By Josef Omorotionmwan
TODAY’S essay is dedicated to Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, the immediate past Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS. She bowed out of service honourably, the penultimate week, leaving her bold footprints in the sands of time.

Eight years ago, precisely on May 3, 2004, this Amazon, the Golden Tax Lady, arrived at FIRS, with very tall credentials, but virtually an unknown quantity. With a First Class degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos and a Master of Science degree in Management Sciences from Imperial College, University of London, we needed no soothsayer to predict that she was destined for history. She also equipped herself with many years of solid cognate experience acquired from the accounting firms of Akintola Williams & Co. and Arthur Anderson.

It is most instructive that Omoigui-Okauru got to FIRS at a time when the organisation was thoroughly Nigerian – no good record keeping, there were reports of widespread tax evasion, non-remittance of collected taxes, criminal revenue leakages, etc – and some people were benefiting from the ensuing confusion!

The Golden Tax Lady soon went to work and cleaned up the entire system. There was no longer any hiding place for the dubious. By the time many organisations were convicted for tax fraud and evasion; people knew that it was no longer business as usual. Then came the Personal Income Tax Amendment Act 2011 which removed all tax exemptions for the high and the mighty. The Act requires, among other things, that the President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies must pay tax on both official and non-official income. During her eight years as head of FIRS, Omoigui-Okauru increased tax revenue from N1.2 trillion in 2004 to N4.6 trillion in 2012. While her action spoke out loud, she still remained her humble self. In her final days in office, she said: “All we have done in the last eight years was to build a foundation for tax administration in this country. We have not even started putting anything on that foundation. It looks like we have achieved a lot but there is still much more that needs to be done”.

The difference is now clear. Without intending to do so, Omoigui-Okauru is leaving a healthy problem for the system. She has now raised the stake so high that it is impossible to replace her with any “Dundee United”. President Goodluck Jonathan has now directed that the position of Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service be advertised and that an independent body should handle the interview of prospective candidates because: “Sticking to merit is the only way a round peg will be in a round hole and square peg in a square hole. At the political level, this administration is committed to stop a situation where a Nigerian must know somebody before he gets something. This situation must end. And we are beginning to demonstrate that even in our political appointments, some of the political offices have to be advertised for all Nigerians to compete so that we select the best”.

We hope the President is listening to himself. This looks like a far departure from the past. This certainly looks like a clean departure from what we saw recently at the PDP national convention where after some political manoeuvres, all other aspirants collapsed into a single aspirant. This is also quite close to a 360-degree turnaround from what we saw in some states where the PDP held two primaries for a single position, apparently compassed towards the production of a favoured candidate. We cannot even go too far here because we hear that some aspects of this are still in court. But henceforth, we hope action will speak louder than voice.

Omoigui-Okauru’s action also provides a good lesson on how not to sit tight on a position which Nigerians have come to know as tenure elongation. Three years into office, the Act establishing the FIRS came into effect. The Act stipulated a limit of two four-year tenures for the chief executive of the FIRS. When her four-year tenure expired in 2008, it was renewed by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Nigerians had whispered to her to insist, the Nigerian-style, that her first four years should not count since she was already on seat before the Act was enacted.

Madam pulled a big surprise on them all when she asserted unequivocally: “I have done two terms. I came in on May 3, 2004. The first term started before the FIRS Act and it is now two terms. Whether it is before or after the FIRS Act does not change the fact that I have done two terms… Life is such that when you are used to something, you think it would never end but it would always end. There is nothing like running away. My term has ended and it’s time to say thank you and goodbye”. This is how to leave honourably when there is still an ovation. Is the President still listening?

President Goodluck Jonathan’s new stance is commendable. It presupposes that henceforth, there will be transparency and accountability in governance and he will be constantly reminded of this. Never again shall a church in the form of a mini- stadium that comfortably seats 2500 people be provided in a place and we are told that it is a small church for 400 worshippers even when it is immaterial that it is a three-seater church – just enough to accommodate the President, his wife and the officiating minister; the offence of accepting an illegal gift has been recorded. Henceforth, the offence of perjury shall also be added.

Meritocracy demands more than mere lip service. It accommodates the spirit of do-as-I-do, not just do-as-I-say because my actions shall speak for me. This Column’s Merit Award for 2012 is, accordingly, conferred on Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, with all the honours, privileges and immunities thereto appertaining.