Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
For delivering good governance in the last one year, Ghana’s premier chartered university, Valley View University, has conferred a honorary doctorate on Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, calling him “a model in Africa’s search for good governance.”
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof William Koomsion, said the university reviewed the governor’s antecedent as a businessman and former Senator alongside his ethical leadership since assuming the governorship of the state to arrive at its decision.
The vice chancellor lauded the governor’s multi-million naira education scholarship as a senator, his sterling records on workers welfare as a governor, his performance on infrastructure upgrades and his commitment to due process, rule of law and fear of God.
The university, which is a Seventh Day Adventist university, also invited the governor as a convocation guest speaker with the theme: ‘Imparting Excellence, Integrity and Service: Nurturing Ethical Leaders in Changing World’, for which the governor called in leaders to sustain good governance to save democracy in Africa.
Accepting the conferment, Governor Adeleke reiterated the importance of good governance for democracy, submitting that the conferment of the doctoral degree is a testimony to his administration’s unbending desire to take Osun State to new heights.
He said: “Our administration was only doing what we are elected to do, which is selfless pro -people service. Little did we know we were being monitored even outside Nigeria. I did not know that our modest effort had so much impact beyond our imagination. This is a challenge to do more.”
Earlier in his convocation speech as a guest speaker, the governor bemoaned increasing erosion of democratic culture due to non-commitment of many leaders to good governance.
Adeleke, who said leaders face the challenge of balancing questions of excellence and integrity in public service, affirmed that leaders must play according to the rule and avoid unethical activities.
He said: “Doing the right thing as a leader in policy delivery is the expected output of every public leader. Ensuring best service delivery with the right moral compass is the best of expectation in public life, and achieving both excellence and integrity is the calling of ethical leaders.
“Ethical leaders are expected to be rule-driven, honest, consistent, goal-driven and oriented towards the aspirations of the people. He or she should avoid corruption and ensure public resources and serve the public interest. In his mind, nothing should interfere with community joint vision. The wellbeing of the people is the driven force of all ethical leaders.”
“In my state back in Nigeria, I have four rule of engagement as a governor namely: adherence to the rule of law, zero tolerance for corruption, commitment to good governance, and fear of God in public leadership.”
