Buba Marwa has his name written in gold.

Despite the hurdles that had strewn his route to the national drug law enforcement agency, it could only be providence that the incumbent chairman of the agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, has performed beyond expectation in office. His path has mirrored the difficulties commonly associated with strong minds and powerful personalities. However, there is no doubt that his comparable exposure has shaped his focus and approach to governance.

Marwa, the ninth chairman of NDLEA and one with a significant advantage as an insider, was well aware of the job that faced him. The good news is that he was neither bothered nor intimidated. He refined his administrative skills long before becoming chairman of NDLEA, and despite the problems, experience is ready to lead the way and ensure that initiatives are created and executed to the letter and on time.

Social changes that never take precision, method, or clinical finishing into account for admirable results clearly have an impact on Marwa’s life. He frequently jokes that the intricate nature of change has helped him understand some of the issues that define governance and administration while also revealing the way to a quick solution.

He does not believe in lofty undertakings but rather in those that simplify people’s daily lives and to which they can relate, spanning the length of several administrations. His vision of a new NDLEA as the core agency of not only the country but also the sub-region’s watchdog for a drug-free society

As he sees it, NDLEA is ambitious—a one-stop area that serves all. Two short questions: Is it feasible and long-term? Both are correct. Although, in realising his vision, he, like the majority of his staff, may be dealing with a personnel issue—a scarcity of people who understand his policy drive and are willing to key into his idea of change for growth and development. But that isn’t enough to stop Marwa, who is determined to leave his mark in gold, not just for himself but for future generations.

One example is sufficient. When discussing his vision for NDLEA some time ago, Marwa demonstrated not only that he has a good idea of what should be and how it should be, but he also persuaded those around him that his knowledge of his people is not in question. He was confident that by combining these two aspects, he would be able to achieve speedier results in the creation of the new NDLEA and, most importantly, a new Nigeria free of drugs. He believed that any other approach would be insipid.

He reasoned that the use of specialisation and division of labour in the artisanal category of the informal sector helps to expand the operation of the agency better and faster around the world. In the case of Nigeria’s drug-free youths, for example, the programme has developed beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. However, these are now different sections manned by different people for quick and massive delivery with incredible turnover.

However, while the idea is sound in every way, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa believes it should not be pushed down the throats of people, particularly those who have ‘generational sentiments’ attached to the work and regard it as a family business. Marwa believes that at this point, a stronger campaign against drug abuse and sensitization is required to shift such a mindset, attitude, and, eventually, buy-in.

Marwa, the new Nigerian anti-drug chief, recently got the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari, as several arrests of drug lords in Nigeria have rid the country of the bad name it earns in the international community.

The fact that the chairman of NDLEA, Buba Marwa, would go to such lengths for his country reflects his conviction in local achievement through hard work and the “we can do it” attitude.

Interestingly, he has done all of this without raising a political fuss or gaining media attention. His interest in the media is basically nonexistent. However, he does not consider the outcome, especially once he has made up his mind about something.

His conviction in the constructive engagement of various groups, whether for or against his position on anything, is a source of strength for the governor in a politically volatile environment. Regardless of his political leanings, his willingness to consult is admirable. He is no idiot, but his political maturity, combined with education and exposure, works almost always.

With less than 8 years in office and despite the political distractions that have impeded his progress, this self-effacing chairman of the NDLEA has demonstrated time and again that the choice of leadership in any given social unit is critical and that certain standards are not negotiable. Nothing actually compares to education, exposure, capacity, and maturity in leadership, as he has demonstrated.

And, given NDLEA’s contemporaneous and rapid development, it is trite to assume that the choice of Marwa as NDLEA chairman was deliberate, reflecting a collective resolve to move forward. Even more instructive is the fact that he always justifies his decisions with the resolve and willpower to etch his name in stone.

Although some of the distractions that have since been thrown in his path have not completely gone away, his handling of them has blown the minds of the Nigerian people and demonstrated clearly that his indomitable spirit is not repressible in any way and is certain to see his challenges through, especially when it comes to his rights. Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, on the other hand, will go down in history as a leadership lesson.