Ekiti Govt Tasks Directors on Leadership, Talent Development, Mentoring for Improved Service Delivery.

Ekiti Govt Tasks Directors on Leadership, Talent Development, Mentoring for Improved Service Delivery.

The Head of Service urges officers to mentor successors, embrace continuous learning and institutionalise talent development. 

The Ekiti State Government has charged Directors and Deputy Directors in the State Public Service to provide purposeful leadership, deliberately identify and develop talents within their Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and embrace innovation and continuous learning to improve service delivery across the State.

The Head of Service, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, gave the charge at the opening of a two-day training programme for substantive Directors on Grade Level 16 and Deputy Directors on Grade Level 15 in the Ekiti State Public Service, organised by the Ministry of Capacity Development and Training at The Gigmof Place, Obafemi Awolowo Civic Centre, Fajuyi, Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

Speaking during the programme, Dr. Olomojobi stressed that leadership is not determined by position, noting that an officer may occupy a senior office yet lack the qualities of a true leader. She urged participants to use the training as an opportunity for honest self-assessment, identify their strengths and weaknesses and deliberately develop the qualities required to lead people and institutions effectively.

The Head of Service emphasised that the Public Service remains the vehicle through which government delivers the benefits of democracy to citizens, making effective leadership at the directorate level critical to the success of government policies and programmes.

She underscored the importance of soft skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, interpersonal relationships and self-awareness, stressing that technical competence alone could not guarantee effective leadership. She urged participants to create conducive working environments, delegate responsibilities and empower their subordinates to take initiative and develop their capabilities.

Dr. Olomojobi cautioned against the tendency of some leaders to become “universal problem solvers” who refuse to delegate authority, stressing that effective leaders must intentionally develop others and prepare them for greater responsibilities through mentoring and knowledge transfer.

In her presentation titled “Talent Management and Leadership Development in the Public Service,” the Head of Service noted that government delivers value to citizens through people and that the effectiveness of the Public Service depends largely on the quality, competence and readiness of its workforce. She described talent management and leadership development as strategic imperatives for building a responsive and high-performing Public Service.

Dr. Olomojobi explained that leadership is the capacity to influence, direct and inspire others towards worthwhile objectives and that public sector leaders must demonstrate integrity, accountability, stewardship and a commitment to developing people while remaining accountable to citizens and the law.

She urged Directors and Deputy Directors to deliberately identify and nurture talents within their organisations, noting that talent does not always announce itself and must be discovered through structured performance appraisal, exposure to special assignments, talent reviews and opportunities that broaden officers’ experience and capabilities.

According to her, promising officers should be placed in challenging roles that stretch their abilities, while postings and transfers should be used as tools for development rather than mere administrative exercises. She added that every Director and Permanent Secretary should regard himself or herself as a talent manager responsible for preparing future leaders of the Public Service.

The Head of Service also highlighted mentoring as a critical tool for transferring knowledge, values and institutional memory from experienced officers to younger employees. She advocated structured mentoring arrangements as well as informal mentoring relationships and encouraged senior officers to remain open to reverse mentoring that could help them acquire new digital and technological skills.

Dr. Olomojobi further encouraged participants to embrace continuous self-development, succession planning and constructive feedback, stressing that effective leaders must model the values and behaviours they expect from others. She added that leadership development should be institutionalised to ensure continuity, sustainability and improved service delivery in the Public Service.

She also called for greater adoption of technology and digital learning opportunities, urging public servants to take personal responsibility for their professional development and remain adaptable to the changing demands of governance and service delivery.

The Head of Service urged participants to return to their respective MDAs with renewed commitment to leadership excellence, talent development, mentoring and innovation, stressing that the future strength of the Ekiti State Public Service would depend on how effectively today's leaders prepare the leaders of tomorrow.

The training programme forms part of the State Government's efforts to strengthen institutional capacity, improve leadership effectiveness and enhance service delivery across the Ekiti State Public Service.