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Wale Bashir Adeniyi: One year of impactful leadership as Customs Field Marshal

With his towering stature, Wale Bashir Adeniyi, the 14th indigenous Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs service, bestrides the landscape of the service with maximum impact in the last one year of stewardship.
In a blistering performance which has left many in admiration and awe, Adeniyi has revolutionized the administration and operations of the NCS in the last one year in office.
The new Customs Sheriff clocks one year in office today, July 19th, 2024.

His appointment as the Comptroller General of Customs on 19th, June, 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, marked a turning point in the annal of the agency.

The last eight years in the Nigeria Customs Service have been characterised by undulating performance.

It has been a mixed bag of fortunes and misfortunes, rise and fall and tragicomedy in the performance of the service.

During those years, the rating of the service plummeted in the eye of the public and the stakeholders who were detached from the cold attitude of the top hierarchy of the Customs were not amused.

Most of the policies and actions of the service, most of which were devoid of human face, brought the agency into direct conflict with the public and the stakeholders due to the leadership style of the man who directed the affairs of the service for those years.

During those years, the officers were muffled and the stakeholders were ruffled.

Then came Adewale Adeniyi, the new Sheriff in Town.

Adeniyi ascended the high stool of Customs as the Customs Comptroller General at a time when the morale of officers was at the lowest ebb.

However, his coming, within a year in office, has brought hope, joy and renewed enthusiasm among the officers while it has sparked off a newfound love among the stakeholders who are elated over the crowning of the home-grown officer.

The fortune of the service which dipped during the last eight years and its public rating which plummeted within that period due to the rein of a non-customs officer as the head, have now suddenly sprang to life with the coming of the new Sheriff.

In June 2023, the appointment of Adeniyi as the new CGC by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marked a turning point in the affairs of the Customs.

It signalled a rebirth of the service which has been grappling with unfavourable public opinion.

As expected, the appointment of the new Sheriff sparked a spontaneous jubilation and exhilaration among the staff of the service and the stakeholders.

This was expected given the professional acumen of the new CGC and his impressive track record in a service he had held sway for the past 30 years.

Stakeholders, especially the confraternity of the freight forwarders, are unanimous in their assessment of the one year in office of Adeniyi.

Babatunde Mukaila Abdulazeez, the former National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) couldn’t hide his feelings over the inspiring leadership of Adeniyi.

“It is a personal roller coaster feeling for me. We have never had it so good.”, he declared when he was asked to assess the performance of Adeniyi in his first year in the saddle as the CGC.

Ada Ozomena Akpunonu, another frontline freight forwarder and a top-notch member of the ANLCA, was no less impressed by the performance of Adeniyi as the CGC.

“He could eventually emerge as the best CGC customs ever had” she declared.

Ibrahim Tanko, the Vice President, the Western Zone of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) who is also the National Coordinator of the 100 compliance team of the association, also acknowledged the uncommon professional ingenuity of the new CGC.

“He has done well so far”, he stated tersely.

Dr Boniface Aniebonam, the legendary founder of NAGAFF was no less enamoured by the sparkling leadership qualities of Adeniyi as displayed within his first year in office.

“He is a communication strategist” he declared as a matter of fact.

Adeniyi, as a thoroughbred professional in customs administration and human relations, immediately brought remarkable changes from the stiff and top-of-horse leadership approach of the last eight years.

As an astute public relations expert, Adeniyi immediately went on an extensive engagement with all his officers and critical stakeholders.

He first engaged the powers that be with his direct engagement of Mr President, Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwolu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

He also paid homage to the traditional rulers, including the Oni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

He thereafter engaged the officers, one-on-one at the Headquarters, interacting with them in their various offices under the air of camaraderie, displaying a rare leadership style that was alien in the last years in the service.

He then followed this up with a tour of the commands where he met with the officers before he headed to the border communities where he made a lot of efforts to create an atmosphere of mutual trust, support and harmonious relationship with the host communities and the customs, a vital ingredient that have long been lost to the last eight years of deep-seated suspicion and acrimony that were engendered by the unfriendly posture of the last regime.

Not done, the new CGC also engaged the members of the maritime media, his constituency during his almost two-decade-long impressive rein as the super public relations officer of the service.

Adeniyi was not unmindful of his counterpart across the border in the Benin Republic to whom he paid homage in a bid to foster a harmonious working relationship that would promote trade and discourage smuggling between the two West African neighbours.

The lawmakers were also not left out in his extensive and strategic engagement as he hosted the members of the Senate Committee on Customs.

In addition, members of various government organizations and private bodies tasted the irresistible lure of Wale’s hospitality.

He didn’t leave the freight forwarders out of his public engagement as he made direct contact with them in their areas of operations.

Adeniyi also reinvigorated the Corporate Social Responsibility(CRS) of the service by visiting a motherless baby home in Ibadan where he promised to reactivate the milk of human kindness in the Customs under his leadership.

There was hardly any segment of society that Adeniyi did not court its cooperation and support to have an inclusive administration that is anchored on the goodwill of the people.

Adeniyi also thrust the NCS to the consciousness of the global community with his visit to China recently where he sold the boulstered the international image of the agency.

That is the hallmark of leadership excellence.

Adeniyi, as a versatile public relations expert, achieved a dual purpose with this extensive and strategic engagement.

First, he used it to reunite the customs with the critical stakeholders who had hitherto felt alienated by the detached managerial style of the last administration in customs.

Secondly, it used the engagement to launch the customs into a new path of operational rebirth where the new management he leads will carry out its onerous task with full cooperation and collaboration of critical stakeholders.

Similarly, the disbandment of the controversial CGC strike force and streamlining of the mushroom customs checkpoints has also endeared the new Sheriff to the stakeholders, especially the freight forwarders, who had had cause to complain in the past about the excesses of those special forces.

According to Babatunde Mukaila Abdulazeez “It is a personal roller coaster feeling for me. We had never had it so good

“Wale has shown that he has the capacity and what it takes to take Nigeria Customs to the next level.

“He has shown that Nigeria can be at par with the rest of the advanced world in the deployment of trade tools.

“Within his first year in office, he has shown uncommon courage, commitment and uncanny knowledge of customs operations and processes that are meant to facilitate trade.

“For instance, he introduced what is called the Advance Ruling which holds Customs officers accountable for whatever their position is on pre-importation requests.

“I can tell you that it takes courage to do that as no officer would want to be held responsible for his action.

“But Adeniyi has done that. He was the first CG to bell the cat on this novel idea. This shows his courage and passion to transform customs.

“Also, he introduced another novel idea by partnering with the Japanese government to establish a laboratory for Nigeria Customs.

“The issue of argument on chemical imports will be a thing of the past. This will not only help the customs but the NAFDAC as well.

“Adeniyi, in his first one year in office, has shown us that he knows what needs to be done and that he is a core professional customs officer.

“We can only pray for him to succeed. He has put on the table accountability and transparency, he declared

For Ada Ozomena Akpunonu, Wale is a professional customs officer and “we all know his rich antecedents”

“Unfortunately, he came at a time when Nigeria’s economy is in comatose. This will make his task a bit difficult.

“For instance, the exchange rate is too high and the Customs duties are equally high which have both combined to make goods clearance at the port very exorbitant.

“Wale is a team player. He carries everyone along.

“Through the deployment of his Area Controllers, he has shown the depth of his managerial acumen because his men at the Area Commands are square pegs in square holes.

“By the time he spends four year in office, he will perform wonders. The atmosphere in the customs now is that of conviviality and sanity.

“If not for the instability of the naira and the bastardized economy, Wale could emerge as the best CGC ever.

Ibrahim Tanko believed Wale is doing well as the CGC.

“He has done well in terms of reducing the bottleneck in clearance procedures by reducing the number of units.

“For instance, he has disbanded the notorious CG strike force as well as border drills.

“He is also working hard to restore the core values of the Federal Operations Units ( FOUs) of the service by enhancing their professionalism.

“He is also doing well in the area of checking the excesses of officers.

“He is also doing well in attending to pending cases such as seizures, detentions, dismissals and suspensions.

“However, I would like him to define and delineate the functions of Customs Police, FOU and Provosts.

”

Their functions and duties should be well-defined and clearly stated to avoid overlap and clash.

Boniface Aniebonam said Wale is a master communication strategist.

” I commend him on the disbandment of the CG strike force.”The interventionist squad had abused the customs process under previous customs administrations.

“We appreciate him for that. He should also take a very strong stance against avoidable trade alerts from different customs units.

“This does not facilitate trade. He should coordinate and hamonise the alert system and I know as a listening officer, he shall look into this disturbing issue.

“There are lot to still be done. However, his one year in office is well and good.

“He should, however, contact critical stakeholders and partner them by using established platforms such as ANLCA and NAGAFF to reach out to the trading public.

“His one year in office has been avoidably aggressive in revenue target and collection.”But the modern-day customs practice is not about revenue but trade facilitation.

”If you raise the compliance level of the trading public, this will lead to high revenue. He should de-emphasize revenue and emphasize trade facilitation which leads to high revenue” retorted Aniebonam.

But Wale’s one year in office has raised the compliance level of the trading public.

The deployment of one of the trading tools which is the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) is an eloquent testimony to that.

Adeniyi also showed his vast understanding of customs operations when he made trade facilitation the fulcrum of his administration.

All over the world, the Customs has duties to facilitate trade, collect revenue, detect and prevent smuggling, with none of the functions running counter against the others.

But over the years, especially in the last eight years, trade facilitation has been subjugated to revenue collection to the chagrin of stakeholders, but the decision of the new CAC not to injure trade facilitation in pursuit of revenue and smugglers is welcomed by the appreciative freight forwarders.

It is more gratifying to note that the new CGC has promised to break away from the past crude method of anti-smuggling tactics which had led to the avoidable death of officers and innocent people.

He hoped to achieve this by relying more on the deployment of technology which will maximise performance and minimise casualties.

The triumph of brain over brawn.

As the 14th indigenous Comptroller-General of Customs and 31st since its establishment in 1891, Wale Adeniyi, a brilliant public relations expert who is well grounded in Customs operations, is fast becoming a new face of the customs, a beckon of hope for the officers and stakeholders who have been yarning for a change from the last eight years of mutual suspicion and acrimony between the customs and its publics.

Stakeholders have therefore hailed the Nigerian Customs Service Act, especially Section 14(1)(a) of the Act, which states that “The President shall appoint a career officer from the Service, not below the rank of Assistant-Comptroller General (who shall be responsible for the overall management of the service) and be accountable for all revenue collections and all expenditures made under this Act”.

It was this new Act that enabled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discover and unleash the talents and professional acumen of Wale Adeniyi on the customs for maximum impact.

Until his appointment, Adeniyi was in charge of Strategic Research and Policy at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

A professional who is conscious of the need to build a solid image for the agency, Adeniyi once served as customs spokesman for almost two decades until January 2017 when he was redeployed to the Apapa Area Command as a Deputy Comptroller.

He was promoted to the rank of Comptroller in 2017 and appointed Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.In 2019, he was redeployed to serve as the Controller of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, Lagos where he made the famous seizure of $8.07m cash.

He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Comptroller General in February 2020 shortly after he supervised the seizure of $8.07 million cash being illegally taken out of Nigeria through the E-Wing of the international airport tarmac.

He was subsequently posted to head the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja as Commandant.

In recognition of his service, former President Muhammadu Buhari, on October 11, 2022, conferred the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) on Adeniyi.

Stakeholders are unanimous in their conviction that the Nigeria Customs Service will witness a galloping development, turn around of fortunes and professional excellence under the stewardship of Adeniyi.

Headlines

WHO honors NFVCB over tobacco control in entertainment industry

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has been honoured with the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General’s Special Award, African Region, receiving a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding contributions to tobacco control advocacy and the promotion of responsible media content in Nigeria.

The NFVCB is the only institution among the five-person African Region winners unveiled as part of the activities commemorating World No Tobacco Day.

This recognition by the DG of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, acknowledges the Board’s leadership in regulating the depiction and promotion of tobacco and nicotine products in Nigerian films, music videos, skits, and other audiovisual content, particularly those accessible to young audiences.

The WHO Director-General’s Awards are presented annually ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31 to honour individuals and organizations across WHO’s six regions for exceptional work in advancing the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

NFVCB was recognized for its landmark 2024 regulations prohibiting the promotion, and glamourization of tobacco and nicotine products in entertainment content.

The regulations require that any necessary depiction of tobacco use in films and videos must carry health warnings, receive the highest classification rating, and be restricted to audiences aged 18 years and above.

The regulations also mandate producers to place a disclaimer and disclose any relationship with the tobacco and nicotine industry while prohibiting tobacco brand display and product placement in entertainment content.

The policy aligns with the implementation guidelines of Article 13 of the WHO FCTC on tobacco depiction in entertainment media.

With the introduction of the regulations, Nigeria became the first country in Africa and only the second globally to establish such comprehensive safeguards against the glamorization of tobacco use on screen.

Research and WHO guidance have consistently shown that the portrayal of tobacco use in entertainment media normalizes smoking behaviour and increases the likelihood of tobacco uptake among young people.

Through clear regulatory standards, the Board is helping to reduce exposure to pro-tobacco imagery while promoting socially responsible storytelling within Nigeria’s creative industry.

The recognition also aligns with the 8-Point Agenda of the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, aimed at strengthening policy frameworks, promoting responsible creative content, preserving cultural values, and positioning Nigeria as Africa’s creative capital by 2030.

Speaking on the recognition, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NFVCB, Dr.Shaibu Husseini, described the award as a validation of the Board’s efforts toward promoting responsible storytelling and safeguarding public interest through effective content regulation.

“This award is a validation of the work we have done with the Nigerian creative industry to promote responsible storytelling.

“The goal has never been to censor art, but to ensure that our films do not inadvertently market products that are harmful to public health,” he stated.

Dr. Husseini reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote healthy societal values, protect children and vulnerable audiences, and strengthen the positive influence of Nigeria’s entertainment industry globally.

The ED also expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, filmmakers, producers, and advocacy partners, especially Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), National Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), for their collaboration in advancing the policy.

The Board stated that it would continue to strengthen enforcement of the regulations, expand public education and stakeholder engagement, and deepen collaboration with WHO, the WHO FCTC Secretariat, and relevant stakeholders in promoting responsible entertainment content and public health protection.

Headlines

Lagos APC Governorship aspirant disowns consensus arrangement, insists on primary election

Funso OLOJO, Editor

An aspirant in the Lagos State governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olokun Lanre Jim-Kamal, has rejected the idea of consensus candidacy within the party, insisting that all aspirants must participate in governorship primaries ahead of the 2027 election.

Jim-Kamal stated this on Monday in Lagos during the unveiling of his five-point agenda for the state, where he also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the amended Electoral Act into law.

According to him, the amended Electoral Act has strengthened internal democracy within political parties and reduced the dominance of consensus arrangements in candidate selection.

“The Electoral Act vindicated many of us during the last House of Representatives primary election, where some endorsed candidates lost,” he said.

Speaking on the governorship race, the APC aspirant maintained that consensus arrangements often create division and resentment among party members.

“If consensus stands, the deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, will not be running from pillar to post seeking support.

“Consensus breeds bad blood. There is nothing like consensus. We are all going for primaries,” he declared.

Jim-Kamal also announced Abiola Okoya, daughter of businessman Razaq Okoya, as his deputy governorship aspirant.

Unveiling his agenda for Lagos, the governorship hopeful promised automatic free education at all levels, free healthcare services, empowerment programmes for women and the elderly, mass housing, improved security, job creation and road infrastructure renewal.

He pledged to reconstruct roads across the state and address traffic congestion through urban renewal and housing development initiatives.

The aspirant also promised mechanised farming and fishing programmes modelled after Norway’s system, alongside plans to eliminate youth unemployment within one year of assuming office.

According to him, unemployed youths registered through local government councils would receive a monthly allowance of N100,000 pending employment, while elderly persons above 60 years and nursing mothers would receive N150,000 monthly support.

He further pledged to establish and enforce old people’s homes across Lagos State.

Jim-Kamal claimed that foreign partners were willing to invest about $50 billion in agriculture and human capital development if he secures the APC governorship ticket and wins the election.

“We have the manpower and the team. I know how to source the resources because I am a development expert.

“Our partners are ready to invest in rice farming and coconut production in Badagry,” he said.

The governorship aspirant stated that his administration would focus on correcting what he described as “the anomalies of the past” in Lagos politics and governance.

Tracing his political career, Jim-Kamal said he began active politics in 1988 when he contested for the chairmanship position under the old Ikeja Local Government as the youngest aspirant at the time.

He added that he later became involved in the formation of a youth movement known as Dynamic Youths, which expanded across the country.

According to him, he had contested for several political offices, including chairman, member of the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate under the defunct Alliance for Democracy and the Peoples Democratic Party before returning to the APC.

Jim-Kamal, who was also the immediate past deputy governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, said his decision to contest the Lagos governorship election was driven by the desire to “put things right in Lagos State.”

Headlines

NANTA returns Folami unopposed as President

Gloria Odion, Reporter

Mr. Yinka Folami has been returned unopposed as President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies(NANTA) for another two-year term, consolidating his leadership of the country’s foremost travel trade body.

The election, held at the Conference Hall of the University of Ibadan, attracted members from across the country and featured a mix of contested and uncontested positions, reflecting both continuity and competition within the association.

In the most keenly contested race, Mohammed Mustapha from the northern zone emerged as First Deputy National Vice President, securing 216 votes to defeat Pastor Chinyere Umeasiegbu, who polled 146 votes in a closely watched ballot.

Similarly, the position of National Public Relations Officer saw a competitive showdown, with Babatunde Adesokan clinching victory with 210 votes, defeating Gideon Olubayo.

Adesokan, who previously served as Immediate Vice President for the South West Zone, defeated Gideon Oludayo, who garnered 150 votes.

Other positions, including that of Financial Secretary, kunle Oluwole were filled unopposed, while the office of Internal Auditor ( Johnson ugochukwu) was not due for election during the exercise.

The outcome of the polls is expected to strengthen the leadership structure of NANTA as it continues to play a critical role in shaping Nigeria’s travel and tourism industry, as well as advancing professional standards among its members.