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I was motivated to write this piece after going through "The Ceramic Cup", an experience of a former United State Under Secretary of Defence, 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 of about one thousand people. 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 day, 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 requested for coffee he was shown a coffee 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 and homes 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 up 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. Getting official vehicles fueled or maintained is not the responsibility of the officer. The government pays for such. 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 blaring. 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. Power is transient. Don't get used 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.

https://etimes.com.ng/leave-position-warning-leaders/

-Kayode OLAGUNJU (PhD)
Assistant Corps Marshal,
Federal Road Safety Corps,
Nigeria.

I read every word in this write-up and conclude, that it was intelligently written... Nice words... A very good writer... His thoughts/experiences were well articulated... I guess this is the most intelligent write-up I have read from nairaland this year... Thumbs up to the writer...

Lalasticlala, this outstanding Piece deserves to be in the front page...

IkpuMmadu......... Hmmm

The problem is that they will not learn,this article is very real.I remembered vividly when Obasanjo was in power there is this festival they do every year in his village at ibogun in Ifo,Ogun State then people will come from all over Nigeria just because Obasanjo was President.But now reverse is the case,those that are close to Jonathan should ask,I believe he will have something to say.

Never knew we still have intelligent public officers.


Nice writeup. I just wish we could adopt the China/Malaysia method of treating office holders after leaving office.

Is Kayode Olagunju still of the FRSC...It has been long oh?

Anyway, there's no new insight in the write up

lolsss

Baawaa:
The problem is that they will not learn,this article is very real.I remembered vividly when Obasanjo was in power there is this festival they do every year in his village at ibogun in Ifo,Ogun State then people will come from all over Nigeria just because Obasanjo was President.But now reverse is the case,those that are close to Jonathan should ask,I believe he will have something to say.

Nice write up. It was an interesting and worthwhile read ..I will always remember that ceramic cups belong to the office and the Styrofoam to the individual

i hope buhari can just read this post so that he can learn bcus there is a different life after power

This is a good one, so you understand why African leaders want to hold on to power forever or the one who relinquishes power actually milk the nation dry before they do... They serve their pocket and not the people.

Wish they know this...

Position, and wealth, brings people close to you,and very few are really into the real you.

Okay

Nice one sir

Baawaa:
The problem is that they will not learn,this article is very real.I remembered vividly when Obasanjo was in power there is this festival they do every year in his village at ibogun in Ifo,Ogun State then people will come from all over Nigeria just because Obasanjo was President.But now reverse is the case,those that are close to Jonathan should ask,I believe he will have something to say.

The very minute Jonathan conceded to Buhari, hangers-on ran away in various directions! They wanted him to hang on irrespective of election result.
OBJ even said so, the reason he gave for raising money for his presidential library while still in office. He said once he's out of office, nobody would donate again.

I have a relative who secured a juicy govt position not too long ago.

I even heard it first from our very distant relatives. Such announcement in the media doesn't escape them.

His phone has been like MTN customer service line since. I have called him only once since. I just told those sudden "family" people to please let him get on with his job than to besiege his office. They were all suddenly going to congratulate him in his new swanky office. Others want to send their jobless graduate children to him for employment.

If at the end he doesn't flood the civil service with relatives, both good & mediocre, he'll be labelled to have not empowered his family.

Powerful writeup

In July 10, 2003, while Tafa Balogun was the IGP, a certain Assistant Inspector General of Police named Raphael Ige led the team of policemen who kidnapped Chris Ngige the then Governor of Anambra state on the instructions of Chris Uba the then godfather of Anambra politics.

On the 14th of July, 2003, he was compulsorily retired from the police.

After retirement, his family distanced themselves from him due to his despicable behavior and the disgrace he brought to the family.

On the 14th of January, 2004, Raphael Ige died alone in his house. He died exactly 6 months after he was compulsory retired for his treasonous acts.

Well articulated and real

Nice write up.

Awesome

There will never be another now, so make the most of today. When you look back tomorrow, will you be proud of your today?

KingBish:
Awesome

O ga ju

MurderEnglish:
it is long apostle you wrote up there. I do not read it.
I just understand the topic you named it. And it is big problem to leaved your position and go to hospital that is not your country own. But being healthy is key to live life.

I was just about to respond to your comments then I saw your username. Well done. Really living up to expectations.

The comments here have not even reached the next page

Very intelligent piece. @op u ve allayed the fears of our African leaders. The fear of what they will lose when they leave power is what is making them to hold unto it Nd even prefer to die there.

frontpage. ....let's intelligent write up make the nairaland sane again

One thing leaders can do is to introduce a minimum level of quality of service in basic things for example in the write up - everybody should be giving a mug to drink from and afterwards can take the mug home.

Nice write up.

No one is promised tomorrow.

Hahahaha.....


You think NIGERIAN POLITICIANS and TOP PUBLIC SERVANTS do not know this? They do. Very well.

They are putting measures in place to ensure that they run Nigerian politics and power play,till they die. In fact, they ensure that that Ceramic cup is theirs for life.

Why do you think only old men rule in Nigeria and continue to do so?

Why did Governors review their retirement benefits before leaving office? And they still contested and ran for the Senate? Why do top Directors of companies and public organisations review their pension benefits before their retirement (if they can), earning, in many cases, more than what they earned while in service.

See, to an average Nigerian Politician or High Ranking Civil Servant, that Styrofoam Oyibo man is a MUMU!!A big one! In their opinion, he would have secured his future while in office. It is why the Mugabes, Obasanjos, Buharis, etc will never leave the corridors of power or of economic decision making. In Nigeria. NEVER!!!!!!!

If the average Nigerian politician/top public servant knows you won't give him the Ceramic Cup the next year, they will install someone who can. They MUST secure their future. They will employ their children, nieces or nephews. They will float companies and award long running contracts to themselves. They will ensure who ever is replacing them is LOYAL! Or they simply destroy the Ceramic Cup/Mug and/or even the factory that produces it and/or the community where the clay is mined.

The STYROFOAM Man is a learner. He should visit Nigeria for a Crash course on "Say Yes to Ceramic and No to Styrofoam: How to Remain in the Corridors of Power Forever".