Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised the newly appointed Chairman of the Board of Management at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Dr. Dayo Israel. to prepare for challenges and make tough decisions, even if it means stepping on toes.
Obasanjo gave the counsel on Sunday when he hosted Israel at his Presidential Hilltop residence in Abeokuta.
He stressed that effective leadership often requires difficult choices.
Obasanjo said: “If you’re doing a job and you’re not stepping on toes, then you’re not being effective.
“No notable leader I have encountered ever succeeded without facing obstacles.”
To illustrate his point, the ex-president shared a personal story about how he once dismissed his own daughter from his farm for arriving late to work.
“Shortly after I left office as military Head of State, my first daughter, then a veterinary medicine student at the University of Ibadan, was engaged on my farm for practical training during her long vacation.
“On the first day, she arrived at 7:15 a.m. instead of the usual 7 a.m. I warned her, reminding her that she had to set a good example for the other workers. I told her I would not hesitate to take action if it happened again,” he recalled.
“To my amazement, the following day, she was late again. I did not hesitate to send her back right from the gate. The effect was immediate—my employees said, ‘If Baba could do this to his daughter, who are we?’”
Obasanjo urged Israel to be firm but fair, ensuring that his leadership at FMC Abeokuta is marked by integrity and decisiveness.
