Nigeria’s quest for rapid development depends largely on the willingness of civil servants to uphold integrity and due process, even in the face of pressure from political office holders.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Honourable James Abiodun Faleke, stated this in Abuja on Sunday, 7 June, 2026 while speaking at the launch of a book titled “The Nigerian Legislature: A Practical Guide for Lawmakers,” written by the retiring Clerk of the House Committee on Finance, Oscar Okoro, to mark his 60th birthday and retirement from service.
Faleke said civil servants remain the backbone of governance and play a critical role in ensuring that government policies and programmes are implemented in line with established rules and procedures.
“The civil service mainly builds the country. They are the technocrats. They are the people that we politicians rely on. And if the civil servant decides to get this done properly, I think the country will be better off. Even when the politician says, let us do it the other way, and he says no, let us follow the rules, I think Nigeria will be better off,” Faleke, former Chairman of Ojodu LCDA in Lagos said, adding that dedication to national development requires a genuine commitment to the country’s success and institutions.
“It is about dedication to the development of Nigeria. When you trust and believe in the country, you will want to see the success of the country,” he added, just as he also described Okoro as a dedicated, committed and hardworking public servant whose career should serve as an example to younger generations entering public service.
“Okoro is a very hardworking guy. Unlike others, he is not money-conscious; he just wants to see things done accordingly and appreciably. For every time I push him hard, he works harder. I believe he is going to succeed very well in his retirement,” Faleke said.
The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Abubakar Saidu, also speaking, said his relationship with Okoro had grown beyond official engagement into a family bond.
While describing the retiring clerk as a consummate professional whose conduct and work ethic offer valuable lessons for younger public servants, Saidu said: “He is very dedicated, very patient. He is a professional, excellent and committed as well as exemplary when it comes to the job”.
The House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, also paid tribute to Okoro, describing him as a model public servant whose career embodied integrity, diligence and commitment to duty.
“My encouragement to people in service is that this is the kind of person to model and pattern their careers after, people who have integrity and diligence as their watchword,” Rotimi said.
He noted that although the National Assembly has institutional mechanisms for mentoring and leadership development, Okoro’s experience and expertise would be difficult to replace.
Responding, Okoro, the retired clerk attributed his achievements in public service to God, hard work, patience and humility.
“Life itself is a very difficult and cautious journey. You have to know your onions, be hardworking, be patient, humble and respectful. If these are lacking, you are bound to fail either in the National Assembly or anywhere in life,” he said.
Okoro said he would return to legal practice and consultancy while devoting more time to mentoring young people and serving God.
