Ambode’s wife tasks civil servants on dedication to duty

As Lagos Perm Sec gets C’Wealth Outstanding Service Award

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, on Tuesday enjoined civil servants in the state to imbibe the culture of strong personal discipline, focus, perseverance, drive, determination to excel and dedication to duty. It was her view that such would go a long way in taking them to the peak of their career and enhance public service delivery.

Mrs. Ambode, who spoke at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa, Ikeja, during the conferment of Common Wealth Outstanding Service Award to the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Board (PHCB), Dr. Ibironke Sodeinde, said the feat was an eloquent confirmation of productive years and decades of diligence and hard work which the awardee put to the State’s civil service.

Dr. Sodeinde, who is the first woman to be conferred with the award in Nigeria after the likes of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and General Yakubu Gowon, was said to have been honoured for her selfless service to humanity and high sense of dedication to duty.

In her goodwill message, Mrs. Ambode said the international recognition was instructive as it would spur younger generation of public servants to put in their best to excel, adding that it was important for people to understand that only dedication and hard work could guaranty excellence and ensure the attainment of the peak of one’s chosen career.

“Dr. (Mrs.) Ibironke Sodeinde is an admirable and outstanding civil servant, who put in the very best into her public service career, to reach the apex. As officer, she gave hard work; as director and Permanent Secretary, she gave direction and effective leadership.

“Everyone wishes and prays to be celebrated this way, but this sort of recognition requires more than prayer. It requires strong personal discipline, focus, perseverance, drive and a determination to excel, all of which Dr. Sodeinde epitomizes.

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“The conferment of the Common Wealth Outstanding Service Award on this exceptional civil servant is a testimony to her possession of those qualities that distinguish her for distinction,” Mrs. Ambode said.

Dr. Sodeinde, who officially bowed out of service on June 3, 2016 has held several positions in the Lagos State Civil Service until her appointment in August 2015 by the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, and later redeployed as Permanent Secretary in charge of PHCB.

Responding after the conferment of the award, Dr. Sodeinde thanked God and Governor Ambode for giving her the opportunity to attain the peak of her career as civil servant just one year before her retirement, saying the promotion contributed towards the award.

She commended Governor Ambode for the wonderful transformation that had taken place in the State since assuming office, saying such was unprecedented and could be attributed to the grace of God and commitment to serve selflessly by the Governor and his team.