By Sam Idiagbonya
There is something about “process” that is so endearing and the unpredictability of “tomorrow” that is divine. Between the uncertainty of dusk and the assurance of sunrise, man is limited in knowledge, but puts his trust in the ONE who owns and knows tomorrow, hence the cliché, “No one knows tomorrow.”
Overwhelmed, inundated, engulfed, and grateful were among the words that painted the Honourable Minister’s mood when he walked into his old office in Port Harcourt, where he served as the National inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Area Manager.
In his words, “when I was the Area Manager here, I never envisaged that I will one day be the Honourable Minister of the Ministry Supervising this same parastatal.” His eyes were heavy with tears, gratitude welled up his lips, and he bowed his head in sincere worship to his maker.
One thing stood out for all onlookers, the palpable love shown to the Honourable Minister when he walked into the NIWA facility was ecstatic. From the gatemen to the junior staff and the senior staff, “Oga Sambo” or “My Oga” was the anthem on everyone’s lips. Everyone wanted a selfie with him, others wanted a hug, and his name was chorused loudly in the NIWA facility.
Scenarios of people randomly kneeling to say “Oga thank you for making me who am I today”, another was his secretary who said “if not for Oga Sambo, only God knows where I would have been today. Indeed, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo is a good man.”
His humility above all is infectious. It flows from a heart of sincerity, and simplicity. He is a very simple man, simply complex and complexly simple. The audacity of his convictions propels him to purpose, and the good fruits he is reaping today are the products of the good seeds he sowed in the past.
Nothing changed a lot about the old office, except that the previous occupier now holds a position to the excitement of his admirers. Sambo believes that every day lived is a chance at determining our karma, the seed sown today will surely be reaped in days to come. Therefore, sow so that your harvest will not be sour to your taste bud in days to come; these were his charge to those who were in that small office with him that fateful day.
The future is bright for the “Maritime Star boy.” Collaboration is all he seeks from all critical stakeholders. The time is short, but performance is not a function of time, it’s a function of will spirit and conviction to execute. May Sambo succeed, and may President Mohammadu Buhari’s legacy endure.
