When the news brokered that Oloye Bayo Adelabu has won this year’s Energy Times Personality Award, I give glory to the omnipotent God for crowning his stellar performance in the sector with honour and muffed the naysayers.
I cast my mind back to some “let’s eat” awards bestowed on some people in the past and wondered if this is not also like casting one’s pearl before a swine in order to give it unmerited joy. But a flick through the record of the organisers starkly revealed that their award is based on due diligence occasioned by meritorious performance. And I heaped a sigh of relief.
Even the Bible says, “Honour should be given only to whom it’s due.” Romans 13:7, “Pay to all what is due them: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.”
In justifying the award given, the organisers have summed it up: “It is given as a result of the overwhelming noticeable improvements in power generation and supply across the country, while the ongoing turnaround being witnessed in the nation’s commitment to the power sector is helping to further boost the nation’s economy.”
Minister of Power, Adelabu Wins ‘Energy Times’ Personality of the Year Award
As a result of his unwavering commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s transmission network despite the many challenges, the management of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)… Yes, it’s agreed that there had been challenges confronting the sector before Oloye Adelabu Adebayo emerged; the rots didn’t start today, but his noticeable ability to be a game-changer is gradually giving meaning to the sector’s improvements.
Some people, although not unexpected, are always in a tearing rush to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. For example, an area recently witnessed a power outage, and a carrion call was sent to me to help the person notify the Minister, only to discover at the end of the day that they were just the victims of some vandals who stole their transformer-cable wires.
That Adelabu’s efforts in the sector have been noticed by stakeholders and eventually recognised; he has earned it, and we should all shout “Eureka” that the Minister is already doing what Napoleon could not do. The transformation has just begun. Just like a proud warrior would say, “Give me more medals, and I would win any war for you.”
I joined numerous admirers and best-wishers to felicitate the Honourable Minister on the merited award, and I concluded with the immortal song by Karen Carpenter: “We’ve only just begun. We’ve only just begun to live. White lace and promises. A kiss for luck, and we’re on our way. We’ve only begun.” More wins to our Parakoyi of Ibadanland, Oloye Adelabu Adebayo.
— Isiaka Kehinde
