Olawale Rasheed: Garland for an exceptional professional at 60 -By Sarafa Ibrahim

Age, an unknown author observes “is simply the number of years that the world has been enjoying you.” This is truer for the life of an extraordinary man, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, who has unfolded to become one of the greatest thing to happen to humanity.

Born on February 2, 1965, Mallam Rasheed is an embodiment of virtues and the clearest manifestation of what is possible with a firm ideal of success. Starting out from a disadvantaged position, Mallam Rasheed combined a remarkable sense of personal discipline and hard work to become a household name in the journalistic space.

Right from his first shot at journalism with Third Eye Newspaper in the early 90s, Mallam Rasheed has maintained an admirable attitude to professionalism. It was his work ethics and ability to deliver on assigned roles that earned him top appointments at Tribune newspaper, one of Nigeria’s leading national dailies, when he was only in his late 30s.

Thereafter, he landed the Group Political Editor role in the Nigerian Tribune, coordinating the paper’s political reportage across the country. In that same the Nigerian Tribune, Mallam Rasheed held the Regional Editor North role, managing the newspaper’s growing presence in the 19 state’s of Northern Nigeria.

Later on, he served as the Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister for Youth, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, between 2007 and 2011, contributing tremendously to the scalability of the newly founded ministry and ensured deliverables. He supported his principal to become one of the best ministers under both late Umaru Musa Yar’adua and Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

By 2013, his service was against enlisted by the Federal Government, but this time, it was in the Ministry of Power, where Alhaji Mohammed Wakili, a Borno-born junior minister, who like Senator Akinlabi, was attracted to Mallam Rasheed’s brilliance and remarkable work output as a correspondent for the Nigerian Tribune in the National Assembly while he was a member of the House of Representative, appointed him as a Special Assistant. For more than two years that the role lasted, Mallam Rasheed demonstrated a consistent culture of excellence, contributing to efforts to improve the nation’s power supply.

One enduring attribute of Mallam Rasheed is his deep interest in giving young people a platform to explore, which has seen him open up career paths for many and helped many others achieve right progression in their chosen endeavours. It has been an extraordinary honour of my life to share from not just his remarkable sense of service, but also his benevolence, which has weighed positively on my life direction.

So, for me, as Mallam Rasheed marks 60 years of age today, it is more than just celebrating the passage of time that the moment reflects. It is an important moment to recognise not just his personal growths and achievements, but also the extent of the impact his works and contributions has had on people across walks of life.

At the mention of Mallam Rasheed, what seems to come to the minds of many is an accomplished journalist or a policy expert. But that does not say the whole truth about him, because Mallam Rasheed is a torchbearer, consensus builder, and a man that is after the good of all. Those who know the stuff with which Mallam Rasheed is made will not be surprised by his ability to take on difficult tasks and make the right difference for the society.

Mallam Rasheed remains a shining example of dedication, utilizing human resources and intellects to meet set objectives. In his current role as the Spokesperson for the Osun State Governor, Mallam Rasheed’s ability to rally talents to effectively communicate policies and interventions of the government targeted at impacting lives positively.

In his hometown of Iwo, Mallam Rasheed is at the vanguard of development interventions, exploring both government and private sources to bring about the needed reprieve for the people. Mallam Rasheed sponsors the education of the less privileged, provides grants to start or expand businesses, support community efforts at meeting certain amenities, funds health bills of the weak, facilitates employment and training opportunities for young people, and generally helps the people. I have had the privilege of witnessing first hand his sincere passion to put a smile on the faces of the weak in society.

These and more are why Mallam Rasheed is embraced across classes. Despite being a devoted Muslim who has observed the fifth pillar of Islam, Mallam Rasheed recognises and respects the differences in faith, fostering a sense of unity and promoting peace. He’s someone who believes in the power of peace as a catalyst for development and always strive to make it happen.

As he turns 60 today, I celebrate not just the numbers but the immense values of his remarkable life and the human face behind his acts of generosity. While I thank Allah subhanawatahallah for his grace on Mallam Rasheed over the years, I pray for His unending blessings for him, hoping that he enjoys more years of making impacts and helping people to achieve their dreams. Happy 60th birthday to a father-figure, benefactor, leader and mentor!