After 35 years of dedicated public service, Mr. Adeladan Rafiu Olarinre, FCIPSN, was celebrated in Abuja as a disciplined administrator, quiet achiever and visionary leader whose contributions helped shape the Federal Ministry of Works.
Thousands of civil servants, senior government officials and dignitaries gathered at the Boardwalk Event Centre, Utako, to honour the former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works.
Representing the Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, the Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq., described Olarinre as a man of integrity, sincerity, hard work and unwavering commitment to duty.
Goronyo, who worked closely with Olarinre at both the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Ministry of Works, said the retired Permanent Secretary was instrumental to the effective coordination of the ministry’s responsibilities.
“He practically lived in the office,” the minister said, noting that Olarinre’s dedication was particularly valuable as the ministry pursued President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through infrastructure development across Nigeria.
He credited Olarinre with making important behind-the-scenes contributions to the ministry’s achievements, including the flag-off of several road projects and the implementation of the four Renewed Hope Legacy Road Projects.
“We are behind you, wherever you are. He is a man of his word, a quiet and silent achiever,” Goronyo said.
In his welcome address, the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Muhammed Aminu Ahmed, FCNA, said the retirement ceremony had been delayed because Olarinre was initially reluctant to accept the honour.
Ahmed described him as an accessible and accommodating leader whose open-door policy helped staff gain professional guidance, direction and opportunities for growth.
Other speakers praised Olarinre’s calm leadership, administrative skill and professional excellence.
The Director of Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. David Yiltong Dechi, captured the spirit of the occasion with the Hausa expression, “Yabon gwani ya zama dole” — the achievements of an accomplished professional deserve recognition and praise.
A retired Director of Public Procurement, Alhaji Yusuf Argungu, described Olarinre as a versatile administrator, skilled negotiator and committed peacemaker whose results-oriented approach set an example for others.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkareem Ozi, said the turnout at the ceremony reflected the respect Olarinre earned throughout his career.
He noted that the calibre of people gathered to honour a retiree often reveals the strength of that person’s character, accomplishments and relationships.
In his response, Olarinre expressed gratitude to Almighty God for granting him a successful career. He also thanked his parents for their love, upbringing and sacrifices.
The ceremony featured the presentation of gifts, the cutting of a retirement cake, cultural performances, the reading of Olarinre’s citation and a documentary chronicling his journey through the Nigerian public service.
For those who gathered to celebrate him, Olarinre’s retirement marked more than the end of a career. It marked the culmination of a life defined by discipline, humility, institutional loyalty and purposeful leadership — a reminder that true public service is measured not only by the office one occupies, but by the positive impact one leaves behind.