Character, Responsibility Must Come Before Recognition, Reward, Says Fatunla
The Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Toba Fatunla, has charged young people to cultivate good character, embrace responsibility and demonstrate competence if they desire to make meaningful impact in leadership and society.
Fatunla gave the charge at the grand inauguration ceremony of the Federation of Ekiti State Student Union (FESSU), where he spoke to student leaders from across the state on the principles of effective leadership, personal development and purposeful service.
He said the combination of capacity, competence and character remained critical to the development of responsible young leaders, stressing that intellectual ability and professional skills would amount to little without the right character to sustain them.
According to him, capacity gives an individual the mental strength to handle demanding responsibilities, while competence provides the ability to execute assigned tasks effectively. He, however, identified character as the foundation that determines whether such abilities would translate into lasting impact.
“Character is what sustains legacy, builds trust and keeps you grounded under pressure,” Fatunla said, urging the student leaders to understand that leadership was not merely about occupying positions but about earning the confidence of those they were expected to serve.
The governor’s aide also cautioned young people against the growing tendency to seek recognition and material rewards before demonstrating their value, urging them instead to follow what he described as the proper order of Responsibility, Recognition and Reward.
He explained that responsibility required individuals to first accept their duties and discharge them diligently, adding that recognition would naturally follow consistent and valuable contributions, while rewards should come as the outcome of proven effort.
“Progress does not work backward,” he said, stressing that young people should concentrate on delivering value rather than pursuing immediate recognition or rewards.
Fatunla further identified choice, chance and change as three forces that could drive personal transformation, saying every meaningful journey of growth begins with a deliberate decision to change one’s circumstances.
He explained that while choice involved making clear decisions, chance required young people to step beyond their comfort zones and take calculated risks, while change demanded the willingness to embrace unfamiliar experiences and allow them to shape their growth.
He urged the student leaders to approach their responsibilities with purpose, saying the quality of leadership they demonstrated while in school could influence their future contributions to Ekiti State and the country.
Fatunla therefore challenged the young leaders to guard their character, embrace responsibility and remain committed to service, stressing that the ability to transform vision into reality depended not only on competence but also on integrity, courage and a willingness to serve others.
