Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has narrated how he sacked his daughter from his farm due to lateness.
Obasanjo said this while hosting the new Chairman of the Board of Management of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Dr. Dayo Israel, at his Penthouse residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He said that sacking his daughter sent a strong message to other employees, saying, “If Baba could do this to his daughter, who are we?”
The former president advised Dr. Israel to brace himself for challenges and be willing to take risks if necessary to ensure a successful tenure, stressing that no effective leader can achieve success without taking risks.
He said, “Shortly after I left office as Head of State, my first daughter, who was then studying Veterinary Medicine at the University of Ibadan, joined my farm for practical experience during a long vacation. On her first day, she arrived at 7:15 a.m. instead of the usual 7:00 a.m. I warned her about the need to set a good example for other workers.
“To my amazement, she was late again the following day. I did not hesitate to send her back right from the gate. This had a significant impact on my employees, who said, ‘If Baba could do this to his daughter, who are we?’”
Obasanjo further encouraged Dr. Israel to be just, fair, and humane even when stepping on people’s toes becomes necessary.