Michael Ajayi: The bridge-builder bows out of NPA

FUNSO OLOJO
“I am a Marxist-socialist who believes that a common man deserves a better life”. That is the philosophy which underpins the life and actions of Chief Micheal Kayode Ajayi, the retiring General Manager of Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA).
The ebullient image-maker of the super-rich government agency bows out of the organization this March after putting in 24 years of meritorious service.
Ajayi is leaving NPA when his service is most wanted, especially by the present management led by Hadiza Usman Bala who, upon her resumption as the Managing Director of the NPA, quickly, on superior advice, recalled the Kogi High chief to man the Public Affairs department of the organization from Western Ports, the position he first held from 2010 to 2013 before he was redeployed to head Western ports.
Ajayi is retiring from the service not because he is tired, but in deference to the civil service rule which states that an employee who has clocked 60 years while in the service or put in 60 years into the service stands retired, whichever one comes first.
Ajayi will clock 60 years of age on March 15th, 2017, so he retires mandatorily in March after putting in 24 years of service.
From his passion, agility, mobility, swiftness and physical fitness that all belly his age, Ajayi could still put in another 24 years into the NPA.
He doesn’t look 60 but bubbles with energy.
But unlike some who would have sliced off from their age in a bid to dig their feet deep or others who will be wearing long faces at the prospects of early retirement, Ajayi is looking forward to his retirement with glee.
“Do you know am going on retirement in March 8th’’he once told another senior NPA staff who looked crest-fallen at such reminder.
Conversely, as Ajayi is beaming with enthusiasm to go into retirement, most of his colleagues, especially his sub-ordinates in the Public Affairs, wear long faces at the prospect.
Even, most of the maritime journalists, who are characteristically critical of image makers, felt disappointed at the imminent departure of Ajayi.
Some of them voiced their disapproval of Ajayi’s retirement during the press interaction to mark Hadiza’s 100 days in office at Eko Hotels last year.
At the public forum and to the amusement of the Managing Director, one after the others, journalists were canvassing for a ‘’stay of execution of the public service rule on retirement’’.
But the law must be obeyed and Ajayi must have his deserved rest
Even though, Ms Usman Bala did not betray any emotion publicly, but her countenance eventually gave the pains she felt away for losing such a vibrant, dedicated and loyal staff to retirement.
She also came away from that event with high regards for the administrative acumen and managerial sagacity of the Kogi High Chief.
Why is Ajayi the toast of both the management staff and other ranks and file of NPA, including the hard- to – be impressed journalists?
The answer is rooted in the philosophy of the High chief—a compulsive advocate of egalitarian society where a common man deserves a better life.
Ajayi is a welfarist and philanthropic who engages in a selfless service to his staff and other people who may be lucky to come his way.
At all the capacity he served in NPA, he left enduring legacies which bear all the trappings of selfless service.
He is the initiator of the present salary structure which all NPA staff are presently enjoying when he was the General Manager, Human Resources in 2007. He was able to secure the approval from the Salary and Wages Commission. This salary structure enables the staff to earn a living wage unlike the previous system which tends to pauperize them.
As the GM, Western ports from 2015 to 2016, he was able to instil sanity to the hitherto chaotic truck movement in the port.
He was able to regulate the truckers, despite their resistance, through the mandatory registration and payment of N10,000 per truck aimed at keeping old and rickety trucks out of the ports.
In the process, about 14,000 trucks were registered while over N140million was realized into the coffers of NPA from the exercise.
During this period as the GM, Western ports, Ajayi also rallied all the stakeholders together to fix the dilapidated stretch of Wharf road from the Apapa end to Floor Mills.
During his first stint as the GM Corporate Affairs from 2010-2013, he breathed life and vibrancy into the department which led to the boost in the public image of the agency.
During that period, Ajayi introduced an in-house magazine called’ NPA Today’ which became a roaring success that projected the image of the agency in and outside Nigeria.
At the launch of the bi-lingual magazine, Ajayi drew all the past Chief Executive officers of the NPA to the event, which also witnessed all the relevant stakeholders in attendance.
“During the launch, the magazine attracted advertisements worth N10million and by the time I left, about N20.6million was left in the coffers of the magazine”, Ajayi recounted with nostalgia.
The same feat he performed when he was the Chairman of Nigerian Ports Sports Association (NIPOSA) when the agency won many sports laurels.
As a football enthusiast, retired grade one referee and a Chief Patron of Lagos State Referee Council, Ajayi reformed the Bode Thomas sporting arena of NPA, which he tuned into money-generating venture.
“The list of my legacies is endless which I cannot recount”, he declared.
However, despite his glittering career as a civil servant in NPA, Ajayi will bow out with one regret.
“There were lots of ideas and innovations I would have wanted to bring to the system , having observed the flaws but which, due to lack of political will of previous managements, I could not”, he observed.
As a strict disciplinarian, he rued the high level of indiscipline among the staff and noticed with sadness that promotion was not based on level of performance, merit and competence which make staff to seek for external help.
As GM, HR, Ajayi introduced performance appraisal system which will reward excellence and ensure that promotion is based on merit but the initiative was truncated due to some inherent and powerful forces who felt reluctant to implement it.
He, however, disclosed that the current management is working to actualize the programme.
But Ajayi will not allow this regret to spoil his fun in retirement as he wish to have a large dose of fun with his adorable wife and beautiful four children who are longing to welcome home the bridge builder.
“Am looking forward to having my deserved rest”, he declared with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
But don’t be fooled that Ajayi is going into retirement to rest.
“I wish to serve my country in a higher capacity and work for the betterment of the society”.
As Ajayi bows out of NPA and possibly enters into the murky waters of Nigerian politics which he said he would use his experience as a political scientist to stay clear of being stained, it is hoped that he would bring his selfless commitment to elevate the act of public service in his future endevour.