By Yabagi Mohammed
Meet the 13th Speaker in the history of Kogi State House of Assembly who is leading the 8th legislature since Kogi’s creation in 1991 with guile and brilliance.
Rt. Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf, an accounting and administrative honcho is a man of consummate legislative agility under whose headship lawmakers are comfortable and at home with making laws for the progress and development of the entire state.
In him, you see pragmatic leadership coexist peacefully with gentility in addressing matters that concern progress and socioeconomic advancement.
Passion for development, especially human resources development, forms the core of his belief; but he believes that the right fit must be given the responsibility to deliver. Team work demonstrates his capacity as a believer that every member must be given the opportunity to contribute to achieving goals. He holds this ideal dearly to his heart and he is always prepared to sound it out in every given task.
Humble leaders are in short supply in many parts of the world, but in Rt. Hon Yusuf, you find a man that has shown that it is a virtue that sets great leaders apart from the rest. In fact, humility is an essential attribute that enables leaders to connect with their teams, inspire trust, and foster a culture of collaboration and growth, a tenet in plenty supplies with the speaker.
He is one leader that has shown that humility is not a sign of weakness but a strength that empowers leaders to make wise decisions, acknowledge their limitations, and prioritize collective success over personal glory.
At its core, humility is about having a modest and realistic view of oneself. That is why irrespective of what he does for the society and achieve towards uplifting the standards of the people, the speaker would rather others take credit than go chest thumping. Humble leaders, no doubt recognize their strengths and achievements but are also aware of their flaws and areas of improvement, I can say that about Rt. Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf.
He is a man that understands he does not possess all the answers and is open to learning from others.
Yabagi Mohammed,
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the speaker,
Kogi State House of Assembly, Lokoja.