NASS Bureaucracy: Ogunlana’s 100 days in the driver’s seat under focus

Today, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, is the 100th day of Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana in the saddle as Clerk to the National Assembly [CNA]. Having held the position of Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly [DCNA] under his predecessor, Sani Magaji Tambuwal, his elevation to the position of the CNA was therefore bound to be seamless. But that was not a guarantee. But two factors, certainly three or even more, played out to consummate his elevation to the position of CNA: one, he was robustly qualified for the post being the most senior bureaucrat in the ecosystem of the National bureaucracy at the intersection between November 2, 2024 when he was named as acting CNA and February 2, 2025, when he assumed office in substantive capacity. Two, both the former management team of the National Assembly Service Commission [NASC] under the Chair of Engineer Ahmed Amshi and the Chairman of the National Asssembly in joint sitting, Godswill Akpabio [Senate President] were consensus ad idem on his candidature. Third, which was considered as the icing on the cake was the significant approbation by his predecessor, Sani Magaji Tambuwal, that he considered him fit and proper to succeed him. Fourth consideration was the unseen hands in the affairs of men-the Almighty God.

To be sure, as DCNA then, Ogunlana demonstrated tremendous support for his boss. Immersed in the art and science of legislative processes and forged through the crucible of due process, he was quite utilitarian in his administrative offerings. He offered both quantitative and qualitative suggestions where and when sought and proffered solutions to rising complexities within the circumscription of his schedules. Significantly, he brought his legal and legislative legerdemain to bear on issues that ordinarily would have been controversial and intractable. He provided the obligatory support by deploying the magnitude of his legal and legislative experience in support of Sani Magaji Tambuwal.

Significantly, Ogunlana preponderates the totality of his office and official interactions on the pedestal of his affable personality that finds anchorage on his sedate but highly fecund intellect. He is always calm and easygoing, yet with eyes sharply focused on the ball. The essence of his sanguine disposition is to motivate management team and staff members in the task of giving direction and providing guidance towards measurable key performance indicators and consummating the core mandate deliverables for efficient service for the benefit of both the internal and external publics.

Ogunlana has an appointment with destiny that is bolstered by the eagerness to institutionalise legacies that would be referenced in the annals of leadership of the National Assembly bureaucracy by posterity. He is poised to discharge that burden of responsible leadership. His commitment is undergirded by his humble and disciplined background. He perhaps never expected that providence could smile on him the way it has done just now: becoming the 8th CNA in the current Fourth Republic. Humble by the reality of this privilege, he has set out to do his level best to deal proactively with the tension of goals and objectives that ramify his administrative aeon. As he forges ahead, the one remarkable constant reminder, perhaps in introspection, would be: whoever imagined or contemplated that, one day, this gentleman, a lawyer, from Ogun state, would this time become the adinistrative honcho of Nigeria’s federal legilsature!

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This self appraisal must have informed his decision to anchor his administration on teamwork. In the pursuit of this, his humility, nay simplicity has attracted members of his management team to jump on the bandwagon of his evangelical mission and/or reforms that are, surefooted, crystallising in and around the premises of the National Assembly. His simple disposition has also positively impacted the staff members under him. The conclusion of the whole matter is that in the circumference of his authority, no one person is more important than the other.

If there is a virtue that sets him apart from some of his predecessors, it is his ready admission that he is fallible. On several occasions, those close to him have attested to the fact that he’ll always say, “I don’t know it all. I’ll consult or democratise decision making.” He has remained true to his avowal. Since stepping in the saddle as the CNA, he has held a series of meetings with his management team members to strategise and articulate better and improved ways to do things, especially dealing with the rising complexities of the digital age. He is already advocating e-Parliament in accordance.

In the last 100 days, Ogunlana has been attending to issues and scrutinising policies and other matters with the finecomb of administrative oversight. This is to ensure a near perfection in policy and reform execution. He might have been slow about the process, but the idea is to emplace “clinical” processes towards achieving fantastic results. Again, the point must be made that Ogunlana is not one to be put under pressure by mediocrity to get things hurriedly done for the sake of mere accomplishment. He would rather the pressure should come from a superior position of reasoning and logic. As long as he’s convinced about a thing, persuasion, therefore, becomes much easier.

Staff members are all watching, eager to understand the direction of their new boss. They’re anxious to see his style of leadership, his purpose, his drive, and his package for them in terms of their welfare fully unveiled. Again, Ogunlana has not pretended not to be aware of these genuine staff members’ expectations. Let us consider his preliminary gambit: first, he has been able to regulate spending within the budget provisions. Now, payments of salaries are made as and when due.

He has opened and extended a hand of friendship to the staff members via their union umbrella, PASAN. Read him: “We’ll work together, but you must put your house in order.” Ogunlana believes in peace, unity, and harmony among staff members as a condition precedent to stimulate growth and progress in the workplace. His passion for the institution is unparalleled, having been one of the foremost staff members in the early 90s. He, therefore, understands better where they’re coming from, where they are, and where they should be headed.

Ogunlana might not be too proud about the current state of NASS in terms of staff preparedness to get it right, dedication, or commitment to service; he is sure optimistic that things can get better. His constant meetings with top management of the institution, i.e., the Secretaries, are writ-large testimonies to his commitment to reposition the NASS bureaucracy for next level efficient performance.

Only recently, top management staff members under his leadership were all locked up in a secluded place, to brainstorm, think out of the box and come up with implementable solutions and outcomes to issues that have been identified as elephants in the room.

Ogunlana is quietly, steadily and surefooted working on and walking towards consummating his development/reform agenda, to wit: institutional reform, security of the NASS complex, staff members’ welfare, infrastructure/facility development/maintenance, and, enhancement of public participation in NASS activities to improve the image of the institution and engender public trust.

All these are profound and require concerted efforts from everyone. He needs the support of passionate stakeholders who believe in the functionality and efficacy of the bureaucracy of the federal legislative arm of government.

Meanwhile, Ogunlana’s first 100 days represent a teaser of sorts; the greater excitements derivable from the achievement of purposeful reforms and institutional legacies lie in the womb of time. So, Ogunlana, “ga fili, ga doki”- see the field, see the horse. We wish you a successful race against time as we wait with bated breath to witness your legacy achievements.

■ THE CONCLAVE NEWS FEATURE