Dr. Ronke Bello
By Kemi Yesufu
Let me start by stating that I have long been an associate of subject of my op-ed, Ronke Bello PhD. But for those who are yet to read or hear about Dr. Bello, I would give a brief insight into her impressive resume and her engaging personality.
Bello who is the Erelu of Mopa was trained in the Arts at the University of Ilorin, Public Administration & Policy Analysis at the University of Abuja and International Public Relations & Marketing at the University of London as well as Strategic Leadership at the Harvard Business School Boston-USA. She has to her credit years of experience in top levels of management both in the public and private sectors and a career that has seen her representing Nigeria at many national and international outings, especially on several adhoc duties for various Nigerian Presidents and world leaders. She is the author of the books “Image?Who Cares”, and “Standing Tall: A contemporary leadership compendium”. Well-traveled, Dr Bello, the multiple award winning compere and public speaker, in November 2006 received a Commendation Letter from the then Nigerian President HE Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, in which he thanked her for her efforts in making the nation great, further describing her as “a good ambassador”.
A letter of commendation from the globally respected ex- President, a leader known for his being fastidious only shows the stuff Dr. Bello is made of.
Beyond the Presidential commendation, Bello has handled different national assignments and individuals in the highest echelons of society can attest that this proud daughter of Kogi State has long been a permanent feature in the country’s leadership circles. Therefore, when in 2023, she chose to support then candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it got some of us her close associates asking why she did this when she could have backed any of two other leading candidates whom she does have connections with. As if to answer our questions, Ronke Bello, soon shed her bookish disposition to become that ubiquitous member of the Public Affairs Directorate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council. From print to TV interviews to press releases, published articles and other underground work, Bello, pushed the Tinubu-Shettima ticket with all of her strength. Even when people from her demographics (be it the internationally educated cream-of-the-crop to Northern Christians) strongly expressed their misgivings about APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, Bello, didn’t falter. Rather, she used her combinations of skills as a Harvard-trained leadership expert, public-speaker and trusted daughter of the soil in Okun land to sell this thorny presidential ticket.
In one of her interactions with the media which I attended in February 2023, Bello, vigorously defended the Tinubu-Shettima ticket, stating her confidence that it would emerge victorious. “Our candidate is a household name across the country. We are running a vigorous campaign with house-to-house campaigns, youth speaking to youths and women speaking to women. The crowds you have seen across our campaigns come out by themselves. People have not forgotten what he did in Lagos state, what he has always stood for as a democrat, friend and associate who has shown love for the people, so these crowds that come out in love and confidence in this man and they will express this love and confidence through their votes”, she had told the media.
As she predicted her preferred candidate won and Bello didn’t waste time to call for support for the incoming administration, telling a group of journalists in Abuja: “Members of the press would recall earlier assertions I made ahead of the presidential election. I had called on youths to vote ‘Jagaban’ because he will address the economic and developmental issues which led to the prevalence of the ‘japa’ syndrome. Young people seem to have headed the call. I also expressed a genuine opinion that despite the complaints and worry over the same-faith ticket adopted by the APC, there would be northern Christians who will vote the Tinubu-Shettima ticket and this can be seen in our candidate’s performance in the North-Central region. I am particularly happy that my state, Kogi State, voted for the APC. The election is over, with a clear winner. It is therefore time for Nigerians to take a step further by supporting the incoming administration to deliver on its promises. There is so much a Tinubu Administration can achieve and in order for Nigeria’s next president to succeed, he needs the support and prayers of the people”.
Three years after, the jury is still out on the performance of the Tinubu Administration, from the economy, security, development, upholding the culture of democracy and even the sensitive issue of political appointments, it’s a mixed grill of opinions on the scorecard of the current administration. In fact, this article was inspired by a well-syndicated op-ed by Dr. Ronke Bello, titled, “The mandate and the currency of hope”, in which she reiterated her call for support for the current administration. The article got me viewing Dr. Bello as a loyalist of President Tinubu and a patriot because, indeed, her article which was published by couple of the national dallies in December 2025, didn’t dismiss the misgivings of the Nigerian people, rather she called for patience and for the citizenry not to lose hope.
As a journalist and public affairs analyst, I have to be honest by saying that Bello’s last article, had me wondering for the umpteenth time why the Kogi-born leadership expert has not been rewarded by President Tinubu. I am being upfront here because all over the world, even in the most advanced democracies, technocrats or even wealthy donors who supported a candidate into power are tipped to come into government to assist their candidate in delivering the dividends of democracy. Beyond rewarding credible voices like Bello, her appointment would also help the President in moving towards the 35 percent representation for women in government even as it would reduce the number of recycled names as heads of MDAs and improve the number of persons with new ideas in government.
Still as a highly experienced media practitioner I understand that political appointments in Nigeria in many cases aren’t done on the basis of merit or a fair reward system. In many cases, the powers-that-be in government prefer those who can play ball or those who they can dictate to. Let’s simply say, ours is a system that promotes mediocrity and abhors meritocracy. As psychologists say people dislike what they fear and this makes me raise the question: ‘who is afraid of Ronke Bello among those close to the ‘throne’? With each press release containing new appointments that I’ve glanced through without seeing the name of this woman I know very-well possess the attributes of a good leader, I have wondered why she is still being overlooked?
(Kemi Yesufu the CEO and Editor-In-Chief of Frontline News Online sent this piece via: Yesufukemi@gmail.com)
