ONDAJE IJAGWU pays tribute to Bello, Journalist, Lawyer and Administrator at 65
As Mr Tunji Bello marks his 65th birthday on July 1, there is a natural temptation to measure his public life by the offices he has held, the policies he has championed or the regulatory milestones achieved under his leadership. Yet those who have worked most closely with him often tell a quieter story, one found in meetings, conversations and decisions that have gradually reshaped the culture of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). It is a story less about the exercise of power than about the judgement required to exercise it fairly.
When Bello resumed as Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in July 2024, he could easily have disappeared into the familiar rituals of a leadership transition: routine briefings, files awaiting signature and meetings with senior officials. Instead, before settling into his office, he walked through the Commission. He stopped in departments, greeted members of staff and introduced himself to the people who would be expected to translate policy into daily work. It was not a choreographed tour for photographers or a symbolic courtesy destined for the next day’s newspapers. For everyone who witnessed it, it was an unhurried effort to understand the institution through the people who animated it.
