Many are called but few are chosen, the chosen ones swore an oath to be diligent in their duties, they pledged an allegiance to serve with dignity, they swore never to conflict their personal interest with their duties as an agent of the public. They swore to define standard, and take up their responsibilities as they journeyed to the development of the office; they swore to make all vestige of maladministration go into oblivion. They swore to be the hand and eye in which the public will use to persevere and function. They vowed to serve their nation.

The servant is not a slave, but the machinery in which the state uses to operate and must be remunerated when due. The servant must observe the codes of conducts of the office which are bureaucracy, organization, formality and meticulousness. A status quo of fiduciary relationship should be maintained pursuant to the administration of the office, failure to maintain the status quo will be the inception of indolence, a
derivative of apathetic.

The office is the channel which the government uses to administer it policies, and as such this policies must be implemented by the holders of various offices. The holder of the office must be neutral and should only dispense tasks and assignments to qualified entities. The failure of the servant to do this will make the servant responsible for every action that infringes the required standard. There is a duty owed by the servant, a breach of this duty will give rise to grievous consequences which will damage the prestige of the office.

As a public emissary, he maintains a representative status and must administer his roles in the interest of the public he is called to serve. He is chosen for a function, and this function must be satisfied. In the course of his duties, any illegality in due process he stumbles upon by the previous holder of such office must be disclosed to the regulatory and supervisory bodies.

More aptly, as far as the public office affairs is concerned, it is against the tenet of professionalism irrespective of whatever reasons a servant have proffered for any inexcusable action, or actions that goes beyond the required standard, an end result which will be catastrophic due to arbitrary use of power. Nevertheless, for the sake of emphasis, clarity and avoidance of doubt, it is unquestionable to infer that dedication and integrity; responsibility and goodwill; honesty and industry are the foundations on which the executive and administrative agencies must be erected, a veneer the agencies must be armored with.

Without the aforesaid, government policies will not be properly executed. The government business is not a one man business, neither is it a joint enterprise nor a partnership, it is a center for collective responsibilities, a roadmap to developing a formidable economy. The position of the public servants is akin to that of a bricklayer, he builds accordingly not to his discretions but according to the master plan, while the position of the public office is similar to the architect, the master planer. The former cannot survive without the latter and the reverse is the case.

This is a call for uprightness with civic responsibilities, non challant attitudes by civil servants towards the public office is totally unacceptable. This is the time to
put a stop to this unethical dilemma.

We are nation builders.

By: Oladapo Olowokudejo.
E-mail oladapokudejo@gmail.com
Twitter @xplicit_dee