George Akume: A nation-builder for all seasons

The choice of Senator George Akume, CON, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, as the chair of the Centenary Lecture of The Catholic Herald weekly newspaper, resonates with the theme of the lecture, “The Nigerian State: Transcending Challenges, Attaining Nationhood.”

The Catholic Herald, which clocks a milestone of 100 years, is Nigeria’s oldest surviving newspaper and has chosen for its commemoration a lecture that revolves around the subject matter of the country’s nationhood. The lecture will mainly examine the pitfalls of forging nationhood and proffer recommendations for a cohesive nation.

None is more qualified to chair such a solemn discourse as Senator George Akume, a citizen whose credential is steeped in rich and robust experience as a civil servant, public administrator, politician and high-calibre national leader. He has, in the past 24 years, been a principal actor in the executive and legislative arms of government. In those capacities, he has made salient contributions, at subnational and national levels, to the building of Nigerian statehood under a democratic dispensation.

Born in Wannune, Tarka, Benue State, Akume, who clocked 70 years old in December 2023, had all his education in Nigeria, starting from Native Authority Primary School, Wannune (1960–1966) to the old Government Secondary School, Otobi (now Model Science School, Otukpo), Benue State (1967–1971) and St. Louis College (1973). His tertiary education was at the University of Ibadan, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology (1978) and a Masters in Industrial and Labour Relations (1986). Two years later, he earned a certificate in management from the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON). By education, he is a thoroughbred Nigerian.

He started his career in the Benue State Civil Service as a land officer in 1980. In two decades, he rose through the ranks by dint of hard work and built a reputation for himself as a seasoned administrator.

His quality is reflected in his trajectory in public service: He served as Director of Protocol, Government House, Makurdi (1992); Secretary/Chairman, White Paper Drafting Committee; Assistant Secretary, Research and Policy Analysis in the Governor’s office and also as Principal Secretary, Under Secretary and Director of Personnel Management (1994). He also worked on special assignments as Secretary, Gboko Local Government Council (1988-1989); Sole Administrator, Idah Local Government Council (now in Kogi State) (1989-1990); and Sole Administrator, Gboko Local Government Council (1991).
In the Federal Ministry of Education, he served variously as Deputy Director (1994-1995), Director-General (1996) and later, Permanent Secretary of Establishments and Management Services.

He voluntarily retired in 1998, at the dawn of democracy, to participate in partisan politics of the Fourth Republic.

He opened this new chapter by becoming a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue.

As a thoroughbred civil servant, his wealth of experience was a valuable asset to his constituencies.

Akume, who had contested for the position of governor in the aborted Third Republic, tried again in 1999 and successfully became the fourth Governor of Benue State. His reelection for a second term in 2003 was an attestation of his popularity with the people of the state.

Upon completion of his eight-year tenure, he was elected senator to represent Benue North West in the National Assembly. He was reelected again in 2011, albeit on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, a political party of progressive minds.

Despite changing his party, Akume remained relevant for his political worth and effortlessly emerged as the Senate Minority Leader of the 7th Senate, where he took his task of nation-building via legislation to new heights. His reelection as senator for a third term in 2015 was further testimony to his people’s faith in his political leadership. The Senate, too, utilised his experience by assigning him the chairmanship of its committee on Army.

At the end of his 12th year in the Senate, Akume was in August 2019 appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
His organisational skills and administrative acumen were evident during electioneering when he served as Vice Chairman North of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Hence, the appointment was a progression in his career as an administrator.

His mandate was wide-ranging, including assisting the President in ensuring the proper, effective and efficient implementation and performance of all decisions and policies approved by the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria in the management and administration of ministries, departments and agencies of government. He played a vital role in the smooth running of the administration by carrying out general and specific duties on behalf of the president.

Not surprisingly to many, he was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, four years later, by the new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Again, he was expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear on the pivotal task of fostering federal-state government interactions, enhancing transparency, and providing advisory support to the president, among other duties.

In this new position, Akume is the engine room of the federal government, and he has 20 years of vast experience to draw from as he oversees policy implementation and organising Federal Executive Council meetings.

If one of the objectives of nation-building is the unification of the people within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in the long run, Akume performed the role for Benue, where he has been the state’s de facto political leader for the past 20 years. In Nigeria at large, he is one of the easily recognised unity leaders of the past 20 years, whose influence cut across different times and political parties.

Senator Akume is a Knight of St. John International, a Roman Catholic men’s fraternal organisation known for faith, hope and charities, whose goals include the charge to develop  love for country.”

In thoughts, speeches and actions, Senator Akume has always advocated for the unity of Nigeria. A few months ago, while addressing a delegation of former deputy governors, he pointed out the importance of unity to nationhood. “Nigerians must work together for the peace of the country and the development of our democracy and economy. We must be united always as a people. As the Sadauna of Sokoto used to say, our strength lies in our diversity. That is very true till this moment. Together, we will continue to come up with things that will continue to grow this democracy, grow our economy. That is what we need in this country. If there is prosperity, all of us will benefit. If there is chaos, all of us will be victims,” he said.

He also recently emphasised the importance of unity while appealing to organisers of national protests to toe the path of dialogue, saying: “Let me reassure you that together, we shall create a Nigeria where peace and stability are not merely aspirations but realities, where economic growth is not just a goal but a tangible outcome, and where the dreams of our people are transformed into a shared national destiny.”

Nwosu, LSM is an integrated Marketing Communications expert and Editor, Nigeria’s oldest surviving newspaper, The Catholic Herald weekly newspaper.