize unified opposition” (p. 74). Ultimately, he gave his frank and candid assessment of Yayale Ahmed as the best Head of the Civil Service of the Federation since 1999, describing him generously through his meritorious career from Deputy Director and Secretary of the Customs, Immigration and Prisons Services Board in 1986, to Director in 1988, Perm Sec in 1994, to Minister of Defence and finally SGF, his ascent was meteoric. As a civil servant in public office, he combined brilliance with strategic shrewdness. Being Fulani, and gifted with both benevolence and ruthlessness in equal measure, he handled official power with deft calculation. Often, he cloaked his harshest responses in benevolence. Truly, in equipping a person to navigate and command the civil service, it’s hard to imagine that the Creator left anything out when moulding Mahmud Yayale Ahmed (p. 75).

Driving integrity in government, which is at the heart of Dr. Adegoroye, is explained in chapter three. He expressed regret that “within the Nigerian civil service, certain forms of misconduct have sadly become normalized. Yet, upholding integrity is not only the right thing to do – it ultimately pays” quoting George Washington aptly who said: Truth will ultimately prevail where there are pains taken to bring it to light (p. 85). He recalled some instances of conflict of interests and lack of integrity in the official conduct of some public officials in and out of service, including:
Customs officers facilitate clearance procedures as long as your clearing agent is one of their own.
Teachers offer paid after-school lessons to the same students they teach during official hours.
Police officers provide unofficial escort services or act as private security agents, with no record of official assignment.

There have been grave allegations of state-sanctioned arms being “rented out” to criminal elements.
Consultant-grade doctors in government hospitals routinely refer patients to their private clinics under the pretext of “better attention”. (p. 95).

Dr. Adegoroye questioned if pragmatism can be an excuse for compromising values; if so, where is the position of leadership that seeks to transform and challenge the culture of decay? He demonstrated how, despite the ‘murky waters’, he held firm to his principle that his conduct as a public servant “must be unsullied by bias or compromise, citing a number of moral quandaries that continue to define the Nigerian public service landscape, including the appointments of Retired Permanent Secretaries and Directors to Company Boards, which tantamount to rewarding favours they may have dispensed during their time in office. Being passionate about his concerns, he was courageous to mention specific cases, including the appointments of some retired public office holders to private companies they had supervised or regulated while in service at pp. 96-97.

Thus, illustrating the ‘insiders’ perception of corruption as integrity dilemma, the author concluded that over the years, “corruption in the Nigerian civil service has worsened across generations” (p. 105). Nevertheless, he argued that corruption is neither peculiar to nor is it a culture of the Nigerian civil service system. According to him, “most civil servants do not want to be corrupt. The system was not designed to foster corruption. The civil service, by its very nature, is rooted in discipline, trust, and professionalism. What we witness today is a betrayal of its foundational values” (p.109). He then concluded that drawing from his experience in service, civil servants can rise above societal pressures when leadership is driven by integrity. To him, “integrity, though costly, is always noticed and remembered” as he was honoured with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Award for Integrity and Courage in Public Service, in recognition of his commitment and dedication to service with integrity.

As a lesson for today’s and tomorrow’s leaders, Dr. Adegoroye recounted his encounters with leadership at various instances. It is impossible to recall all such instances in this review for lack of space. Suffice it to mention that not only did he fail to clinch the coveted post of the HCSF, his candidacy for the position of Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) could not also materialize, despite strong support from influential cabinet members like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy under the Jonathan administration due to the ‘prevailing sentiment in the Villa that he was “uncontrollable”, obviously due to his uncompromising stance on integrity’.

Consequently, he observed that had he been appointed HCSF, perhaps he would have been branded an “impostor” in a service that had long considered him as “a gate crasher” upon his transfer from the parastatal system. Indeed, power belongs to God and He giveth to whomsoever He wishes and taketh from whomsoever He wishes. God does not make a mistake.

The author discusses the “politics of appointments at the top” in chapter five in which he observed with empirical evidence that “the domination of director and permanent secretary positions by officers from Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, and Niger States by the late 1990s aligned directly with the state of origin of the nation’s top leadership at the time” (p. 166). Thus, suggesting a case of nepotism in civil service recruitment and promotion. He went further to prove that the screening exercise, which was introduced to ensure that appointment of Perm Sec was based on merit, turned out to be flawed by nepotistic tendencies and personal aggrandizement.

The author’s sensitivity to gender was not neglected as he narrated how the first female HCSF, Engr Ebele Okeke, who did not lobby for the post emerged. Her appointment, according to the author, “was an act of divine grace”. On his own, he learnt from one of President Yar’Adua’s closest confidants, that “the President liked both the reform and himself as its driver, and that if the appointment had been made a week before inauguration, he might have been named HCSF”. He also illustrated how timing is crucial and inversely related to destiny with the appointment of Isa Bello Sali, which happened in less than 24 hours following the presentation of his CV even when the President was about to approve another candidate. All these exemplify destiny, which is an important lesson to learn about leadership. Perhaps, this is why Dr. Bukar Usman, in his Foreword to this book alluded that “in many respects, Dr. Adegoroye remains widely regarded as the best Head of the Civil Service of the Federation that Nigeria never had”. And, without sentiments, Dr. Adegoroye singled out Engr Okeke among the female HCSF as one that handled the office with dignity and integrity.

He however, criticized the appointment to that position based on a skewed political expediency or political zoning formula, whereas in the judiciary, the position of the CJN, which is also career-based must be based on seniority, merit, and service, not political balancing’ (p.177).

No one is an island onto his/herself in the civil service, and so everyone must have been promoted, supported or mentored by another to get to higher echelon of the service. In chapter 6, Dr. Adegoroye availed his personal experience in supporting and promoting the candidacy of his colleagues even for the post of HCSF, which he could not attain. He gave example with Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan (FYE), whose success he felt a sense of personal duty to support, even though he did not know her when he was in service. However, it turned out that he was disappointed not only in the way she ignored his wise counsel in some instances, but also in her overall performance.

Another experience in influencing appointment for service improvement was in the case of Isa Bello Sali (IBS), whom he took upon himself to secure the support of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, then Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy, to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint IBS as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF). He felt obliged to offer him guidance to assist him in office. Again, not only was he disappointed with the way he disregarded his recommendation on a certain appointment, but also did not meet his expectations in terms of overall performance. Although the author did not mean to be an ombudsman for the OHCSFs, his message is clear, that a few better candidates could have been appointed if merit was strictly the main criterion for appointment. The detailed and objective evaluation of the various HCSF which he revealed in chapter 9 proved him right.

The author went further to narrate his benevolence in mentoring and supporting other colleagues in chapter 7. Most of those he mentored and supported, including Dr. Tunji Olaopa, who rose from Deputy Director under his tutelage to become a permanent secretary and later the Chairman of the FCSC, a position which he, Dr. Adegoroye was aspiring to but could not attain. Another successful mentee whose potential was fulfilled and whose loyalty and gratitude the author is proud of is Tijjani Umar, who rose to become an influential Perm Sec in the State House. Other rewarding potentials in mentorship included David Gende, Dr. Antonia Ekpa and Toyin Adenopo who were brought to his attention and who proved to be high performers. Some of them gave very good and positive accounts of their relationships with Dr. Adegoroye and appreciated the values they imbibed from him. This is the ‘enduring legacy of mentorship!’

Some crucial issues and lessons in leadership effectiveness are discussed in chapter 8. The author, whilst justifying the introduction of the tenure policy in the civil service, revealed that after all, the implementation of the policy leaves much to be desired. ‘The lack of understanding in applying the Tenure Policy, according to the author, has led to its overlay on the 60 Years of Age/35 Years of Service rule, allowing permanent secretaries to exploit both provisions’. Overall, the effective implementation of the Tenure Policy must address some flaws, including:

“The uniform application of an 8-year tenure to both Directors and Permanent Secretaries without recognizing differences in their roles and responsibilities.
The lack of clarity in how to treat Directors who were not Heads of Department; and
The misapplication of tenure limits alongside the age/service retirement rules, particularly for Permanent Secretaries”.

The author went further to explore the implications of the suspension of the Tenure Policy, which he considered to be a reversal of the gains made since its introduction, as well as the potential to exacerbate records falsification in the service. A further negative effect of course, is the “entrenchment of the distortions caused by the selective recruitment exercises into GL 16 and 17 carried out by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) in 2013 and 2014” (p. 260).

He also examined the leadership perceptiveness using the NASS as an example and agreed with the position of Dr. Bukar Usman, that “the NASS staffing structure and grading are significant enough to be tabled for discussion by the President” and that the “establishment of a Federal Public Service Council” would assist in addressing in particular the issue of the creation of Perm Secs by NASS Service Commission.

The author observed that one of the weak points in the civil service now is the insufficient attention to details, leading to intolerable mistakes in official communication. A typical example is reference to the use of the title of “Office of the Head of Service of the Federation” rather than “Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation” which is what is provided in law and since the HCSF is not the Head of the entire Public Service. Other examples include some silly mistakes in grammatical constructions and directives, which civil servants fail to pay attention to, and which contribute in the decline in the reputation and quality of the civil service.

Chapter 9 discusses Nigeria’s response to COVID-19 Pandemic citing instances of efficiency and weaknesses in service delivery. After reviewing the important policies and measures in response to the Pandemic, the author fortuitously concluded that the service response suggests that “when government actions are grounded in rigorous, transparent, and honest analysis – however demanding the measures may be – citizens are more likely to support them, recognizing that there is no hidden agenda” (p. 286). This, to say the least applies to the expected dividends of democracy – good governance.
The author did a diagnostic analysis of the leadership effectiveness in the Federal Civil Service from 1999 to 2024 and concluded with a damming outcome of “a generational decline in quality-from commendable to concerning” (p. 305) in chapter 10. To determine “the leadership curve: when and where the downward shifts began to manifest, and under which HCSF and presidents those Permanent Secretaries were appointed to serve”, he developed a methodology which consisted of a post-assessment framework comprising of 20 key leadership traits, to evaluate the effectiveness of the 11 HCSFs who have served in that capacity since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance in 1999’. The essence was to “offer a deeper understanding of how leadership quality has been shaped-or eroded-by institutional and political dynamics” (p.305).

The bedrock of the 20 traits used in the assessment centred around five pillars:
A firm understanding and strict enforcement of the Public Service Rules (PSR) and Financial Regulations (FR), and other statutory codes.
Capacity to conceive and implement meaningful reforms.
Courage to stand firm in the face of undue political interference.
Personal integrity and character; and
Capacity for corruption prevention and institutional accountability (p. 307).

The outcome of the survey revealed startling results with interesting lessons. First, with regard to regime factor, the author concluded, inter alia, that “each civil service leadership emerges and operates within a distinct political environment, shaped by prevailing challenges and pressures”. In this regard, “corruption dynamics tend to be more entrenched in-sometimes more subtly tolerated-under civilian administrations than under military regimes. Furthermore, civilian administrations differ markedly in how they address or manage corruption, both in rhetoric and in action” (p. 326).

Consequently, the author concluded that “the performance of each HCSF should also be understood within the context of the anti-corruption posture of the president who appointed them”. Thus, Yayale Ahmed, appointed by President Obasanjo scored the highest with +278 points, followed by Ebele Okeke and Stephen Oronsanye, both appointed by President Yar’Adua who scored +190 and +195 respectively were rated as the top performing HCSFs who demonstrated strong positive legacies.

A second important variable that determined the quality and effectiveness of leadership of the HCSFs according to the outcome of his assessment is ‘the link between the quality of HCSFs and the leadership under which they were themselves appointed as Permanent Secretaries. Thus, it was noted that Oronsanye, Okeke, Afolabi and Sali were appointed as Permanent Secretaries under Yayale Ahmed (in 2001, 2005, 2006, and 2010 respectively)’.

Thirdly, written examination was introduced in the selection process for Permanent Secretaries with a view to improving the quality of leadership. Hitherto, appointment was based on seniority and track record. Conversely, the data revealed that ‘the strongest performing HCSFs-Yayale, Oronsanye, and Ekeke-were appointed prior to the shift in the method of selection, while subsequent appointees, namely Oladapo Afolabi (with 134 positives, and -50 negative scores) and Sali (with 117 positives, and -57 negative scores) showed decline in overall quality, suggesting that the reform may not have yielded the intended uplift in leadership calibre (p. 330).

Overall, therefore, HCSF appointees of Obasanjo and Yar’Adua seemed to have performed better than appointees under Jonathan, Buhari and Tinubu. In fact, the least performing thus far were Danladi Kifasi appointed by Jonathan (2014-2015), Wilfred Oyo-Ita appointed by Buhari (2015-2019, and Folashade Yemi-Esan appointed also by Buhari (2019-2024).

On account of all these, the author concluded that “ultimately, regardless of the path to appointment, a Permanent Secretary or HCSF’s legacy will be shaped not only by competence and capacity but, more importantly, by integrity. Integrity is cultivated overtime-nurtured by one’s upbringing, faith, education, and environment. It either flourishes under the right influence or withers in its absence” (p. 335).

The effectiveness of any government does not only depend on the quality of leadership but, also how effective the centre of governance is coordinated, and that is the central thesis in chapter 11 of Dr. Adegoroye’s book. He identified the multidimensional transition risks that were likely to influence the success of the Tinubu administration, which came to power on May 29, 2023. These risks included:

Election Results Handover
The Personality of the Incoming President
Cabinet Prospects Lacking Federal Experience
Residual Political Office Holders from the Previous Administration
Immediate Key Appointments (SGF, Chief of Staff to the President)
The Imperative of Early Induction (p.338).

Given the personality of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the author predicted that many individuals who have crowded around him and who may have been engaged in private sector pursuits, particularly in contract seeking and business ventures, and with positions within their reach, “they would exert significant pressure on the administration’s anti-corruption stance and its commitment to cost-cutting and governance reforms” (p. 342). However, the author also observed that
In the kitchen of public sector corruption, the civil servant is the Cook that carefully selects all the ingredients and bakes into an appetising ‘cake’, the Waiter that takes the ready product to the laps of the political office holder, and the Cleaner/Steward that ensures that any fall-out is carefully tidied up that whatsoever comes into the system later would not see a sign that anyone had eaten anything therefrom…The success of the Renewed Hope Agenda depends on the President’s commitment to addressing corruption among both political appointees and career public servants (p. 355).

In conclusion, the author observed that the weak coordination at the Centre of Government (CoG), led to some embarrassing decisions and pronouncements. For example, the suspension of the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in December 2023 ‘based on a purported investigation by the EFCC on allegations of corruption against him’ and appointment of an acting DG, without indicating whether such appointment had been forwarded to the Senate for confirmation for more than six months. The author noted that an acting appointment cannot be made into a post that is not vacant. Furthermore, the “PSR 030404 outlines that suspension should not exceed three months, and even interdicted officers are entitled to 50% of their salary during the interdiction period…This situation raises questions about the financial implications of paying two individuals for the same position and underscores the need for adherence to due process” (p.363).

Another example of weak coordination at the CoG has to do with the appointment of a Director General for PenCom on July 12, 2024. The incumbent, whose tenure was not due to expire until October 2025, learned of her replacement through media reports. Considering the fact that such appointment requires Senate confirmation, and since the incumbent neither resigned nor was she removed from office according to the provisions of the law, the announcement of the appointment of a new DG “was procedurally irregular”, even though the new appointee was eventually confirmed by the Senate on 21 November 2024. These two examples were among instances where the author observed clear weaknesses in coordination and providing guidance to the presidency by the CoG, i.e. between the OSGF, OCOS-P and the OHCSF.

Lessons Learned
The author discussed an endless catalogue of lessons learned and provided some tips in life and governance in his concluding chapter 12. He stated from the outset that parental lessons in integrity from childhood instilled in him a consciousness to never appropriate to himself what does not belong to him. Other important lessons learned included:

Effective leadership and meticulous management in a newly established institution can yield early results and international recognition as in his position as DG of the BPSR. However, he also learned that such recognition may also lead to rivalry within line agencies.
He cited the case of a successful director at the permanent secretary examination, who faced a code of conduct petition for running a business as one lesson civil servants must learn with regard to compromised integrity which may hinder the ability to take correct decisions.
‘That excellence can be burdensome, as it highlights others’ inadequacies. On the other hand, integrity is an even greater burden as it stands out, challenging those who lack it or have compromised their positions’.

The courage to speak truth to power is a valuable quality which many political office holders struggle with, ‘especially when confronted with unsettling facts. However, maintaining records can protect both the subordinate and superior from future embarrassment’.
The generational decline in leadership he observed through his interactions with successive HCSFs from 1999 to 2024 is inversely linked to the governance effectiveness of the appointing national leadership.

Recommendations
In view of the lessons learned, the author proffers some recommendations with a view to redeeming the image, efficiency and effectiveness of the public service. Such recommendations, as reversing the decline in leadership effectiveness and restoring hope in the civil service integrity, which require:
An integrity-driven OHCSF and FCSC committed to reform.

An FCSC resisting external pressures in appointments, promotions, and discipline.
An OHCSF dedicated to serious career management, mentorship, and performance evaluation linked to FCSC assessments.

A shift away from superficial reform slogans towards substantive programme and financial audits to assess reform efficacy.

Recognition of the FCSC’s constitutional sensitivity, avoiding public commentary that could distract from its functions.

Political leadership deploying genuine political will to advance national interest.
A Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries (CORFEPS) offering institutional memory and guidance.

Public commitment to rejecting corruption and mediocrity.
A Judiciary steadfast in dispensing justice, protecting the vulnerable, and upholding national interest (p. 392).

The author further reiterated the imperative of establishing a Federal Public Service Council, as well as the establishment of a capacity building programme on Leadership Integrity and Excellence. To implement these recommendations, the author proposed the appointment of a Special Adviser to the President on Governance and Institutional Reform and a ministerial portfolio for Public Service Governance and Institutional Reforms. It may be recalled that President Obasanjo at his inception of office in 1999, appointed Elder Bello Kirfi as Minister for Civil Service but that portfolio did not last long.

Conclusion
The book is a compendium of a deep reservoir of scholarship, wisdom, patriotism and courage to speak the truth based on personal knowledge and experience. It exposes the author with exceptional quality of integrity and passion for reforms. Leadership, anchored on integrity leads to effective mentoring and mentoring breeds generation of reformers. I personally found it to be very constructive in promoting the ideals of public service reform and would not hesitate to recommend it to any public servant who aspires to be a good leader and reformer, as well as to academics in political science and public administration, especially.

Abdullahi Shehu is a Professor of Criminology and Security Studies and immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation with concurrent Accreditation to the Republic of Belarus. He writes from Abuja.