There are people you meet once in life, and that one meeting becomes the start of enduring history. Not just friendship, but a bond built on trust, mutual respect, and shared convictions about service, honesty, and leadership. For me, that person is Mike Omeri.
Our paths first crossed in Jos around 1992 or 1993. Back then, Mike was known more for his suya spot near Dogon Karfe axis than for any government title. A clean and modest stand where he grilled meat with the seriousness of a man who believed in whatever job his hands found. The spot where that suya business stood is now occupied by an NNPC fuel station. But the memories remain.
It was around that time that Omeri was appointed Press Secretary to the then Military Administrator of Plateau State, Col. Muhammed Mana. I had been posted to Government House, Rayfield Jos as NTA correspondent. From that point, our professional relationship began, one that later extended into the early years of Nasarawa State, when we both relocated in similar roles, driven by a shared determination to give the new state its place in the sun. We did.
Over the years, I watched him rise not as someone who sought positions. Between 1996 and 1998, Omeri served as commissioner for three key ministries in Nasarawa State: Social Development, Information; Youth and Culture; and later, Works, Housing and Transport. He did not merely hold office. He worked. He led. And above all, he listened. It was always about the people, never about posturing.
Yet, it is his life before and beyond public service that speaks even louder. This is a man who once sold suya even with two university degrees, one in Mass Communication from the University of Maiduguri and a Master’s in Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos. Some may scoff at that, but to me and to many who knew him then, it showed something that cannot be bought or taught: humility and self-belief. The kind of man who doesn’t wait for a government appointment to define his worth.
When he eventually became Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in 2012, those same values guided his leadership. He revamped the agency into a dynamic institution, launching the “Do the Right Thing” campaign, building civic feedback platforms like NOA Radio, and making civic engagement more interactive, more grassroots-based, and more relevant to the average Nigerian. During the height of Nigeria’s struggle with insurgency, it was Omeri, who regularly faced the media, not for show, but to inform, calm and lead with clarity. In fact, the truth must be told today: His stint at NOA was characterised by huge underfunding gaps for running the organisation. Yet he succeeded.
He has always carried himself with a rare blend of quiet strength and emotional intelligence. Even when he took a back seat from the headlines, he never left the work. Today, he serves as Executive Director (Africa) for the Forum for Innovations in African Universities, a continental educational think tank based in Germany. Though the headquarters may be abroad, his focus remains on Africa, and indeed, on Nigeria.
So, where is Omeri?
He is where good men go when the political noise becomes too loud for purpose: behind the scenes, still serving, still building, still believing. He is not retired. He is not lost. He is simply not in the spotlight, and perhaps that is why some are asking the question. But those who know him well know this: Omeri has never chased the spotlight. The spotlight finds him when he’s doing what he does best building institutions, mentoring the younger generation, and quietly championing the values of honesty, fairness, and service.
I often reflect on how our early years shaped us; he from the grill in Jos, me from the lens of a State House correspondent, and how our lives have kept intersecting in unexpected but meaningful ways. His story is one that inspires, not just because of what he has done, but because of how he has done it.
As we look around and search for credible, thoughtful, and tested leaders, it is time we remember men like Omeri, people who have paid their dues, kept their integrity, and never compromised their values. In a political space too often defined by noise, Omeri represents what is calm, steady, and trustworthy.
Some leaders lead from the top. Others lead from wherever they are. Omeri is one of those.
