Former Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dakuku Peterside, tells FAITH AJAYI about his career and other issues
You studied Medical Laboratory Science, yet your life tilted toward politics. When did you realise the laboratory would not be your final destination?
Like many young people, I was influenced primarily by my mum to choose the sciences. She wanted me to be a medical doctor. But even as young as I was then, I realised that I wanted to make more of an impact in society than just attending to those who are ill. From the early part of my life, I have always had a passion for leadership, and building systems and people, which made me gravitate towards political leadership and governance. These, I believe, are intertwined yet distinct.
There may be a gap between leadership and governance at some point, but governance is narrower and has more to do with authority than leadership. So, I would say the shift from medical laboratory science, or science as a whole, to management and leadership was part of a natural evolution. When I got to the university, I realised I was not so passionate about science, but I needed to complete my programme and earn a degree.
