Kayode Fayemi at 60: Celebrating a mentor and leader like none other, By Dauda Garuba

…reflecting on Dr Fayemi’s life at 60, one sees the enormous values he has brought governance – in both theory and practice – across the development sector and public service spaces. The exceptional vision and leadership qualities he passed on to his mentees will certainly outlive him. The naming of CDD’s first building in his homour is a great recognition of his service. The new Amandla Institute will only further grow the number and complement the solid foundation he laid in CDD.

Dr Kayode Fayemi is 60 today. In the last few days, the media has been awash with a series of activities expected to climax in today’s event in Ekiti State. Among these activities were the unveiling of the Amandla Institute of Peace and Leadership Advancement, the naming of the first office building of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in his honour, and the convening of the JKF at 60 Youth Dialogue Forum. While 60 is worth celebrating, the achievements recorded under the number make the celebration even more worthy.

In life, we all encounter people who make everlasting impacts in our lives. Such is my life and that of several other colleagues that I had the rare privilege of sharing Dr Kayode Fayemi with as a mentor. I first met him in 2004 as part of a team that interviewed me as Programme Officer in CDD. That interview was a rigorous and yet inspiring one for me. I became happier when I realised that he was not only the director of the organisation, but the one I was going to report to as I accepted the job offer which skyrocketed my salary from a paltry N25,000 to N80,000 plus. The lessons of my experience working with him were not only profound, but they have continued to influence my career trajectory and leadership.

Dr Fayemi’s CDD journey started with a history of democratic struggles in West Africa. The history feeds into a broader pan-African philosophy in which such notable icons such as Edward Blyden, Martin Delany, Alexander Crummell, WEB Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Robert Sobukwe, and Kweme Nkrumah featured. It is underpinned by the idea that advocates African unity as well as the promotion and consolidation of democracy.

His submission and passion for those ideals during his doctoral degree programme at King’s College London brought him in contact with pro-democracy activists of West African extraction, many of whom were either co-students or those run out of their respective countries for daring to oppose authoritarian regimes. The gradual return of these countries to multi-party civil rule, following of the end of the Cold War and the one party states across Africa, informed the idea of CDD, as conceived by Drs Kayode Fayemi, Tajudeen Abdulraheem and other colleagues of like minds.

In that sense, CDD was conceived as a think and do tank established, first in 1997, and later in Ghana, and further in Nigeria in 1999. The original idea, which has not changed, is to serve as a prime catalyst and facilitator of research, capacity building and convening/advocacy on questions of democracy, peace and security, and people-centred development. In envisioning the organisation, Dr Fayemi and his cohorts incubated/conceived CDD to be a strategic bridge-building institution between West Africa and the international community, activism and academy, and public policy-decision making institutions and civil society organisations. Its originating idea is located in the realisation of a West Africa where democracy flourishes to the well-being of its citizens. Its programmes were designed to be both cross-regional and country-based. Its interventions have helped in shaping policy work of many continental, regional and national institutions, including the international civil society. Indeed, it has contributed to many behind-the-scene works and international initiatives aimed at driving reforms in Africa in general, West Africa, and Nigeria.

As the Founding Director, Dr Kay, as we all fondly called him, put CDD on the international map, leveraging quality research and publications, the training of elected and appointed public office holders, providing technical advisory to institutions such as the Africa Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), National governments (Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia) etc. Under two broad programmatic structures i.e. Governance, Security and Development [GSD] and Gender Environment and Human Rights [GEH]), Dr Fayemi laid a unique leadership foundation in CDD that has not only positively shaped its organisational culture, but has also influenced its staff, many of whom have transited to other organisations and have continued to render development sector services around the world.

Dr Fayemi’s tenure as Founding Director laid the foundation for CDD’s reputable high-profile record in technical advisory to continental, regional and national institutions. Prominent among several of such advisories and services were the development of the frameworks for the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) and the AU Security Architecture. CDD also rendered similar services on the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, as well as the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

Among them are Ambassador (Dr) Abdel-Fatau Musah, who is currently the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) at ECOWAS; Ambassador (Dr) Aderemi Ajibewa, who retired as director of Political Affairs at ECOWAS; Dr Sonny Onyegbula of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Dr John Ikubaje, who is the senior political officer in the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security at the AU, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim who is management executive in Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies at ECOWAS, and Mrs Jane Onwumere, who is currently the Head of the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reform. Others, such as Dr Otive Igbuzor, established development organisations that are faring well, and have forged collaborative work relations with CDD.

Some of these organisations include the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Africa Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD); and Centre for Gender Economics in Africa, founded by Auwal Musa Ibrahim Rafsanjani, Dr Igbuzor and Dr (Mrs) Uchenna Idoko respectively. Others are Human Rights Advancement, Development and Advocacy Centre (HURIDAC) founded by Bashir Ayodele Ameen, and Isu Media/AkwenyaTV, founded by Diego Okenyodo. I, like Dr Otive Igbuzor and Bashir Ayodele Ameen did with ActionAid International and Amnesty International respectively, transited to international non-governmental organisation (INGO) before returning to serve as director of CDD.

Beyond the hard work demonstrated by the individuals identified with the institutions above, they drew on the leadership style of Dr Fayemi, who shaped CDD into becoming a fertile ground for human capacity development and, in turn, enabling its alumni to flourish and excel all over the world. Most visible among those qualities are: the strong research and publication profile of the organisation, which has continued to give it visibility as a place to learn and be learnt from. The second is the very friendly work environment that Dr Fayemi made of the organisation. Staff woke up in the morning and felt elated to go to the office in appreciation of the non-toxic office environment that awaited them.

The third quality was that Dr Fayemi’s leadership in CDD provided opportunities for self-development. He understood and recognised the correlation between human capacity development and productivity. Unlike what you find in contemporary organisations, he did not only freely circulate capacity development (and even vacancy adverts) opportunities, he also approved requests by colleagues for further studies, knowing that such opportunities will enhance the productivity of the organisation. As someone who came into CDD while already pursuing my doctorate degree, I enjoyed several opportunities to attend local and international conferences. The relationships and social networks I built in those fora still flourish till date.

Dr Fayemi’s tenure as Founding Director laid the foundation for CDD’s reputable high-profile record in technical advisory to continental, regional and national institutions. Prominent among several of such advisories and services were the development of the frameworks for the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) and the AU Security Architecture. CDD also rendered similar services on the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, as well as the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. In Nigeria, the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission, otherwise known as ‘Oputa Panel,’ benefited immensely from the CDD’s technical input, alongside proactive foresight and understudy of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. But for that proactive foresight demonstrated by Dr Fayemi and his team at CDD, the acknowledgement of the support of CDD in the report of the Commission would not have happened.

Dr Fayemi’s record of achievements transcends CDD. His background in the development sector created the opportunity for development partners’ engagement and work during his tenure as governor in Ekiti State. The successes he recorded with the social welfare scheme for the aged did not only shut down the often expressed doubt about the possibility of the success of such schemes in Nigeria, it also exposed how the pursuit of ‘stomach infrastructure’ has destroyed democracy in Nigeria.  

As the pioneer director of CDD, Dr Fayemi laid the foundation for international travels, exposure and fundraising for staff. Deriving from the numerous experiences that come with these, I have since realised the truism in his maxim then that “fundraising is friends-raising.” The exposure to international opportunities is visibly present in the list of CDD Alumni. Beyond the several international organisations earlier mentioned, others are the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI); Humanitarian Dialogue (HD); Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (formerly UK Department for International Development – DfID) and German Technical Cooperation (GIZ).

Dr Fayemi’s tenure as CDD director facilitated the organisation’s excellent links with similar organisations locally and internationally.  In Nigeria, CDD was the secretariat of the Citizens’ Forum for Constitutional Reform (CFCR), the Nigerian Coalition on the International Criminal Court (NCICC), and the Nigerian Gender Budget Network (NGBN). At the sub-regional level, CDD was the secretariat for the West African Democracy Network (WADNET) – a coalition of 51 organisations working on gender, democratisation and peace-building. CDD also served as the aecretariat for the West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) and was coordinator of the West African Researchers on Security Sector Transformation, the West Africa office of the African Security Sector Network, and the Global Network on Security Sector Reform. It also held observer status of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, was a member of the European Conflict Prevention Network, in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Dr Fayemi’s record of achievements transcends CDD. His background in the development sector created the opportunity for development partners’ engagement and work during his tenure as governor in Ekiti State. The successes he recorded with the social welfare scheme for the aged did not only shut down the often expressed doubt about the possibility of the success of such schemes in Nigeria, it also exposed how the pursuit of ‘stomach infrastructure’ has destroyed democracy in Nigeria.  

Also, his stint as minister of Mines and Steel Development produced the landmark Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry, a blueprint that is sought to return the country to a mining destination, if implemented to the letter. The document did not only benefit from wider stakeholders’ consultation and inputs, it also took into account other background and past works in the mining sector, namely:

• Roadmap for the Development of the Solid Minerals and Metals Sector (2012);
• Report of the Vision 2020 National Technical Working Group on Minerals and Metals Development (2009);
• The Country Mining Vision Guidebook for Domesticating the Africa Mining Vision;
• Africa Review Report on Mining;
• Building a sustainable future for Africa’s extractive industry: from vision to action – draft action plan for implementing the AMY;
• ASM Handbook for Nigeria by GEUS & MMSD;
• Gender Mainstreaming Implementation in the Nigerian Mining Industry – Review Report submitted to the World Bank as part of the Technical Assistance Project for Mining in Nigeria.

The above, if anything, demonstrates a harmonised knowledge of issues in the sector, before attempting the  design of solutions.

In conclusion, reflecting on Dr Fayemi’s life at 60, one sees the enormous values he has brought governance – in both theory and practice – across the development sector and public service spaces. The exceptional vision and leadership qualities he passed on to his mentees will certainly outlive him. The naming of CDD’s first building in his homour is a great recognition of his service. The new Amandla Institute will only further grow the number and complement the solid foundation he laid in CDD. I congratulate him on his 60^th birthday and I wish him many more years in service to humanity.

Dauda Garuba (PhD) is the Director, Centre for Democracy and Development.