By Na’ima Musa Umar
There is a rhythm to public office that rarely pauses.
One assignment concludes, another begins. Official engagements give way to meetings. Courtesy visits are followed by consultations. A journey ends, only for another responsibility to begin almost immediately. To those watching from a distance, it is simply another day’s schedule. To those within the office, it is a continuous cycle that demands presence, preparation and the ability to move from one responsibility to the next without losing focus.
Yet amid this constant movement, another pattern quietly unfolds.
People continue to arrive.
Some come with requests. Others seek guidance, intervention or reassurance. Some simply hope for the opportunity to explain a concern directly. They are not part of the day’s official programme, yet their expectations are no less real.
Over recent days, one observation has stood out with quiet consistency. Even after returning from official assignments and moving through a succession of engagements, His Excellency, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, continues to create time for those who seek his audience. The pace of the day may change, but the willingness to listen remains.
That willingness deserves reflection because it is easy to underestimate the place of listening in public service. Administrative decisions are important. Official representations are necessary. Ceremonies, meetings and policy discussions all form part of governance. Yet government also meets people one conversation at a time. Sometimes, what citizens remember most is not the length of a speech or the prominence of an event, but the assurance that someone gave them the opportunity to be heard.
This is not to suggest that every request can be granted or every expectation fulfilled. Public office operates within laws, procedures and practical limitations. Listening, however, is different from promising. It is an acknowledgement that every individual who walks through the door deserves to be received with courtesy and respect.
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Perhaps that is one of the least visible responsibilities of leadership. Beyond official schedules and public engagements lies the quiet duty of remaining accessible whenever circumstances permit. It demands patience, discipline and an appreciation that service is measured not only by the work accomplished, but also by the regard shown to the people for whom that work is undertaken.
Public life will always be remembered for its ceremonies, announcements and milestones. Yet the character of an office is often revealed in the moments between them, when the cameras are no longer the focus, the programme has moved on, and there is still time to receive one more visitor, hear one more concern and remind someone that their presence matters.
Perhaps that is where public service finds one of its most enduring expressions: not merely in fulfilling the responsibilities of office, but in ensuring that, amid every responsibility, there remains room for people.
Na’ima Musa Umar is the A/Public Relations Officer, Office of the Deputy Governor, Kano state and can be reached via naimanajj@gmail.com