Eminent Nigerians, including Nigeria\u2019s former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; elder statesman, Gen Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, among others have praised the two new books, \u201cLeading in a Storm\u201d and \u201cBeneath the Surface,\u201d written by turnaround expert, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, describing them as collectors\u2019 items for those in leadership positions.<\/p>\n
In his remarks, Former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, described the author as a participant-observer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is not a distant critic; he is an engaged reformer,\u201d the former Vice President said, adding that \u201ceach piece marries rigorous analysis with workable solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drawing on Dakuku\u2019s writing on the judiciary, he commended the courage to address delicate issues without sensationalism and the discipline to propose reforms that are both principled and practicable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn his framing, the books are not just essays and chapters; they are operating manuals for leaders who must make sense before making moves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Chairman of the books unveiling, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), recalled Peterside\u2019s steady public record, from the House of Representatives to a consequential tenure at NIMASA to a nationally syndicated column, while praising his consistent \u201cthrough-line: advocacy for equity, fairness, justice, free expression, and the elevation of the Nigerian through education, industrialisation, and technology.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says, \u201cIf party loyalties are fluid and ideology is thin, isn\u2019t it time to rethink and rebrand our democracy around principle and performance?<\/p>\n
He renewed his long-standing call for a People\u2019s Federal Constitution negotiated by Nigeria\u2019s diverse nationalities. This would unlock the viability of every federating unit, reward productivity, and ensure a fair federal contribution.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese books do not merely diagnose,\u201d he stated. They insist on bold, values-anchored, accountable leadership and on building institutions that outlast politics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Niger State\u2019s Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, in a goodwill message that crackled with momentum, argued that Leading in a Storm maps neatly onto Niger\u2019s recent trajectory:<\/p>\n
In his words, \u201cwhen it comes to leading in a storm, we have a live case\u2014securing communities, rebuilding infrastructure, and positioning Niger as Nigeria\u2019s food capital. It is not enough to criticise the government; citizens and leaders must get involved. Dakuku doesn\u2019t just critique; he provides solutions, and we apply them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also speaking, Engr Jackson Offor, the Chief Presenter for Beneath the Surface, captured its moral ambition with striking clarity, saying, \u201cThis is not a political diary; it is a mirror held to the nation\u2019s soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
He traversed the seventy essays\u2014from \u201cHunger is Real and Present\u201d to \u201cBeyond Reactive Governance\u201d and \u201cKevin McCarthy and the Travails of Democracy\u201d\u2014and argued that Nigeria\u2019s recurring dysfunctions are symptoms of an invisible deficit: truth, trust, and accountability.<\/p>\n
The Chief Presenter for Leading in a Storm, Mr Adokiye Ikpoki, translated its architecture into a crisp playbook for execution in volatile times: \u201canticipate rather than react; make sense before you make moves; widen the circle of intelligence; communicate truth early; protect essential services; codify learning after every shock; and invest in people practices that reward results over proximity.\u201d<\/p>\n
He wished the book had been written before COVID-19 hit Nigeria, but he believed Nigerians showed resilience and excellent leadership skills during the crisis.<\/p>\n
Goodwill messages came from renowned investment banker Atedo Peterside, who spoke to market-enabling policy and institutional credibility; former NDDC MD Timi Alaibe, who pressed on the discipline of reform and the patience to see it through; and George Etomi, who spoke to the rule of law as a development instrument.<\/p>\n
Former NFF President Amaju Pinnick pinned on sports as an industry and youth pathway, just as Jean Chiazor, SAN, offered insights into maritime safety and blue-economy potential. Mrs Wunmi Eniola\u2014Jegede, in praising the author, said applying crisis leadership principles in the logistics business is critical to success and celebrated publisher Dele Momodu on culture as a soft-power asset and nation-branding lever.<\/p>\n
Representing the DG of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, the EDFA, Chudi Offodile, reaffirmed the agency\u2019s commitment to leadership standards that keep people safe, grow maritime trade, and build credible institutions.<\/p>\n
The author of the two books, Dr Peterside, dedicated the occasion to Nigeria\u2019s doers: public servants who still believe, entrepreneurs who refuse to quit, educators who shape the next generation, and reformers who choose courage over cynicism.<\/p>\n
He says, \u201cBeneath the Surface asks us to think harder, while Leading in a Storm shows us how to act better. Together, they invite us to rebuild\u2014one policy, institution, and community at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n
He thanked the presenters and dignitaries for \u201cconverting a launch into a laboratory, and Lagos for reminding the nation that scale and speed can co-exist with empathy and standards.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eminent Nigerians, including Nigeria\u2019s former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; elder statesman, Gen Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), Niger State Governor, Mohammed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17833,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-grassroots"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17828"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17832,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17828\/revisions\/17832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}