I was motivated to write this piece
after going through "The Ceramic Cup", an experience of a former
United State Under Secretary, culled from "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon
Sinek, incidentally sent to me by an about retiring senior colleague. The
ex-under Secretary compared his experiences when he attended a conference while
in office and after leaving the office. He relayed his varying encounters at a
large conference.
He told the audience that he came to
the last conference in business class with someone waiting for him at the
airport. The protocol team arranged to pick him up to the hotel and had been
checked in before his arrival.
His room key was handed over to him
and was escorted to the room. The second day, somebody was downstairs waiting
for him and a vehicle was arranged to pick him to the venue. At the conference
center, he was ushered in through a reserved entrance into the green room, the
VIP waiting room and without asking, he was handed coffee in a beautiful
ceramic cup. That was when he attended the conference the previous year as
somebody in a position of authority.
The following year, after leaving
the office, our "man of yesterday" came to the same conference in
economy coach, nobody was waiting for him at the airport, he had to find a taxi
to take him to the hotel, checked himself in and walked unescorted to his room.
In the morning of the conference, nobody was waiting at the hotel lobby and
none was to chauffeur him to the venue. He called on a cab.
At the venue, no special route of
entrance, he came in like other participants. No waiting room and he had to
find his way to the backstage and when he request for coffee he was shown a
coffee vending machine placed in a corner. He had to serve himself in the
Styrofoam (paper cup) provided. This time, no ceramic cup. He reminded all the
attendees that the ceramic cup and all the other royal treatments were not
meant for him as a person but for his office.
Our leaders, especially the
politicians, senior government officials and high ranking military and
paramilitary officials should always think of when they leave the positions
they are currently occupying. Many of the privileges and courtesies they are
presently enjoying are not meant for them but for their offices and ranks.
When they leave, human traffic to
their offices will reduce drastically, their phones will stop ringing, they
will receive very few or no sallah or Christmas gifts, even new year greetings
cards will only trickle in. All the aides will disappear and they will have to
personally carry their bags. All those presently claiming affinity with them
will look for new relations among the today's men. Free money through
government care will suddenly dry off and people will suddenly realize how
difficult and arrogant they were while in the office. Even those they assisted
will claim they could have done better.
I am presently an Assistant Corps
Marshal (ACM), the third in line of leadership of the Federal Road Safety
Corps, Nigeria as only the Deputy Corps Marshal group separates the Assistant
Corps Marshals from the Chief Executive, the Corps Marshal.
I think of that separation between
Assistant Corps Marshal and myself, Kayode OLAGUNJU daily. Today, before I wake
up my uniform is ironed, ranks and badges fixed, shoe well polished and handed
over to me by person assigned to do so. I have to even resist the offer to wear
the shoes and tie the laces for me.
As an ACM you are ushered into your
beautiful official car, with flag flying to show the authority confirmed on
you. The staff car is fitted with siren, though I don't use it and with communication
gadgets to reach different locations from the car. Somebody is there as your
orderly to open door for you, fend off unwanted guests, hold your phones, with
the official phones never lacking airtime and data for communication.
The orderly is at your beck and
call. You get to the office, people are called to be on attention, no movement
and at every step, you get saluted. The office has been cleaned by those
assigned to do so and some other people are provided to make your job easier.
Many will even want to think for you.
When traveling, you don't know how
your tickets are sourced. The accommodation and protocol arrangements are
perfectly made for you. Some of the courtesies are also extended to the
families. Do you then wonder why many people will prefer their spouses to die
in the positions rather than leaving such influential offices.
Anyway, when such people also die in
office, the burial expenses are most times passed to the government. If all
these happen around the "small me" as we say here, then think of what
happens at higher level of governance. Some even overdo things as they see
these as status symbols. They engage in expensive lifestyles.
They want security aides to carry
their wives bags and go on all sort of illegal assignments. The truth is, a lot
of wastes go into these arrangements and I wonder how many people can sustain
these after leaving their positions.
I have seen the "yesterday
men" visiting their formal offices and observed that they are now barely
recognized. The escort vehicles are no longer there. Sirens are no longer
baring. The retinues have disappeared . May be just one or two aides remaining.
The influence has waned and now some
practically seek recognitions. Allowances and free government monies no longer
there and they have to now fend for themselves. Those who want to sustain same
lifestyles after leaving the office would have to steal while in the office.
Stolen government funds are being used to build mansions, buy expensive cars
and send children, many of them pampered, to schools overseas.
Some of them, I mean both the spoilt
brats and their parents are in jail or being ridiculed, just because people
think the indulgences must be permanent
Lessons I have learnt? Simple. Don't
get use to a lifestyle you will not be able to legally sustain after leaving
the office. Please note that tomorrow exists. You can be asked to account for
the actions of today, in not too distant future. And finally, always remember
this story of the Ceramic cup meant for your office and the Styrofoam cup, the
paper cup that is always meant for you.
-Kayode OLAGUNJU (PhD)
Assistant Corps Marshal, Federal
Road Safety Corps, Nigeria.
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