Festus Keyamo SAN, CON: Kudos To The Pillar Our Generation As Buhari Bows Out By Adeboye Adebayo

Serving as a public office holder in our dear country, Nigeria is very challenging for various reasons but most especially for the peculiarities that are associated with our country. Our democracy is still evolving, social disorders, uninformed populace, greed political leaders who see the upcoming ones as threats and not partners in progress are part of the bane of progressive governance in Nigeria but in all of these, some personalities still stand out.

I woke up on Sunday to see the list of those distinguished Nigerians who have been conferred with the National Honours of our land as recognitions for their meritorious service to our fatherland.

Our Comrade Leader, who I always describe to people as the pillar of our generation; Barrister Festus Keyamo SAN, CON made the list on the category of the Commander of the Order of Niger, CON.

Personally, his nomination did not come to me as a surprise because of the capacity he has displayed over the years in serving the nation and humanity. He may not be a perfect man like every other living being but Festus Keyamo has displayed unprecedented political leadership qualities that are not common in our polity, in attitude, characters and behaviour.

He has served humanity to a great extent as human right lawyer fighting for the rights of people irrespective of their background, race, colour, religion, ethnicity or gender, he has been a very strong voice in fighting for democracy, deepening democracy and sustaining democratic governance in Nigeria. He has contributed immensely to the development of law and its reformation in our land.

As a member of Buhari’s cabinet, he contributed to the development of our nation through the mandate he was given as a Minister of State of Labour & Employment and as a member of the Federal Executive Council.

As the Chief/Principal Spokesman of APC, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign and Director, Public Affairs Directorate of the Council, Keyamo displayed unquantifiable capacity in promptly reeling out on hourly basis the reasons why Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be elected President, he was always available in the day, middays, in the night and midnight to objectively defend the course of our Principal, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Festus Keyamo educated Nigerians, Media practitioners, Electors and others who cares to listen on social & conventional media on the very many achievements of Mohammadu Buhari and why they should entrust APC with their governance mandate again, he was all out more than any one to defend the course of APC Presidential Candidate and gave it back hot to those that deserved it. Through the period, Festus Keyamo was humane, he never used abusive languages, he never denigrate anyone, rather he was given out fact and figures to support any of his claims objectively. His capacities on the campaign train attracted very many envious enemies but he was never perturbed.

At the valedictory Federal Executive Council Meeting chaired by President Buhari last week, Festus Keyamo took another unprecedented action where he made strong, reasonable and objective case against the term “Minister of State” in our public governance. He went down memory lane to the genesis of the term, why it came to being and the reason why we should let it go at this point. He made clarifications by sighting relevant section of the constitution to back his position. Popular comments in the polity have shown a lot of people aligning with his thoughts indicating the point that he was actually their voice.

I join his well wishers to thank the outgoing President, Mohammodu Buhari for counting our own Festus Keyamo worthy of this great award.

I also thank the Almighty God for keeping Festus Keyamo alive till the end of Buhari’s tenure unwounded, unblemished.

As Bola Tinubu steps in, we pray God in his mercy to give him more wisdom and understanding in good health and sound mind so as to also contribute to the development and growth of our nation under Tinubu’s watch.

Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, is highly cerebral, matured, experienced, he appeals very strongly to the sensibilities of young Nigerians, he is a member of the inner bar and understands both the letters and spirits of the laws of the land and beyond. Festus Keyamo is in between the old & young. He is running a distinguished and very successful law chamber as his own successful private business, he understands what democracy, good governance, socioeconomic development are all about and above all, Festus Keyamo is accessible to a large number of Nigerians, he picks call when available, he calls back when available, he responds to text messages and surprisingly unlike many of his kinds, he responds to WhatsApp messages. He engages people on their ideas, he is not envious, he does not see younger people as a threat, rather he encourages them as partners in growth and progress, he does not discriminate and he recognises competence and hard works, oh no! Keyamo recognises hard works & competence and above all he encourages a lot, hence he is indeed a great pillar of our generation.

Congratulations Barrister Keyamo SAN, CON!!!

_Comradee Adeboye Adebayo is a Director, Media & Publicity, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023 and a Spokesman at APC, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council._