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BY: Manoah kikekon
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| Elder. Funsho Tokunbo Fagbulu |
In a ceremony held in his office to felicitate his colleagues and friends Professor Yunus Adeleke Dauda gave a recount of his relationship with Elder Funsho Tokunbo Fagbulu, who is celebrating his 70th birthday today September 10th in Manchester, United Kingdom.
He told News Peddlers that the times spent with Elder Fagbulu is so memorable as both of them had shared thoughts most times.
His speech at the ceremony was as follows:
"I met Elder Fagbulu at Nigeria Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL) Ogun State headquarters Abeokuta sometime in April 1987. We were both Personnel Officers working in the Employee Relations in the department under the Senior Manager Personnel who was the then head of department and also Mr. Alaba Oshibambi and Mr. O. I. Ogunleye who were both Manager and Assistant Manager respectively. I and Mr Fagbulu share the same office and the other officers include Mr. Shodeinde and Late Mr Nojimudeen Oloyede who equally share the same office and they were both in record department.
"I and Elder Funsho Fagbulu were very close during the period of ten years that I worked in Ogun territory. We share ideas on all major official matters, especially on disciplinary matters, welfare, labour-management relation, health and safety and other aspects of employee relations. These enable us to reach a good decision that influenced our performance and earns us the respect of our colleagues and supervisors.
"Elder Fagbulu is not only desirous of good performance but he is always particular in ensuring that his work is performed meticulously and diligently man but also performed his jobs promptly and accurately. He is known for performing his work in strict compliance with official rules and regulations to ensure equal treatment of all categories of staff and to maintain standards. These sometimes make those who use to disobey rules and those that use to engage in many acts of misdemeanours as well as those that use to twist official rules and regulations to their favour consider him as being too strict.
"However he is an efficient and hardworking staff of the company like him and respects him. Elder Fagbulu often considered the welfare of all staff to be essential to motivate and encourage them to be innovative and productive for organizational improved performance.
"During our free time especially during break periods, we use to discuss any issue of interest, especially those that have to do with Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management practices. Other issues such as national economy and politics as well as religion, and morality were often part of our discussions. On most occasions, we disagree to agree on many issues and our discussions often keep us closer to each other. One will not find it difficult to doubt his intellectual acumen based on his ability to analyze issues and relate them to different situations. He is a very versatile and current person with the ability to explain issues he understands and believes in concise, accurate and brief manners.
"Elder Fagbulu developed so much interest in music of all kinds. He had a good library for music of all kinds in his library at home and also in the office which I used to enjoy with him whenever I visited him at. He also enjoyed reading books and periodicals in his leisure time.
"He is a meticulous and disciplined person; he can keep things for many years. I remembered that we bought a small radio at the same time and my friend still keeps his own that we bought together when I bought the third one. His table is always arranged and organized to the extent that if anyone touches anything on his table he will know at all times. On many occasions, he will ask me if I have taken something from his table without any ill feeling. He was always comfortable with him.
"Elder Fagbulu loves his parent so much that he took his time to phone his mother almost every day to ask about her condition. I could remember I followed him to pick her up from Ibadan to his residence at Abeokuta, after taking her to the hospital for treatment when she was sick that. He also loves his father and he served him as General Manager (Administration) after he retired from the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited.
"Elder Fagbulu is a devoted Christian. We use to discuss all issues of interest including religion without any acrimony. He can exercise discretion and judgment on all issues including religion, morality, politics, economy, culture and others. He is a service and achievement oriented person who emphasize interest in helping others and have a strong desire to do the best in his job at all times. He has a strong sense of honesty and loyalty. He is a responsible unassuming, diligent and hardworking person.
"As Elder Fagbulu now clock the age of 70, I wish him more fruitful years on earth so that he can continue to serve humanity as he has done in the past and present."
Professor Yunus Adeleke Dauda is the Director LASU Foundation (JUPEB) Badagry, and lecturer at the Department of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Lagos State University Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.