Professor (Emeritus) Michael O.
Filani was a personification of academics, professionalism and leadership in
logistics and transport. He served as National President of the Chartered
Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigeria for two terms of two years
each and he was the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), University
of Ibadan. Professor Filani’s tenure in office as CILT President identified
among others the leadership gap of the industry in Nigeria and has been working
assiduously to filling the gap.
One major effort aimed at closing
the leadership gap in logistics and transport by the Filani led Council was the
introduction of an industry leadership programme, which was first mounted in
August of the year 2010, may be to commemorate or just coincided with the 68th
birthday of the Professor who was born in the month of August. The inaugural
lecture was delivered by Dr. Ade S. Dosunmu, FCILT, MON, former Managing
Director of the Nigerian Maritime Agency and Safety Administration (NIMASA).
The National Executive Director
(NED) of CILT Nigeria, Mr. Francis A. Ehiguese, FCILT explained the import of
the programme at the inaugural industry wide leadership lecture that it is “…an
intervention programme for senior and corporate members of the Institute to
present authoritative positions on transport and other related matters for the
purpose of directing the industry on the path of sustainable growth.”
Prof.
Filani, a household name in Nigeria and an internationally accomplished teacher
and external examiner in several higher institutions of learning, a transport
consultant and a transport leader, seasoned by over four decades of university
and schools administration was invited into filling the vacant position of
National President of CILT Nigeria in the year 2006. His sterling leadership
and professional qualities and rich network of his products and chain of
products that now constitute the bulk of the Institute, foreclosed the
contemplation of a second option to occupy the position of CILT President.
Professor
Filani had travelled widely, basically visiting prestigious institutions
outside the country and within. He had indeed bagged both his Masters (1970)
and PhD (1972) degrees in Geography at the Pennsylvania State University, USA
after his first degree at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife (1967). The
professor was a visitor to the University of Iowa, USA (on two different
visiting occasions) where he utilized his sabbatical leave. In Nigeria, the no
idle moment Professor again visited Ondo State University (Now Ekiti State
University), Olabisi and Onabanjo University where he again made use of his
accumulated leave and sabbatical and worked with Tai Solarin University of
Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode on Contract Appointment.
Though
an Emeritus Professor since 2010, Professor Filani remained active and was
never out of school till his unification with nature. That is the real mark of
professionals – “never out of school,” but always learning to be up-to-date. He
served as consultant on several public and private projects which kept him in
form in addition to serving as External Examiner on both Undergraduate and
Postgraduate programmes in many Nigerian Universities and other tertiary
institutions.
Professor Filani, distinguished himself
professionally and was duly recognized as Fellow Social Science Academy of
Nigeria, (FSSAN) and Fellow of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport,
(FCILT) - the international logistics and transport regulating body and Fellow
of Association of Nigerian Geographers (FANG). Filani was decorated with many
honours and awards. Of special interest were: the Woodrow Wilson Fellow,
USA(1972); Recipient of National Merit Award in Transportation, Ogun State
University Centre for Transport Studies (1996); Merit Award, Alumni
Association, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (1997).
His varied experiences found him
serving as chair on several boards of institutions and specialized committees:
Chairman of the Board of Governors of his alma-mater, Egbeoba High School,
Ikole-Ekiti (1988 to 1998); and Deputy Chairman Ekiti State Economic
Development Council (2006 to 2010).
He was a Member of the following
committees or boards: National Technical Committee on the Formulation of
Nigerian Tourism Policy (2001 to 2003); Nigerian National Atlas Committee since
1973 to 1990; Study Group on Communications of the Informational Geographical
Union (IGU) (1987 – 1988); and Governing Council, Nigerian Institute of
Transport Technology (2009 – 2011). Others are: President, Social Science
Academy of Nigeria (2001 – 2003); Director, Caxton Press (West Africa) Ltd.
(1990 – 1995); Director, Community Bank,
Ikole-Ekiti (1994 – 1999); Executive Board Member, The Social Science Academy
of Nigeria(1986 – 1994);Treasurer of the Board (1990 – 1994); 1st Vice President, (1999) and
President,(2002 – 2005); and President,
Nigerian Geographical Association(1997 – 1998) .
Furthermore, he excelled in key
leadership positions in the famous University of Ibadan, ranging from Sub-Dean
(Undergraduate), through the ranks of Head, of Department of Geography, Dean of
Faculty and Deputy Vice Chancellor, while also serving several other sensitive
and risky assignments such as Chairman, Consultancy Services Committee; Faculty
of the Social Sciences (1981 – 1984);
Representative of the Faculty Board of the Social Sciences on the Board
of Directors of the Consultancy Services Unit; Member of Senate of the
University; member of the ad hoc Committees of Senate dealing with
investigation of Students' Demonstration (1985), Staff - Student Relations, and
Staff Discipline; Chairman, Senate Truth Committee; Chairman, Management
Consultant Team for the University Guest House in 1984; Member, Governing Council of the University
(1991 – 1995); Representative of Senate on the Council (1991 – 1993); Council
representative on the University Appointment and Promotions Committee(1991 –
1993).
Professor Filani was a great service to his community
variously: he served on the Panel
for the Physical Development Planning of Ondo State (1977) and Member of Ondo
State Economic Advisory Council (1978 – 1979) among other community services
that cut across religion and cultural organizations. He was honoured with a
Chieftaincy title of the Okunato of Ikole-Ekiti by HRM
Oba Adetunla Adeleye II in 1983.
Born
on August 3, 1942, though, the seasoned Professor of geography with special
interest in transport planning development, economic geography, regional and
development planning remained active, agile and looked fifteen years younger
than his age of seventy-one. He was agility, flexibility was intentionally nurtured
by exercise and abstinence as once recommended by Sir William Temple the great
seventeenth-century statesman who wrote, “The only way for a rich man to be
healthy is by exercise and abstinence and to live as if he were poor.”
Professor
Filani’s unparalleled simple life style found him walking around more often
than cruising. But as Joseph M. Marshall III puts it, “There is eloquence in
simplicity and strength as well.” Apart from the fact that walking contributes
nothing to environmental pollution as against the emissions of cruising
vehicles Prof helped himself to possessing and being in control of his physical
destiny, which is intimately related to mental, emotional, financial, and
relationship destinies and in turn determine ones health, networks, net-worth
and the capacity to influence others positively. Prof. knew as much as Gary
Small knew when he said, “We don’t need to run daily marathon to reap the
benefits of exercise. Walking merely ten to fifteen minutes a day, or what adds
up to approximately ninety minutes each week, significantly reduces the risks
of developing Alzheimer’s disease,” and increasing life expectancy. Prof must
have learnt from the university Professor of medicine Dr. Walter Bortz who
maintained well back in 1982, “there is no drug in current or prospective use
that holds much promise for sustained health as a lifetime programme of
physical exercise.”
Abstinence
which shares synonyms such as self-denial, self-restraint, self-discipline,
moderation, and asceticism among others is an embodiment of Professor Filani.
Indeed, a great leader and professional must be sacrificial and
self-disciplined. Prof was generally selective even in dinning and winning.
Such restraint reminds one of the criticisms against each other of two Nigeria
great politicians of blessed memory: Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri and Chief Obafemi
Awolowo. Alhaji Waziri of the Great Nigerian Peoples Party (GNPP) reportedly
called Awolowo an old man who never wanted to get old and get out of politics
for the younger generation. And in reply, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the Unity
Party of Nigeria pitifully wondered why a young man like Waziri looked older
and tired attributing it to eating in one day what he should have eaten in
three days.
Studies
after studies have shown, “The surest way to increase an animal’s life span is
to cut down on the amount of food it eats.” This is also found to be true for
human beings. Hence Anthony Robbins says, “Eat a little, that way, you’ll be
around long enough to eat a lot.” Though
retired, Professor Filani was not looking tired up o his last breath and would
have been preferred for leadership and quality service any day to younger but
unrestrained and overeating younger person.
Again
Chief Awolowo lamented in 1974 at the book launch of the then youthful future
legal luminary Chief Gani Fawehimin, “The trouble with many of our youths is
that they sleep too much, play too much; and indulge too much in idle chatter
and gossip.” He drew attention of the youths to Napoleon who said: ‘Three hours
sleep is enough for any man.’ Chief Awolowo took time to advice “every educated
young Nigerian,” to learn from Gani and “take each day as a sacred unit which
must not be misused or dissipated, and see to it that, out of the twenty-four
hours available to him, he spends at least eight concentrated hours on work,
plus at least eight hours in serious study, creative leisure and self
development. Eight hours are enough for feeding, relaxation, and sleep.”
Because of the typically busy nature and schedules of Prof. Filani, he would
often sneak into an institution at dusk and read volumes of student projects
all night and examine the students the following day. Certainly the Professor
had no luxury for sleep.
The
National Executive Director of CILT Nigeria who worked closely with him, Mr.
Francis Ehiguese, was asked to describe Prof. Filani in just a sentence. Amidst
protest for incomplete information if one should insist on brevity he summed,
“That gentleman to my mind was a seasoned intellectual, a very patient person
with the ability to carry people along while asserting his position…” Professor
Filani may have cultivated his virtue of patience by learning from nature which
is never in a haste as Og Mandio illustrates with the olive tree and the onion
plant, “To create the olive, king of trees, a hundred years is required. An
onion plant is old in nine weeks. I have lived as an onion plant. It has not
pleased me. Now I wouldst become the greatest olive tree…” Professor Filani was
certainly the greatest olive tree of the Nigerian transport education.
A
former deputy president of the CILT Nigeria, Engr. P.J.I. Azagba, extolled the
leadership qualities of Professor Filani, saying, “He was an academic who was
passionate about the entire transport sector. He did a lot of work in the
sector. He offered CILT strong leadership and guided a lot of people into the industry.
His management of issues was quite mature. He was quite outspoken and straight
forward in dealing with issues.” Engr.
Azagba sees Professor Filani as a transport colossus, “traversing all the modes
of transport having been in the sector for a very long time.” Confirming
further, Dr. A. G. Sumaila, one of his old time first class students at the
famous University of Ibadan, who became a university don himself and headed the
School of Professional Studies of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology
before an acting stint at the same Institute as Chief Executive Office said of
him, “He [Professor Filani] was an embodiment of transport knowledge who
dedicated his entire life to the development of transport education. He had
combined this effectively with the care of a father whose children and grand
children were growing in numbers.”
His
feeling about those growing number of children was clearly demonstrated when
news came that Professor Albert Ade Ogunsanya, one of his brilliant scholars
answered the call to glory. Dr. A. O Odumosu of the department of research and
consultancy at the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) also noted
that Prof. was very caring and wished to see the progress of his students, “For
you to know clearly how he loved his products, he wept like a baby at the
funeral of Prof. Ogunsanya.”
Filani’s
spirituality, which was another mark of leaders, was his compassion and
benevolence. The National Executive Director of the CILT Nigeria again
identified the spirit filled life of Prof that he brought to bear on the
success and survival story of CILT Nigeria: “With regards to CILT Nigeria, if
not for the forward looking and forgiving spirit of Prof., CILT Nigeria would
have gone extinct by now.”
He
was an encourager. When I contacted him regarding a book project on leadership
and professionalism in logistics and transport with illustrative indigenous
case studies he enthused in a short message service (sms): “Nashakyaa, it is good that you are working
on such an interesting and innovative topic…” That encouragement murdered my
sleep. I requested for his curriculum vitae for a brief about him for students
of logistics and transport and he did. I wrote this brief now turned tribute
and immediately he sent the reply on December 31, 2011, “I have received the
script and quickly browsed through the masterpiece, which make me blush and feel
if I really deserve such accolades! I will spend some good time to read it
thoroughly after the festive and make some few corrections. It is unbelievable
that you produced this within such a short time. It confirms the more my
personal opinion about your quality since knowing you.”
While chairing or moderating presentations, he
would never let anyone down. He would be the first to commend even a
condemnable presentation before attempting to politely identify missing gaps.
The NED of the CILT Nigeria, Mr. Ehiguese again confirms, ”One thing about
Professor Filani was he would allow you to do your work. He allowed you to
prove that you know or do not know what you are doing. And when you make
mistakes he would not bully but gently correct you … and his colleagues respected
him a lot!” Indeed, great leaders allow people to do their work without
interference as Theodore Roosevelt is quoted, “the best executive is the one
who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and have the
self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
Filani
made innumerable contributions in terms of articles in local and international
journals apart from lots of public presentations ranging from rural through
urban transportation and the attendant problems of traffic congestion,
infrastructure decay and externalities of city life such as vehicular
pollution. His works cover all the modes of transportation. He was a strong
advocate of and contributor to regulation of the transport industry with a
workable transport policy for Nigeria of which he made several contributions
towards. He drew the ‘map’ for enhancing professionalism in the Nigerian
Transport industry in his paper, Enhancing Professionalism in the Transport
Industry Through Effective Training, a Paper Presented at the Launching of
the Transport Business School, Abuja, Jan. 2007. He authored and co-authored numerous books and made contributions in
several monographs and journals.
Present
him for a public elective post in any political office and the focused
Professor would win any day, but because he chose his path he would rather
research and teach transport. This, Mr. Francis Ehiguese sees as the only minus
about the man who meets all the qualities of a political office holder and
would have helped the country but hates political office with a passion,
“Mmm…mmm, my problem with him was that he was not a man that loved public
office,” Ehiguese known for oratory, stuttered.
Scripted
by Joseph Nashakyaa, CMC,
MTL, MBA, MIMC, MNIPR, CMILT, ANIM
Assistant Chief
Staff Development Officer, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology
Phone: 08056481551,
08035902497, and 08091711811
Email:
nashakyaa@yahoo.co.uk
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