By Dr. Akinbobola Otitoju
There is hardly anyone, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s fiercest political opponents, who would deny that one of his greatest legacies is human development. Beyond the roads, bridges, and institutions, the President has built people. He has invested in human capacity, raised leaders, and opened doors for countless individuals who might otherwise have remained unseen.
Among those we proudly identify as products of that philosophy is our own Àrólé, Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke. Like his mentor, he has demonstrated an uncommon commitment to lifting others. Over the years, he has facilitated appointments, created opportunities, mentored young professionals, and supported the emergence of a new generation of leaders from Okunland and beyond.
As the saying goes, success without successors is no success at all. Every great tree is expected to produce seeds that will become forests. In that regard, one cannot deny that both President Tinubu and Rt. Hon. James Faleke have done remarkably well in reproducing themselves through others.
However, there is a concern that deserves attention.
Increasingly, many of those who have benefited from the large heart, goodwill, and influence of Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke do not appear to be living up to the expectations that naturally accompany such opportunities. The complaint one hears on the streets is not about Faleke himself; rather, it is about some of those who have risen through his support. While their benefactor continues to carry the burden of helping people, many beneficiaries seem content to remain endpoints rather than becoming channels.
The consequence is that the burden returns repeatedly to the same shoulders.
Almost daily, I receive messages, phone calls, and curriculum vitae from young men and women desperately searching for opportunities. Many of them assume that I have direct access to Rt. Hon. James Faleke. The truth is that one does not necessarily need to reach the principal before helping the people. If opportunities have come your way through his intervention, then you too have become an extension of that goodwill.
The story of the woman with the issue of blood offers a profound lesson. She was not seeking a private audience with Jesus. She did not request a seat at His table. She simply believed that if she could touch the hem of His garment, her situation would change. The garment itself became a channel of healing.
That is precisely the point.
Not everyone seeking help must reach Rt. Hon. James Faleke directly. Those who have been empowered by him should themselves become channels of empowerment. Those who have been elevated should extend a hand to others still climbing. Those who have found their footing should help another person stand.
Let the blessings trickle down.
Let opportunities multiply.
Let appointments become platforms for lifting others.
Our people are hurting. Many are searching for jobs, mentorship, direction, and hope. They should not have to wait endlessly for James Abiodun Faleke to intervene personally when he has already entrusted responsibility and influence to others.
The true measure of gratitude is not in words but in replication. The greatest appreciation one can show a benefactor is to become a benefactor to someone else.
As our elders wisely remind us: “Àbòrò là ń sọ fún ọmọlúàbí; tó bá dé inú rẹ̀, á di òdindi.” Half a word is enough for the wise.
– Dr. Akinbobola Otitoju writes from Abuja, Nigeria.
