By Mitchell Ofoyeju
It is not coincidental that after being honored with the national award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) twenty years ago during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (retd.) CON, was recently decorated by President Muhammadu Buhari with the medal of Commander of the Order of the Niger.

He also made the presidential list of forty-four recipients of the Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service (NEAPS), along with former President Goodluck Jonathan. What is fascinating to administrative pundits and observers is the fact that these notable recognitions are deeply rooted in Marwa’s transformational leadership style.

The award ceremony for deserving nationals and non-nationals who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity is under the National Honours Act CAP., N43 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

As President Buhari decorated the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the words of America’s thirtieth president, Calvin Coolidge, that no one was ever honoured for what he received, but rather honour has been the reward for what a person gives, kept echoing in my mind. Indeed, General Marwa has given a great deal to humanity.

In his investiture address, President Buhari listed some of the award criteria to include, including “consistent and meaningful participation in community and/or national development, rendering unsolicited, selfless and philanthropic services to humanity; outstanding sacrifice in the defence of a cause popularly adjudged to be positive, relevant and beneficial to the nation and community; and remarkable achievement in any field of expertise where the person’s activities in that field have made significant contributions to the attainment of national goals and objectives.”

It is on this premise that General Marwa’s award can be aptly described as a befitting recognition for outstanding service to humanity. His first national award was a product of his visionary leadership that revamped the then almost comatose Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) into a vibrant institution.

At the time he took over as Chairman of DICON, the corporation that produces defence equipment and other civilian products, could not pay staff salaries. Upon assumption of duty, Marwa, in his habitual tactfulness, injected a new lease of life that dramatically repositioned the organization back to full operation.

Recreating his managerial fecundity in the NDLEA, the charismatic general displayed both situational and transformational leadership prowess. Before his appointment, the officer’s sense of motivation was at its lowest ebb due to stagnation in one rank for many years and a litany of administrative impediments. There were huge arrears of unpaid benefits, including the burial entitlements of heroes who died in the line of service. The non-payment of burial expenses of staff further dampened the spirit of those still serving. It was a pathetic situation that almost stripped operatives of the zeal to work optimally.

A few months after taking over as the anti-narcotics boss, the transformational result of the new NDLEA is obvious. The promptitude of the reforms is instructive and akin to the days of General Marwa as a military administrator and Nigerian envoy.

Many have wondered if he brought a new set of officers to the agency. The magic wand was that he turned the frustration and despondency of officers into a super zest. This followed the administrative restructuring that created additional directorates and zonal commands as well as the harmonisation and promotion exercise that lifted over 3,500 officers from their stagnated positions.

Marwa re-ignited smiles on the faces of officers and their loved ones with the payment of outstanding allowances. The most significant and emotional aspect of his acts of human kindness was the presentation of cheques to the next of kin of late officers.

Save for his timely intervention, the long and tortuous route to payment had almost tilted the perception of beneficiaries into believing that patriotic service to the country is bereft of rewards.

Interestingly, officers can now dance with their shoulders high knowing that they now have a fearless and dependable leader who believes in interpersonal relationships, deploys emotional intelligence, and subscribes to thinking outside the box in meeting organisational goals. They are energised to confront drug kingpins, knowing that they are heavily clad to face the worst situation. This has culminated in unprecedented drug seizures and arrests, including barons. Marwa also implemented a comprehensive life and hazard insurance scheme for officers. He is also championing evidence-based interventions in the country.

The endless list of Marwa’s giant strides in NDLEA in a few months has necessitated a befitting national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger and an excellence award. I cannot but agree with the position of Mr. President that “those being honoured have distinguished themselves in various ways to recreate a new Nigeria of our dreams through respect for the rule of law, image laundering, transparency and accountability in the management of scarce resources.”

Nigeria Start-up Act: Dawn for Nigerian start-up ecosystem

Marwa’s result-oriented nature is validated by his consistent demonstration of visionary leadership at various levels and different institutions, even in extremely difficult and hopeless situations. As a student of business administration, I am aware that unmasking secrets will require conscientious research.

But my task was simplified when the NDLEA boss shared his winning strategies during a capacity-building program on anti-corruption, leadership, and ethical values recently organized for the agency’s directors, commanders, and very senior officers in Abuja.

The first principle of success for the NDLEA boss is the fear of God, while the second is knowledge. He believes in having a good understanding of his job description as well as the mastery of facts, information, and skills required to perform excellently.

The third secret is leading by example, while the fourth is self-discipline. The NDLEA boss believes in the ability to obey rules and do what is expected without supervision. Next is integrity, which is the quality of being honest and observing strong moral principles.

The sixth principle is the pursuit of the welfare of subordinates and the entire team. This has a way of motivating personnel toward achieving organizational goals and objectives.

The seventh secret of General Marwa’s success is hard work because he puts a great deal of effort into any given task. Number eight is his enthusiasm to learn, thereby boosting confidence in relevant subject matters. During the last recruitment exercise in the agency, Marwa requested the training manuals, which he took time to personally study.

The ninth principle is sound, balanced, and analytical judgment. He is a leader who believes in the rule of law and accommodates both sides before making analytical judgments.

Being decisive is the tenth principle, and this is the ability to make clear-cut and timely decisions. Loyalty is the penultimate principle, representing devotion or faithfulness to a nation, a philosophy, or an assignment.

He, however, cautioned against blind loyalty, which undermines corporate interest. The twelfth principle is the determination to leave any position better than he met it. These management principles are some of the secrets behind the continuous exploits and dazzling awards of General Marwa.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, is the Principal Staff Officer, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officers’ Office, Abuja.